2018-01-31 Letter to Mike Gabbard and Kaialii Kahele re SB 2124 Little Fire Ants

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Harry Kim A it iyor OinUtlitu ffirr 111 Wil Okabe A lanaging Director Barbara J. Kossow Deputy Managing Director 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440 January 31, 2018 Senator Mike Gab ard, Chair Committee on Agriculture and Environment Hawaii State Capitol, Room 224 Honolulu, HI 96813 Senator Kaialil Kahele, Chair Com ittee on Higher Education Hawaii State Capitol, Room 224 Honolulu, HI 96813 Dear Chair Gabbard and Kahele, and Committee Members: Re: SB 2124 Little Fire Ants Hearing Date: 02/06/18 — 1:15 pm, Conference Room 224 While 1would defer to others as to how precious dollars should be allocated, 1 strongly endorse the investment of funds in com afting little fire ants, and therefore urge passage of SB 2124. Little fire ants (LFA) are a real menace, capable of causing great pain in humans and blindness in pets and horses. I am told that the Hawaii Ant Lab (HAL) helps with community groups whenever there is a request for assistance, and my staff has expressed much appreciation for HAL's research into control methods of LFAs in lam not trying to tilt the scales for one organization versus another. I have supported HB 2046 which would fund the Department of Agriculture's efforts in its fight against LFAs, and I will speak in favor of any other bill on the subject. !hope that this Legislature will earmark as many dollars as possible to defeat this terrible species, and that multiple worthy effo s wilt not be allowed to result in no action at alt. Please act in favor of funding to combat this horrible invader. Respectfully submitted, Harry Kth Mayo , County of Hawaii County of iIawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and tr-Lipployer,.