HomeMy WebLinkAboutMalina, Elaine
To: counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov
Subject: Testimony on Res. 603-26
-Kleinfelder
County Council Committee on Governmental Relations and External Affairs,
My name is Elaine Malina and I am writing in STRONG SUPPORT of Resolution 603-26,
urging the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) to take seriously the interim
Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity (BAB) in March.
stretches from
spread - before it is too late. Unfortunately, as outlined in this resolution, the need for
much more timely action by DAB has been and continues to be a critical gap in this all-
hands-on-deck effort.
-long delays in advancing regulations to mitigate high-risk vectors, such as
businesses selling potted plants and other CRB host material, has contributed significantly
to the current crisis. As this resolution notes, it was only through the initiative of local
nonprofits and a groundswell of public support that the current CRB interim rules were put
before and adopted by the BAB.
Despite their adoption in March, a subsequent months-long delay in the implementation of
these rules is leaving the entire island - and our neighbor islands as well - at daily risk of
CRB introductions. While a handful of compliance agreements have been issued, there is
still no designated DAB point-of-contact to facilitate continued implementation, much more
community awareness is still needed, and whether and how any necessary enforcement
will be carried out is unclear.
To be clear, the stakes are extremely high, and the threat is imminent. While the drier
ance to contain this devastating pest, should
breeding populations of CRB be established in places like Hilo, Puna, or anywhere else
with high levels of vegetation, containment and eradication may quickly become
impossible. The meaningful implementation an
give us the best chance at preventing such an outcome.
CRB has become established after years of DAB inaction. Please pass this resolution
and its common sense, extremely reasonable call for DAB to treat our CRB situation as
the emergency it is: by designating a dedicated staff point of contact for the rules, raising
public awareness of their requirements, and enforcing their provisions as necessary.
I live on Maui but we are all in this together to take care of our islands, our community and
to stop CRB.
Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify.
Elaine Malina
2140 Awihi Place #2
Kihei, HI 96753
808-281-9297
craterpair@hawaii.rr.com