Bill Text: HI SCR205 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requesting The Hawaii Tourism Authority To Convene An Interdisciplinary Task Force To Develop A Framework For A Sea Level Adaptation And Resilience Plan For The Waikiki District.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-10 - Referred to EET/WTL. [SCR205 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2020-SCR205-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
205 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY to CONVENE An interdisciplinary TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP a FRAMEWORK FOR A SEA LEVEL ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE PLAN FOR the WAIkiki district.
WHEREAS, Hawaii is experiencing the impacts of climate change, including the effects of sea level rise and coastal erosion, which is of particular concern to the State given our island topography and substantial coastal exposure; and
WHEREAS, the Senate of the Twenty-Ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, 2017, created the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission ("Climate Commission"), which published the Hawaii Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report in 2017 detailing findings and recommendations for mitigating and adapting to sea-level rise; and
WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu established the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency ("OCCSR") by City Charter in 2016, to promote community resilience and, among other recommended actions, to preserve natural shorelines and beaches as buffers to protect coastal communities; and
WHEREAS, OCCSR is tasked with tracking climate change science and potential impacts on Oahu's facilities and communities, coordinating actions and policies of the county's departments to increase community preparedness and resilience, supporting resilient infrastructure in response to the impacts of climate change, and integrating sustainable and environmental values into Oahu plans, programs, and policies, in part, through the City's resilience strategy; and
WHEREAS, the Waikiki Special Improvement District is a low‑elevation, high-density, urban coastal community and home to approximately thirty thousand residents, hosts approximately five million tourists annually, and generates about thirty percent of the gross domestic product of the State and is vitally important for its residents, visitors, public and private property, and for the economic well‑being of the entire State; and
WHEREAS, research has shown that inundation and flooding of Waikiki related to climate change will occur from multiple sources: storm drain backflow, groundwater inundation, wave run-up and marine hydrostatic (passive) flooding, heavy precipitation, and watershed flooding associated with extreme weather events; and
WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu established the Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association in 2015 to improve the coordination and management of the beach systems in Waikiki, and the Association has been engaged in comprehensive adaptation planning and actively managing Waikiki's beach systems for resilience to projected climate change impacts, including sea-level rise; and
WHEREAS, Waikiki like so many of the other resort communities in the State, is in a sea level rise exposure area and requires a comprehensive adaptation and resilience plan to deal with projected climate change and sea-level rise; and
WHEREAS, Waikiki can serve as a pilot and demonstration project for other coastal communities that may develop a comprehensive sea-level rise adaptation and community resilience plan for the protection of its residents, visitors, critical infrastructure, and public and private property; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii Tourism Authority is charged with managing tourism for the benefit of the State of Hawaii to ensure that the State remains a competitive destination within the global tourism industry, and has the expertise to effectively coordinate the diverse public and private stakeholders in preparing a Waikiki resilience plan; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest not only of the Waikiki District but, as importantly, for other coastal communities, the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii to support a Waikiki task force in proactively creating a framework for a sea-level rise mitigation and adaptation plan for the Waikiki community; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is requested to convene an interdisciplinary task force to develop a framework for a comprehensive sea level adaptation and resilience plan for the Waikiki Special District; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to include the following members:
(1) The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, or the President's designee, who is requested to serve as the chair of the task force;
(2) The Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, or the Chairperson's designee;
(3) The Director of the Office of Planning, or the Director's designee;
(4) The Deputy Director for Water Resource Management, or the Deputy Director's designee;
(5) The Coordinator of the State Climate Commission, or the Coordinator's designee;
(6) The Executive Director of the City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resilience, or the Executive Director's designee;
(7) The President of the Senate, or the President's designee;
(8) The Speaker of the House of Representatives, or the Speaker's designee;
(9) The Director of the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Programs;
(10) The Director of the University of Hawaii Community Design Center;
(11) The Executive Director of the Land Use Research Foundation, or designee;
(12) The President of the Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association, or the President's designee;
(13) The President of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, or the President's designee;
(14) A representative of the American Hotel and Lodging Association;
(15) The Chairperson of the Waikiki Neighborhood Board, or the Chairperson's designee;
(16) A representative of Save Our Surf;
(17) A representative of the Surfrider Foundation; and
(18) The Councilmember of the Honolulu City Council representing Waikiki, or the Councilmember's designee; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may invite additional organizations or agencies to participate in the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is requested to provide administrative support for the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2021; 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; Director of the Office of Planning; Deputy Director for Water Resource Management; Coordinator of the State Climate Commission; Executive Director of the City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resilience; Director of the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Programs; Director of the University of Hawaii Community Design Center; President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority; Executive Director of the Land Use Research Foundation; President of the Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association; President of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association; President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Hotel and Lodging Association; the Chair of the Waikiki Neighborhood Board, Founder of Save Our Surf; Chapter member of the Surfrider Foundation; and each Councilmember of the Honolulu City Council.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Sea Level Rise; Task Force
