HDOT Climate Resilience Action Plan | May 2021

This Action Plan is a living document that will be updated periodically to reflect the following: ⊲ Highways Division progress in incorporating climate adaptation and system resilience concepts and practices throughout the Division, and the corresponding performance of the highway network in response. ⊲ New climate data produced by research institutions such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the University of Hawai‘i. HDOT is committed to adopting an adaptive management framework that continuously incorporates new and evolving information. This updated current and future climate information that may be helpful for transportation decisions can be reflected in the exposure assessments via the web map viewer. WHO SHOULD READ THIS ACTION PLAN? HDOT management and staff. This is the primary audience for the Action Plan. Importantly, the Action Plan highlights the branches in HDOT with primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations. ACTION PLAN ORGANIZATION The Action Plan is organized into the following sections: ⊲ Section 2 provides the general context for the needs addressed by the Action Plan. • Section 2.2 outlines how decisions will need to be based on an understanding of future conditions. • Section 2.3 identifies the need for a proactive approach to managing risks to the system. • Section 2.4 includes examples of past natural hazard- related disruptions. • Section 2.5 lists the hazards considered in this Action Plan. • Section 2.6 recommends a collaborative strategy to achieve a resilient Hawai‘i and HDOT’s role • Section 2.7 discusses the importance of partnerships in achieving the goals of this Action Plan ⊲ Section 3 identifies priority recommendations for implementing the Action Plan by different functional areas and responsibilities in HDOT

Federal, State, and local agencies and government leaders. HDOT relies on collaboration with other agencies and groups that participate in project/strategy development and implementation through such actions as providing funding, issuing permits and project approvals, and influencing public perceptions as part of building and operating critical infrastructure. The active participation of these agencies in implementing the Action Plan will be an important factor in its success. In addition HDOT will work with the Climate Commission to gain active participation of State and local agencies. Other county, city, and local governmental agencies. As the Action Plan was developed, it became apparent that many county, city, and local agencies are interested in how HDOT’s actions could affect their activities and how their actions might impact the activities of HDOT. It is therefore critical that active coordination occurs among these agencies as the recommended actions are implemented. Citizens, businesses, and communities. Finally, given the everyday importance of the highway network to the entire State, the public is an important constituency for the Action Plan. They should be included in the regular communications of the actions that HDOT is undertaking on their behalf. • Section 3.5 Planning/programming • Section 2.6 HDOT leadership/resources • Section 3.7 Training • Section 3.8 Partnerships ⊲ Section 4 Next steps • Section 4.1 outlines a process by which a scenario-driven risk method can be used to make • Section 4.2 describes the need for data specific to resilience decision-making that should become part of HDOT’s program ⊲ Appendix A summarizes the recommendations resulting from the Exposure Assessments ⊲ Appendix B provides an overview of State, local, and Federal technical resources and guidance pertaining to climate change in Hawai‘i ⊲ Appendix C describes the role and organization of Environmental Offices in other State DOTs ⊲ Appendix D provides more details on desired partnerships towards implementing the Action Plan

• Section 3.1 Response and recovery • Section 3.2 Maintenance programs • Section 3.3 Data-driven decisions • Section 3.4 Design/mitigation

9 HAWAI I HIGHWAYS C L I MAT E ADAP TAT I ON ACT I ON P L AN