Surfrider and community groups split on managed‑retreat tool; committee defers and requests clarity

Supporters of SB 3034 described the measure as a statutory tool to implement recommendations from statewide resilience studies and to enable voluntary buyouts or leasebacks of shoreline properties that are no longer defensible. Hannah Lilly of Surfrider Foundation told the committee that the bill operationalizes an OPSD recommendation for a state‑run voluntary buyout/leaseback program and provides a statutory framework Hawaii currently lacks.

Opponents, including the Kahana‑based steering committee and the Shoreline Preservation Coalition, cautioned that the bill contains only one option—managed retreat—and lacks recognition of other protective measures such as nature‑based solutions and protective infrastructure. They argued the program should be a toolset that preserves community access and preserves beaches where possible.

Testimony also raised needs for clarifying eligibility criteria, valuation standards, funding stability and the structure of any leaseback program. The committee acknowledged the technical complexity and indicated it would defer the measure to refine implementation language, work with DLNR and OPSD and consider narrower pilot approaches rather than a broad statewide roll‑out.

No final vote was taken on SB 3034 during the hearing; the committee recessed and reconvened later in the day to continue work on other items.