HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

461

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO SEA LEVEL RISE.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii is already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, extreme tides, accelerated coastal erosion, and stronger, more frequent storms.  Even with decisive actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many of the impacts of climate change are inescapable, and must be adapted to.

     The Hawaii Climate Adaptation Initiative was established in 2014 with the purpose of protecting the State's economy, health, environment, and way of life by considering how to best adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.  In December 2017, the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission produced the first Hawaii sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report.  The report identified areas that are susceptible to sea level rise impacts and urged immediate preparation for a 3.2-foot increase in sea level by 2060.  The report also made a number of recommendations to state and county agencies based on emerging good practices, designed to strengthen Hawaii's overall readiness to face sea level rise and climate change.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to support and direct the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission to further progress towards addressing the impacts of sea level rise, to identify critical public infrastructure in impacted areas, and to provide policy direction to the legislature about how to move forward with concrete strategies for mitigation and adaptation to sea level rise.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission shall:

     (1)  Conduct a thorough inventory of critical public infrastructure, existing or planned, both man-made and natural, and determine if the infrastructure is in or near an area that is vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise, and analyze predicted impacts of sea level rise to identified vulnerable infrastructure;

     (2)  Identify priority areas throughout the State that will be subject to high rates of coastal erosion and sea level rise, including public infrastructure and private properties;

     (3)  Design and propose sea level rise impact zone maps to be adopted by the legislature and provide a guidepost for future sea level rise adaptation policies;

     (4)  Work with state and county agencies to develop sea level rise adaptation plans in accordance with the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report; and

     (5)  Make specific recommendations to the legislature for policies that may be adopted for managed retreat, relocation of infrastructure, or mitigation measures to minimize the impacts of sea level rise for public infrastructure and private properties, including information regarding how these recommendations may be funded and consideration of sea level rise policies implemented in other states and nations.

     (b)  The Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission shall report its findings and recommendations as required pursuant to this Act to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2021.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 to support the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission to conduct its activities as required by section 2 of this Act.

     The sum appropriated shall by expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $75,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 to fund the climate change mitigation and adaptation coordinator position established by Act 32, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.


 


 

Report Title:

Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and Coordinator; Sea Level Rise; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to conduct certain activities to address the impacts of sea level rise and report to the Legislature before the 2021 Regular Session.  Appropriates funds for the Commission's activities and to fund the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Coordinator.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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