HI HCR102

Requests the Office of Planning to develop a plan to establish a state geological survey in Hawaii, in collaboration with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, and county planning and emergency management agencies.

Requires the Office of Planning to evaluate proposed scopes of work, organizational structures, staffing positions with salary levels, funding sources, and enabling legislation needed for the state geological survey.

Directs the Office of Planning to consult with the United States Geological Survey and other appropriate organizations during the planning process.

Requires the Office of Planning to submit findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2023 Regular Session convenes.

Hawaii is currently the only state without a geological survey and cannot access federal STATEMAP funding, which has invested over $150 million in forty-eight other states for geologic mapping projects critical to natural resource management and hazard mitigation.