STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3232

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 223

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 223, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF USING LUALUALEI NAVAL ROAD AS AN EVACUATION ROUTE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR NATURAL DISASTER ON THE LEEWARD COAST,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau, with the cooperation, support, and assistance of the Department of Defense, specifically the Civil Defense Division, to conduct a study on the feasibility of using Lualualei Naval Road as an evacuation route in the event of an emergency or natural disaster on the leeward coast of Oahu.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals.  Comments were received from one legislative agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     The sole public passage out of the leeward coast area to other parts of Oahu in the event of any disaster requiring the evacuation of the leeward coast is Farrington Highway, which has been closed numerous times in recent years because of accidents, severe weather, and other emergency conditions.  In the event of a disaster requiring the evacuation of the leeward coast during a closure of Farrington Highway, tens of thousands of civilian lives will be placed in harm's way.  This measure calls for a study of the logistical challenges, jurisdictional issues, conditions necessitated by contractual agreements between the State and the United States Army and Navy, and other issues that need to be addressed in evaluating the feasibility of using Lualualei Naval Road as an emergency evacuation route for civilians from the leeward coast of Oahu.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 223, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair