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Meeting of the County Council COU TTCLERK
County of Hawaii COUNTYOFHAWArl
Hawaii County Building C
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25 Aupuni St. tm 6
Hilo, Hawaii 06720 ate
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
9:00 AM
Testimony on Bill 91 (Draft 2)
Amends Chapter 15, Hawaii County Code 1983 by adding a new Article 12 prohibiting
use of glyphosate-based pesticides in County parks and recreational facilities. Prohibits
the use of glyphosate-based pesticides by the County or its contractors in County parks
and facilities listed in Section 15-68.1 of the Hawaii County Code, effective July 1, 2022.
Provides certain exemptions, including the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, Hilo Drag Strip,
and County cemeteries.
Aloha Chair David, Vice Chair Chung, and Councilmembers,
The Maui County Farm Bureau (MCFB) is a County Chapter of the Hawaii Farm Bureau,
representing 200 farm families and organizations on Maui and Lanai. Our mission seeks
to protect and increase the viability of farms and ranches while ensuring the social and
environmental wellbeing of the island.
MCFB offers the following comments on Bill 91. Although we understand that this
proposed prohibition on the leading tool for the management of invasive and noxious
weeds does not currently apply to agricultural lands, we have these concerns:
1. The U.S. EPA, along with its counterparts in many other countries around the
world have concluded that glyphosate does not pose a risk to human health.
2. Any regulatory decision involving pesticide use should be under the authority of
the Hawaii Department of Agriculture,which, along with the U.S. EPA, is the
responsible agency on pesticide issues and has the required expertise to make
these decisions.
3. That all laws and regulations regarding pesticide use be science-based.
4. Selective prohibitions on pesticide use, without a scientific basis, are arbitrary
and can lead to further public confusion and regulatory actions that will have
unintended negative consequences for agriculture, public health, and natural
resource management.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns.If there are any questions,please
contact Warren K.Watanabe at(808) 281-9718 or warrenmcfb@gmaii.com.
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