Bill > HB2490

This bill establishes a five-year Coastal Resilience Pilot Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to address coastal erosion at Mantokuji Bay in Maui, a natural coastal area experiencing significant erosion due to past sand mining and a lack of comprehensive management. The program aims to implement regional coastal remediation solutions, which are currently difficult to approve due to traditional regulatory processes. To facilitate these efforts, the pilot program will be exempt from certain state and county regulations, including those related to conservation districts, coastal zone management, and environmental impact statements, though public safety standards and federal laws will still apply. The State Historic Preservation Division will conduct a streamlined review of historic preservation matters, and specific procedures are outlined for the discovery of Native Hawaiian skeletal remains, requiring immediate cessation of work, notification of authorities, consultation with descendants, and a decision by the Island Burial Council on how to handle the remains, with all associated costs borne by the applicant. The program will also include a monitoring component to evaluate its effectiveness and environmental impacts, and the department is required to submit annual reports to the Legislature. This pilot program is set to take effect on July 1, 3000, and will be repealed on June 30, 2031.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2490&year=2026