STAND. COM. REP. NO. •KVi
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 3 2024
RE: S.R. No. 204
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was
referred S.R. No. 204 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REIMBURSE
HAWAII FOR DEBRIS REMOVAL, THE DREDGING OF TOXIC MATERIALS,
AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP EFFORTS IN LAHAINA HARBOR,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the federal
government to reimburse Hawaii for the removal of debris, dredging
of toxic materials, and other environmental cleanup efforts in
Lahaina Harbor.
Your Committee did not receive any testimony on this measure.
Your Committee finds that Lahaina Harbor's waters are
inundated with debris and toxic chemicals resulting from the
August 2023 Maui wildfires. Your Committee also recognizes the
concerns raised during the public hearing for this measure that
failure to engage in the environmental cleanup of Lahaina Harbor
now with federal funds could have greater impacts later on.
Accordingly, this measure will help the State offset the high
costs of recovery as the County of Maui continues to rebuild.
Your Committee notes that, in meeting with the Department of
Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), it was represented that a
request for reimbursement of the cost for debris removal was
denied by the federal government; however, the Federal Emergency
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Management Agency (FEMA), in response to subsequent inquiries,
responded that it never received such a request from DLNR and is
open to it. Your Committee hopes that DLNR and FEMA will come to
the table to discuss this matter before subsequent deliberations
of this measure, as there is a time limit to request federal funds
for this important cleanup.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 204 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Government
ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Government Operations
GVO
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
Wsvxii Vb, id'2-1
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: ________________________________________________
The Recommendation is:
'A-'^ass, unamended Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye / Aye (WR) Nay Excused
MCKELVEY, Angus L.K. (C)
GABBARD, Mike (VC)
SAN BUENAVENTURA, Joy A.
WAKAI, Glenn
AWA. Brenton
**^-*'^*^**
TOTAL -s —
Recommendation: /
. UT Adopted __ Not Adopted
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Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised; 12/27/23