Bill > SR2

This Resolution formally requests the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HEMA) to create a preliminary draft evacuation plan for specific areas on Hawaii Island designated as lava zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, which are at risk from potential eruptions of Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes. The plan is needed because, as of April 2021, no such specific evacuation plan existed for these high-risk zones, despite the known volcanic activity and the significant land mass of Mauna Loa. HEMA had previously reported staffing issues that hindered their ability to fulfill a similar request, and this Resolution emphasizes the urgency of proactive planning, especially given past emergencies like the 2018 disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. The preliminary draft plan is to be submitted to the Legislature at least twenty days before the start of the 2023 Regular Session, and copies of this Resolution will be sent to the Director of HEMA, the Mayor of Hawaii County, and the Hawaii County Council.