STAND. COM. REP. NO. 211

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 701

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 701 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POHOIKI BOAT RAMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to dredge the boat ramp at Pohoiki Bay, Puna.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, County of Hawai‘i Planning Department, Mainstreet Pahoa Association, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the 2018 eruption of the Kilauea lower east rift zone forced the closure of the boat ramp at Pohoiki Bay as it became landlocked. The Department of Land and Natural Resources estimates that it will cost $40,000,000 for the dredging of Pohoiki Boat Ramp. Additionally, while the Department has been informed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that a portion of the costs will be reimbursed by federal matching funds, the amount of matching funds has not yet been determined because the project is still under review by federal agencies.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the expending agency to the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 701, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 701, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair