STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2655

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2156

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2156 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PORT INFRASTRUCTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Land and Natural to create a strategic plan for maintenance dredging of small boat harbors, channels, ramps, and other important infrastructure in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawaiʻi Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, Inc.; Ocean Tourism Coalition; Sailing Maui, Inc.; Fair Wind Cruises; Quicksilver Charters; Gemini Sailing Charters; and three individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that maintenance dredging is critical to the upkeep of small boat harbors, channels, ramps, and other port infrastructure in the State. The current system is disorganized and haphazard as the necessary steps, including appropriations and the issuance of permits, are not taken until dredging is imminent. This disorganized process sometimes contributes to worsened conditions at these facilities that may cause a shutdown of the affected sites. Federal agencies have encouraged the states to adopt programmatic schedules of maintenance dredging to expedite federal review and even draw down federal dollars that are available to assist the states in these endeavors. This measure will spread resources across the State according to actual need and allow ample time for permitting and public input.

Your Committee has heard testimony from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (Department) that a strategic plan for maintenance dredging is unnecessary as the Department has already identified the facilities across the State that require maintenance dredging on a regular basis. The Department anticipates that with sufficient funding, the Department would be able to complete two or three dredging projects a year and estimates that a recurring $3,000,000 appropriation would cover annual maintenance dredging needs.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required the Department to develop a strategic plan for maintenance dredging;

(2) Inserting language that appropriates funds to the Department to conduct maintenance dredging at small state boat harbors, boat launch ramp facilities, and other state boating facilities and waterways, including design, permitting, and dredging work, as identified by the Department;

(3) Changing the appropriation from an unspecified amount to an amount of $3,000,000 for the purposes of this measure;

(4) Requiring funding for maintenance dredging of state boating facilities to be in the Departments' annual base budget request;

(5) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2156, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2156, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair