THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2984
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to the environment.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  (a)  The department of health shall:

     (1)  Fill the vacant environmental management division chief staff position by October 1, 2022;

     (2)  Require that the clean water branch of the environmental division continue to test water quality as part of its Hawaii beach monitoring program during brown water advisories, adhering to their regularly scheduled beach sampling schedule; provided that no water sample shall be collected by clean water branch personnel until any hazardous conditions at affected beaches have subsided;

     (3)  Issue health advisories during brown water advisories that explain the health risks associated with water runoff, including but not limited to informational signs posted during these advisories at affected tier 1 beaches;

     (4)  Take into consideration environmental justice issues in the assessment of use, when considering usage and public health risk for its determination and ranking of beaches for inclusion in Hawaii's beach monitoring program; and

     (5)  Establish an environmental management division oversight advisory board to provide oversight and guidance to the environmental management division.

     (b)  The department of health shall adopt or amend its administrative rules in accordance with chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as necessary to implement this section.

     (c)  As used in this Act, "tier 1 beaches" means those beaches designated as tier 1 by the department of health pursuant to the federal Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The legislative reference bureau shall conduct a comprehensive review of the environmental management division of the department of health; provided that the comprehensive review shall focus on, but not be limited to the environmental management division's clean water branch and wastewater branch.

     (b)  The legislative reference bureau shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Department of Health; Environmental Management Division; Clean Water Branch; Wastewater Branch; Hawaii Beach Monitoring Program; Environmental Justice; Brown Water Advisories; Beaches; Legislative Reference Bureau; Review

 

Description:

Requires the Department of Health to fill the vacant division chief staff position within the Environmental Management Division by 10/1/2022 and consider environmental justice issues when making certain assessments and determinations.  Requires the Clean Water Branch to perform water quality testing during brown water advisories, inform the public of health risks associated with water runoff during brown water advisories, and establish an Environmental Management Division Oversight Advisory Board.  Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a comprehensive review of the Environmental Management Division.

 

 

 

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