HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

169

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING development of a COORDINATed COMPREHENSIVE COASTAL POLICY ON erosion, SHORELINE HARDENING, AND SETBACKS.

 

 

WHEREAS, studies show that nearly 25 percent of sandy beaches (17 miles) on Oahu have been severely narrowed or lost over the past 70 years due to shoreline armoring and nearly 30 percent (9 miles) of the shoreline on Maui has experienced beach loss or significant narrowing; and

WHEREAS, beaches are a critical component in the prevention of coastal erosion and flooding by serving as a natural buffer to prevent property damage from storm waves and undermining due to shoreline retreat; and

WHEREAS, beaches are also the backbone of Hawaii's visitor economy, which provides the majority of the State's jobs and income; and

WHEREAS, beaches are also critical for ecological, spiritual, recreational, and cultural reasons; and

WHEREAS, coastal management policies in Hawaii have not prevented the loss of miles of sandy beach and coastal land to the ravages of erosion; and

WHEREAS, this commitment takes on a critical light given global predictions for continued, possibly accelerated, sea-level rise and the ongoing focus of intense development along the Hawaiian shoreline; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's coastal resource managers are faced with the daunting prospect of managing the effects of erosion while simultaneously monitoring and regulating high-risk coastal development that often impacts the shoreline; and

WHEREAS, in 1999, the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) adopted the Coastal Erosion Management Plan (COEMAP) as an internal policy for managing coastal issues, including erosion and development in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, COEMAP's scope is general, and there is a need to formulate more focused policies to aid decision-making in a variety of coastal management areas, including setbacks, shoreline hardening, and sand management; and

WHEREAS, section 205A-43(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), establishes setback distances from the certified shoreline at "not less than twenty feet and not more than 40 feet inland from the shoreline"; and

WHEREAS, section 205A-45(a), HRS, allows the counties to adopt rules or ordinances establishing shoreline setback lines at distances greater than those provided in section 205A-43(a), HRS; and

WHEREAS, Maui County recently established a new coastal construction setback based on an annual erosion rate; and

WHEREAS, erosion is a serious problem nationally, and other state governments are looking for comprehensive approaches to erosion management to develop effective solutions, and Hawaii is ready to take a leadership role in this regard; and

WHEREAS, past experience has shown that the use of uniform coastal construction setbacks does not properly account for variable erosion hazards along the shore and often puts coastal development and the beach at high risk of damage and loss; and

WHEREAS, another significant environmental problem facing Hawaii is the impact of existing and future shoreline structures (revetments, seawalls, groins, and breakwaters) on our beaches; and

WHEREAS, such structures impound sand or disrupt the movement of sand and can be a major cause of beach narrowing and loss throughout the state; and

WHEREAS, alternative erosion control measures such as increased shoreline setbacks, relocation, beach nourishment, dune restoration, and temporary sandbags exist and are a viable alternative to shoreline hardening; and

WHEREAS, shoreline hardening and setbacks are problems that must be addressed simultaneously and over the long term; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) have organized a Coastal Erosion Committee made up of representatives from state, county, and federal agencies, and the public, that are working together to address coastal concerns that will aid in the development of statewide coastal policies; and

WHEREAS, DLNR has organized a Coastal Issues Ad Hoc Group made up of representatives from DLNR, the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program (HCZMP) of the Office of Planning, the Department of Health, and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to work together on the state level to address issues of coastal concern; and

WHEREAS, DLNR is formulating a statewide policy for BLNR's consideration, with the participation and agreement of the respective county governments, that will address shoreline hardening, setbacks, and overall beach protection; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Senate concurring, that DLNR is requested to work with HCZMP, DOT, and each of the counties, in coordinating a comprehensive coastal policy on erosion, shoreline hardening, and setbacks for BLNR to consider for adoption; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DLNR submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Directors of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Transportation, and the Mayors of the four counties.

Report Title:

Coastal Resources