HI SCR177

Requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to conduct a needs assessment on establishing a Division of Ocean and Coastal Management within DLNR.

Proposes that the new division would serve as Hawaii's designated state coastal management agency responsible for implementing and administering the state's coastal zone management program and directly regulating coastal resources including coastal waters, beaches, and beach dune systems.

Specifies the division should manage coral reef networks, identify management gaps in nearshore ecosystem protection, and address effects of sea level rise and coastal hazards.

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

Acknowledges Hawaii's coastal zone challenges including seventy percent of beaches experiencing erosion, competing development demands, and need for consolidated rather than additional regulatory mechanisms.