Requesting The Department Of Land And Natural Resources To Establish A Collaborative Working Group To Survey, Identify, And Monitor Culturally Sensitive Shorelines Impacted By Erosion.
Summary
HR 118 is a House Resolution requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to establish a collaborative working group focused on culturally sensitive shorelines that are being affected by coastal erosion. The resolution is centered on Native Hawaiian iwi kūpuna that have been exposed by erosion along shoreline areas and recognizes that these remains are often treated as inadvertent discoveries under Hawaii Administrative Rules. It cites examples of affected locations such as Lahilahi Beach Park, Kaulahao Beach, and Old Kona Airport Beach Park, and frames the issue as one requiring coordinated state and county action.
The working group would include representatives from DLNR divisions, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Island Burial Councils, and county governments from Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai. Its tasks would include surveying and identifying vulnerable shorelines, determining a process for addressing exposed iwi kūpuna, and assessing nearby public lands that could serve as suitable reinterment sites. The resolution also asks DLNR to consider funding options, including secure and culturally appropriate reinterment vaults, and to report findings and any proposed legislation to the Legislature before the 2026 session.
Impact
Because HR 118 is a resolution rather than a bill, it does not directly amend state statutes or administrative rules. Instead, it requests executive agencies and local governments to coordinate on shoreline erosion, burial protection, and reinterment planning, potentially informing future legislation or agency practice. If implemented, it could affect DLNR operations, historic preservation procedures, burial council coordination, and county involvement in identifying and managing culturally sensitive coastal sites.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is strongly supportive of protecting Native Hawaiian burial sites and responding proactively to erosion-related exposure of iwi kūpuna. The measure is framed as a collaborative, culturally respectful response to an ongoing and worsening problem, with emphasis on interagency coordination and preservation. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented opposition or debate in the available materials.
Contention
The main points of contention implied by the resolution involve the practical and jurisdictional difficulties of responding to exposed iwi kūpuna. The text notes that shoreline remains are often within the high-water mark, making preservation in place difficult, and that reinterment can be complicated by the need for permission from adjacent property owners. It also suggests challenges in determining funding and identifying appropriate reinterment sites on public lands. These issues appear to be the central implementation concerns rather than ideological opposition, and the resolution seeks to address them through a multi-agency working group.
Same As
Requesting The Department Of Land And Natural Resources To Establish A Collaborative Working Group To Survey, Identify, And Monitor Culturally Sensitive Shorelines Impacted By Erosion.