Bill Text: HI HB378 | 2014 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Beach Nourishment; Beach Restoration Special Fund; Kaanapali Beach; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2014-02-19 - Received notice of discharge of conferees (Hse. Com. No. 41). [HB378 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-HB378-Amended.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

378

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 2

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO BEACH NOURISHMENT.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii is world renowned for its beaches, which are the backbone of Hawaii's multibillion dollar tourist economy.  In particular, visitors to Kaanapali beach on the island of Maui contribute over $2,000,000,000 to the state and Maui county economies each year.  While Hawaii's beaches provide many recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, they also act as a natural buffer to prevent or minimize property damage from storm waves.  When beaches erode, shoreline properties become increasingly vulnerable to numerous coastal hazards.

     Unfortunately, an assessment of coastal change in Hawaii over the past century has found seventy per cent of beaches on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui are eroding.  The highest rates and greatest extent of beach erosion can be found on Maui, where eighty-five per cent of the island's beaches are eroding.  Located in west Maui, Kaanapali beach has experienced chronic severe erosion that has degraded parts of the beach and damaged shoreline infrastructure and amenities.  Severe wave events in 1998, 2003, and 2007 caused extensive beach loss and damaged the beach walkway.

     The legislature further finds that restoration of Kaanapali beach is necessary to preserve a vital environmental, recreational, and cultural resource for residents and visitors on the island of Maui.  Furthermore, the economic value of Kaanapali beach to Maui's visitor industry is significant.  Failure to restore Kaanapali beach could result in a large economic loss to Maui county and the State as a whole, in the form of lost visitor expenditures, tax revenue, and jobs.  Therefore, it is essential to proactively explore options to protect and preserve Kaanapali beach.

     The legislature additionally finds that since 2006, the Kaanapali Operations Association has been working to mitigate beach loss problems at Kaanapali beach with a potential beach nourishment project.  Beach nourishment is an alternative to potentially harmful hard shoreline protection structures, such as revetments and seawalls.  Beach nourishment involves placing quantities of sand on a beach to maintain, restore, or widen the beach and can slow erosion and restore lost beaches with flood mitigation and recreational value.  Restoring Kaanapali beach through beach nourishment would involve dredging seventy-five thousand cubic yards of sand from previously identified deposits offshore, then delivering and placing this sand on the beach.

     The Kaanapali beach nourishment project will require design; preparation of an environmental impact statement; acquisition of county, state, and federal permits; and construction.  The cost of the environmental impact statement associated with the planned beach nourishment project at Kaanapali beach is estimated at $800,000.  Kaanapali Operations Association has committed to providing $400,000 and seeks matching state funding for fiscal year 2013-2014.

     It is the legislature's intent that the planned beach nourishment project for Kaanapali beach be undertaken by the department of land and natural resources with full cooperation and support of the Hawaii tourism authority and Kaanapali Operations Association, similar to the collaborative efforts demonstrated during the Waikiki beach maintenance project completed in 2012.

     The purpose of this Act is to provide matching funds for the environmental impact statement associated with the planned beach nourishment project at Kaanapali beach on the island of Maui.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the beach restoration special fund the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2013-2014 for the environmental impact statement associated with the planned beach nourishment project at Kaanapali beach on the island of Maui; provided that no funds appropriated under this Act shall be expended unless matched dollar-for-dollar with private funds.

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

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.



 

Report Title:

Beach Nourishment; Beach Restoration Special Fund; Kaanapali Beach; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates an unspecified amount of funds for the environmental impact statement associated with the planned beach nourishment project at Kaanapali beach on the island of Maui; provided that no funds shall be expended unless matched dollar-for-dollar with private funds.  Effective 07/01/2050.  (SD2)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

 

 

 

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