STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3234

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 55

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.R. No. 55 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING A STUDY ON ESTABLISHING A HAWAII STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Legislative Reference Bureau conduct a study on establishing a geological survey as a state agency.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one interested individual.  The Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments regarding this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii faces a wide range of geological issues, including coastal erosion, limited ground and surface water, rock falls and landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, depleted rock aggregate resources, and geothermal energy.  Currently, Hawaii's activities related to these geological issues are spread among a variety of state and county agencies, such as the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Commission on Water Resource Management and Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, the Department of Health, and the various county water supply departments.  These state and county agencies serve specific purposes for their respective agencies, potentially leaving gaps in efforts to collect and analyze geologic data on issues of importance to the State such as:  geologic hazards, including but not limited to earthquakes, coastal erosion and flooding, flash flooding, rock falls, landslides, soil erosion, and volcanism; and geologic resources, including but not limited to groundwater, watersheds, rock quarrying, sand and gravel mining, geothermal energy, reef management, wetland and dune management, and beach and shoreline management.

 

     Your Committee further finds that Hawaii is one of only two states that have never received federal funds to perform geological studies.  Your Committee believes that a Hawaii state geological survey could compete for such federal funds and provide a broader range of geological information.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 55 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair