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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0771.112 2020-2022 P/CRNRMc1 Ic,7 coMNt.11 f Council Chair Director of Council Services Alice L. Lee • Traci N.T.Fujita,Esq. Vice-Chair Deputy Director of Council Services Keani N.W. Rawlins-Fernandez '+.E.............. David M. Raatz,Jr.,Esq. Presiding Officer Pro Tempore Tasha Kama COUNTY COUNCIL Councilmembers COUNTY OF MAUI Gabe Johnson 200 S. HIGH STREET Kelly Takaya King WAILUKU, MAUI, HAWAII 96793 Michael J. Molina www.MauiCounty.us c (7 Tamara Paltin eN CD Shane M.Sinenci d Yuki Lei K.Sugimura May 12, 2022 �. co - --F= N —C TO: Honorable'Rebecca Villegas, Chair T Honorable Heather L. Kimball, Vice Chair . Hawaii County Council vs ' Ld = FROM: Kelly Takaya King Chair, Climate Action, Resilience, and Environment Committee Maui County Council SUBJECT: Testimony In Strong Support Of Bill No. 167, Relating To The Prohibition Of Non-Mineral Sunscreen Dear Chair Villegas, Vice Chair Kimball, and Members of the Hawaii County Council, Thank you for the opportunity to testify in strong support of Hawaii County Council's Bill 167, which seeks to preserve the health of coral reefs, humans, and the environment by allowing only mineral sunscreens to be provided, sold, offered for sale, or distributed in the County of Hawaii. As, the Chair of Maui County Council's Climate Action, Resilience, and Environment Committee, I introduced similar legislation last year. Bill 135 (2021), as it was named, was the subject of multiple committee and Council meetings, and eventually became law with the approval of our mayor and the unanimous support of my colleagues on the Council. The law, Ordinance 5306, will go into effect in October of this year. While Bill,135 (2021) was a historic and widely popular bill supported by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, local environmental groups, leading marine scientists, and youth, the bill received some opposition. Through the public testimony process, it became evident that opposition to the bill was driven by those with financial ties to the chemical sunscreen industry and a monetary interest in the continued sale and distribution of ecologically harmful chemical sunscreens. I suspect that Hawaii County will encounter similar industry-driven opposition in moving forward Bill 167. When faced with these self-interest driven objections, I urge your committee to maintain focus on the big picture: the protection and preservation of our environmental treasures for today and for generations to come. We know that our reefs and ecosystems are facing unprecedented stress from climate change and human activity. At the same time, we know that these threatened Comm.No. •tit Ref.To: PIC .N&M(, Ref. ©ate MAY 1.7 2022 May 12, 2022 Page 2 reefs are essential for cultural practices, coastal resilience, economic activity, and biodiversity. Reefs also provide opportunities for scenic beauty, recreation, and inspiration. Our planet's invaluable reefs are critically threatened, and it is incumbent upon us as policy makers to do everything we can to ensure their survival. Bill 167, prohibiting ecologically harmful chemical sunscreens, is an opportunity to revitalize and protect this precious natural resource, and passing this legislation supports the environmental and -aina-based values of Hawaii County and our State. In doing so, you signal to industry leaders that our communities value the care of public trust resources—a message that will cause ripples and lead to a wave of better business practices and products which are ecologically conscious and don't sacrifice community values for the sake of profit. The prohibition of non-mineral sunscreens protects the precious reef systems and will greatly benefit Hawaii County. We are sister counties surrounded by the same ocean. By uniting on this issue, we can magnify our efforts. Please support Bill No. 167, relating to the prohibition of non-mineral sunscreens. Mahalo nui loa, .,(f5 tCp4..",/ Kelly Takaya King, Maui County Councilmember Chair, Climate Action, Resilience, and Environment Committee Member, ICLEI-USA Local Governments for Sustainability Board of Directors Member, Local Government Advisory Committee to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency