STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2648

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2742

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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2742 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to establish the greener highway corridors pilot project to improve the H-1 freeway corridor with greenery.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Trees for Honolulu's Future, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that urban temperatures are expected to rise significantly, particularly due to the loss of shade and increase in concrete in urban areas. Increased urban temperatures can potentially lead to heat exhaustion and death, especially among vulnerable members of the community. Your Committee further finds that the difference in temperatures on an urban street having trees and cooling strategies versus one not having trees and cooling strategies can be as much as fifteen to twenty degrees on a hot day. This measure will mitigate the effects of rising temperatures and will ultimately reduce potential future financial burden due to climate change. Your Committee recognizes that the unique challenges posed by each freeway in the State means that one pilot project is necessary.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language in the pilot project on Interstate H-1 to include green programming in limited spaces;

(2) Adding language to establish a pilot project to implement reforestation programming on Interstate H-2;

(3) Adding language to establish a pilot project to implement green programming on Interstate H-201;

(4) Adding language to establish a working group to develop projects and define best practices to achieve temperature reduction, carbon capture, and habitat restoration; and improve mental health and beautification of commuter corridors; and minimize maintenance of those projects and practices over time;

(5) Deleting the appropriation;

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

(7) 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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2742, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2742, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair