HI HB1997

Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study on the Department of Land and Natural Resources' process for removing vessels stranded in nearshore waters.

Study must review the removal process, identify environmental impacts on nearshore resources, and examine ways to minimize environmental damage from stranded vessels.

Study must specifically examine the Pacific Paradise commercial fishing vessel that ran aground in Waikiki on October 10, 2017, and assess environmental and economic damages from that stranding.

Study must include recommendations to prevent similar vessel strandings in the future, with findings and proposed legislation due to the legislature no later than twenty days before the 2019 regular session convenes.

Department of Land and Natural Resources required to provide all relevant information in its possession to support the study.