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SCR 209

REQUESTING THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO IDENTIFY EXISTING LARGE TREES ALONG EVACUATION ROUTES AND TRIM, SPRAY, OR REMOVE TREES HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO OBSTRUCT THE EVACUATION ROUTE; CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR SPECIFIC HIGH-RISK TREES; IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES IN URBAN FORESTRY; AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INITIATIVES.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Stanley Chang and 4 co-sponsors

Hawaii requests its emergency management agency identify and remove large trees blocking evacuation routes to improve disaster response capacity and community safety.

Re-referred to WAL, referral sheet 29
#dot #disasterpreparedness #evacuationroutes #hiema #largetrees #obstructions
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Bill Summary · SCR 209

Legislative bill overview

SCR 209 requests that Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency identify and manage large trees along evacuation routes that could obstruct emergency access during disasters. The bill directs the agency to conduct risk assessments, trim or remove hazardous trees, implement urban forestry best practices, and strengthen community disaster preparedness programs.

Why is this important

Hawaii's vulnerability to hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters makes clear evacuation routes critical to public safety. Fallen trees have historically blocked emergency exits and hindered evacuation efforts during natural disasters, making this a practical infrastructure concern with life-safety implications.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and funding allocation: The bill doesn't specify a budget, potentially requiring significant expenditure for tree removal and maintenance across multiple evacuation routes statewide
  • Property rights and private land: Many trees along evacuation routes may be on private property, raising questions about government authority to mandate trimming or removal
  • Balancing environmental preservation: Urban forestry work must be weighed against tree canopy benefits (cooling, air quality) and potential environmental impacts of large-scale removal programs
  • Implementation scope and timeline: Unclear which routes qualify as "evacuation routes" and how quickly the agency can complete assessments and remediation across the islands

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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