THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

88

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND OTHERS, TO COLLABORATE TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP A PLAN FOR INCREASING WATER CIRCULATION AND IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN POKAI BAY ON LEEWARD OAHU.

 

 


     WHEREAS, Pokai Bay is one of the most-visited ocean areas on Oahu's Leeward Coast because of its wide sandy beach and relatively calm waters; and

 

     WHEREAS, because it is protected by an offshore breakwater, Pokai Bay maintains calm conditions year-round, which makes it an ideal location for many ocean users including swimmers, canoe paddlers, surfers, snorkelers, boaters, divers, and stand-up paddlers; and

 

     WHEREAS, despite Pokai Bay's pristine appearance of crystal-blue waters and white sand, it is sadly the site of pollution from multiple sources including runoff from surrounding surfaces, illegal dumping, and user-induced contaminants; and

 

     WHEREAS, over the last decade, beach users and local community members have reported the presence of health and environmental hazards at Pokai Bay; and

 

     WHEREAS, water runoff containing industrial pollutants washed from local surface streets, parking lots, and sidewalks as well as petrochemical-based pollutants caused by vehicular use of an adjacent boat ramp is a suspected source of tar balls that have been found on the beach; and

 

     WHEREAS, illegal dumping of dredging materials and other substances along the Leeward Coast, including at Pokai Bay, has historically occurred at higher rates than at other locations on Oahu; and

 

     WHEREAS, the very features, including the offshore breakwater, that make Pokai Bay attractive to so many beach users may be exacerbating problems caused by pollution and contaminants in the water because they cause decreased water circulation and stagnation; and

 

     WHEREAS, wetland and estuary management projects across the world have employed various methods of artificial water circulation, including jet aeration and pumping systems, to increase oxygenation, improve water quality, and mitigate environmental damage caused by shoreline destruction and water contamination; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, the House of Representatives concurring, that the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, along with the Department of Health, University of Hawaii System, City and County of Honolulu, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, are encouraged to work collaboratively to research and develop a plan for increasing water circulation and improving water quality in Pokai Bay on Oahu's Leeward Coast to mitigate environmental and health risks caused by pollution and contaminants in the water; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Land and Natural Resources are requested to submit a report of their collaborative activities, including significant findings, cost estimates, and any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Commander and District Engineer of the United States Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Director of Health, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, President of the University of Hawaii System, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

Report Title: 

Pokai Bay; Water Quality; Increased Circulation