STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3473

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 105

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 105 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK AND THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO LANDOWNERS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a working group to make recommendations on solutions to reduce wildfire risk and the feasibility of establishing a vegetation management program as it relates to landowners and public utilities.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiian Electric, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1260, and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committees find that the Wildfire Prevention Working Group found that guinea grass, fountain grass, molasses grass, and buffelgrass can form continuous fuel beds, ignite easily, attain extremely high fine fuel loads, and are capable of growing back more vigorously in the post-fire environment than the majority of native vegetation. Your Committees further find that a significant portion of public and private lands are covered in unmanaged grasses, trees, and other vegetation that may pose a wildfire risk. Your Committees believe that vegetation management is essential for the mitigation of wildfire risks and the promotion of safer conditions for the State's communities and environment.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting that the working group include:

(A) A representative of the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources;

(B) A representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1260; and

(C) One member representing the telecommunications industry, to be invited by the chairperson of the working group; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 105, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 105, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair