H.R. 159 Summary

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

• References the Pacific Paradise commercial fishing vessel that ran aground in Waikiki on October 10, 2017, taking nearly two months to remove and causing oil leaks, fires, and damage to shallow reefs.

• Study must review DLNR's removal process, identify environmental impacts on nearshore resources, examine the Pacific Paradise stranding events, and assess environmental and economic damages from that incident.

• Study must include recommendations to prevent future vessel strandings, ways to minimize environmental impacts during removal, and a response plan with mitigation strategies for future stranding events.

• Legislative Reference Bureau must submit study findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2019 Regular Session.