Hawaii-2014-SCR60-Introduced

WHEREAS, beaches are central to cultural, recreational, and subsistence practices in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, beaches are a key part of the coastal environment, providing essential habitat for many species; and

WHEREAS, beaches are a major attraction for Hawaii's $14,400,000,000 visitor economy, and Hawaiian beaches consistently rank among the most popular beach destinations in the world; and

WHEREAS, healthy beach and dune systems provide natural protection from coastal flooding and property loss during high waves and storms; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's beaches are being lost by a process known as coastal erosion or shoreline retreat; and

WHEREAS, studies by the University of Hawaii and the United States Geological Survey find that seventy percent of beaches have eroded and over thirteen miles of beach have been completely lost to erosion in Hawaii over the past century; and

WHEREAS, the percentage of beaches eroding and rates of beach erosion will only increase with projected increases in rates of sea level rise; and

WHEREAS, construction of seawalls and other methods of hardened shoreline protection on eroding beaches are shown to contribute to beach loss in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, alternatives to shoreline hardening must be developed and encouraged if we are to conserve our beaches for the next generation; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii is left with a legacy of homes and infrastructure built too close to eroding shorelines due to a historical lack of understanding of shoreline variability and insufficient building setbacks; and

WHEREAS, erosion-rate based setback policies adopted by the State and by Kauai and Maui counties apply only to new construction; and

WHEREAS, some existing infrastructure and homes need to be moved away from highly vulnerable coastal areas through a process known as managed retreat to improve resilience to coastal hazards and preserve beaches, coastal ecosystems, and public shoreline access; and

WHEREAS, acquisition of coastal lands for public conservation or park lands may be a viable and cost-effective alternative for conserving beaches and assisting private landowners and government in conducting managed retreat away from highly vulnerable coastal areas; and

WHEREAS, sufficient funding and agency staffing support do not presently exist for planning for managed coastal retreat and acquisition of coastal lands; and

WHEREAS, development of a coastal lands acquisition program will require close coordination between government agencies, scientists, legal experts, and non-governmental organizations; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources is requested to convene a task force to investigate, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding managed retreat and coastal land acquisition in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources or the Chairperson's designee is requested to serve as chair of the task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force comprise the following individuals:

(1) The Administrator of the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, or the Administrator's representative;

(2) A representative from the Kauai Mayor's Office;

(3) A representative from the Honolulu Mayor's Office;

(4) A representative from Maui Mayor's Office;

(5) A representative from the Hawaii Mayor's Office;

(6) The Program Manager of the State Coastal Zone Management Program, or the Program Manager's representative;

(7) A professor from the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Hawaii, or the professor's representative;

(8) The Coastal Lands Program Coordinator at the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, or the Coordinator's representative;

(9) An environmental attorney specializing in land use as it relates to climate and sustainability; and

(10) A representative from a non-governmental land trust; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to consider:

(1) Whether acquisition of coastal lands abutting legacy beaches is feasible;

(2) If feasible, what agency or entity would be tasked with the responsibility of administering a coastal lands acquisition program; and

(3) How the program would be funded; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force are requested to serve without compensation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit 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 2016; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be dissolved on June 30, 2016; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Program Manager of the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program, Administrator of the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, Department Chair of the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Hawaii, Mayor of the County of Kauai, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, and Mayor of the County of Hawaii.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Task Force; Shoreline Retreat; Managed Retreat; Coastal Land Acquisition

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	60
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII