Bill Text: HI SB231 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 231 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating To Sea Level Rise Adaptation.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-12-10 - Carried over to 2022 Regular Session. [SB231 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-SB231-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	231
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to sea level rise adaptation.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that climate change and sea level rise pose significant, dangerous, and imminent threats to public safety and the State's social and economic wellbeing, natural resources and environments, cultural resources, property, infrastructure, and governmental functions. The legislature further finds that low-income and otherwise vulnerable communities will likely be disproportionately impacted by climate change and sea level rise.

The legislature recognizes that due to climate change, the chronic impacts of sea level rise, including coastal erosion, high tide flooding, and annual high wave flooding, are already impacting many low-lying coastal areas, and are predicted to increase in frequency and severity in the coming decades. Additionally, climate change and sea level rise will exacerbate the impacts of disaster events including hurricanes, tsunamis, and other extreme rainfall and high-wave events.

The legislature also finds that, in a 2017 report, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projected that 3.2 feet of global mean sea level rise will occur by 2100 in an "intermediate" scenario and could occur as early as the 2060s in an "extreme" scenario. Further, the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission's Hawaii sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report, the university of Hawaii's pacific islands ocean observing system, and the office of planning's Hawaii statewide GIS program all provide relevant and best-available scientific assessment data showing the predicted effects to the State's coastal areas of exposure to sea level rise. Additionally, the State of Hawaii hazard mitigation plan provides an expanded assessment of the natural hazards and potential impacts of disaster events related to climate change and sea level rise. Both the Hawaii sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report and State of Hawaii hazard mitigation plan are consistent with the latest and best available sea level rise projections, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2017 report, and serve as key references for the State in assessing vulnerabilities and developing actions to improve resilience to the impacts of sea level rise and extreme climate events.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require each executive department to identify departmental facilities that may be vulnerable to flooding and other impacts of sea level rise and assess options for mitigating the effects of sea level rise on those facilities.

SECTION 2. Chapter 26, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§26- Sea level rise; mitigation; reports. (a) Each executive department shall:

(1) Identify existing and planned departmental facilities, including critical infrastructure facilities, that are vulnerable to flooding and other impacts of sea level rise; provided that the departments shall use relevant natural hazard data and projections and map data from the most recent versions of, or updates to, the Hawaii sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report and State of Hawaii hazard mitigation plan to make these identifications;

(2) Assess options for mitigating the impacts of sea level rise to existing and planned departmental facilities, including flood-proofing and relocating the facilities, especially those facilities located in areas in which the conservation of beaches and coastal environments is desired; provided that the executive departments shall:

(A) Coordinate resiliency actions with the appropriate county and federal agencies, affected communities, and the private sector; and

(B) Include in the departments' planning and investment decisions consideration of sea level rise adaptation and flooding and disaster resilience; identify and consider potential risks created by climate change; and employ full life-cycle cost accounting to evaluate and compare facility investments and alternatives; provided that the departments shall be guided by the following principles:

(i) Priority should be given to nature-based disaster resilience, climate change adaptation solutions, and actions that enhance disaster resilience and climate change adaptation efforts; and

(ii) Actions taken should protect the State's most vulnerable populations; and

(3) Submit a report to the governor, legislature, and Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. Each report shall include vulnerability and adaptation assessments for the department's facilities and updates on the department's progress in implementing the department's plans, programs, and capital improvement decisions regarding sea level rise and disaster resiliency.

(b) Each executive department may designate employees of that department who possess relevant expertise to be responsible for engaging in capacity-building efforts within the department and collaborating with the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission to improve interagency coordination for sea level rise adaptation and flooding and disaster resilience."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Sea Level Rise; State Facilities; Mitigation

Description:

Requires each executive department to identify departmental facilities that may be vulnerable to flooding and other impacts of sea level rise and assess options for mitigating the effects of sea level rise on those facilities.

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