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vvw~ <br /> COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII <br /> •••,h~O~~M~+' <br /> RESOLUTION NO. 438 it6 <br /> Draft 2 <br /> <br /> A RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO SUPPORT <br /> TIGHTENED AGRICULTURAL INSPECTIONS FOR INCOMING CARGO AND <br /> PASSENGERS TO HAWAII <br /> WHEREAS, the continued invasion of alien species to Hawaii has resulted in millions <br /> of dollars in crop losses, the extinction of native species, the destruction of native forests, and the <br /> spread of disease, and has wreaked havoc on our local economy and quality of life; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to numerous agencies in Hawaii on invasive species control, a <br /> major influx of invasive species such as Miconia, Fountain Grass, Fireweed, Fruit Flies, <br /> Snowflake Coral, Alien Algae and the Coqui Frog, have attacked many native ecosystems in <br /> Hawaii and have threatened to endanger various Hawaiian native flowers, trees, plants, and <br /> animals to the point of near extinction; and <br /> WHEREAS, Congress has found that, tragically, Hawaii may be the undisputed <br /> endangered species capitol of the United States, based on statistics that reveal that Hawai`i's 255 <br /> listed plant species represent approximately one-fourth of the total number of endangered species <br /> in the U.S., of which more than one-fifrh of the entire Hawaiian flora are comprised; and <br /> WHEREAS, Congress' findings also indicate that in the past 200 years, more than 5,000 <br /> species ofnon-native plants and animals have become established in the Hawaiian Islands, <br /> representing a rate of successful colonization of a new species every 18 days, an astonishing <br /> contrast to the estimated rate of introduction through natural evolution of one species every <br /> 25,000 to 50,000 years; and <br /> WHEREAS, in a span of a few short months, the Gall Wasp has produced growth- <br /> stunting tumors on the leaves of the Wiliwili, eventually causing the defoliation of these trees on <br /> Oahu, Kauai, the Kona side of the Big Island, Maui, and more recently on Molokai, and is <br /> expected to continue its rapid spread even as efforts are made to curb its invasion; and <br /> WHEREAS, a member of Congress introduced H.R. 3468, known as the "Hawai`i <br /> Invasive Species Prevention Act", which states that "[i]t is the policy of the United States to fund <br /> and support coordinated and concerted programs and activities to control, interdict, and prevent <br /> <br />