HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0385.114 2012-2014 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura
From: Mark Willman [mwillman @illinoisalumni.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 10:44 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony in Opposition to Bill 109 and 113 cta
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To: Hawaii county Council rC i = CC
Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit
-
September 4, 2013, 1:30pm w 7,--‹{
Hearing on Hawaii County Bill 109 and Bill 113
From: Mark Willman
P.O. Box 25
Eleele, HI 96705
RE: Testimony in Opposition to Bill 109 and 113
I am opposed to Bill 109 because it does not meet its purpose to
"Protect human, animal, and plant life, and the land, water, and air on or under, in or over
the Island of Hawai'i, including the ocean with its marine life that surrounds the Island of
Hawai'i, from the adverse effects of biotechnical modification of any organism' s genome;"
I am opposed to Bill 113 because it does not address all the public trust, only this specific issue. In addition,
the Bill makes a false assumption that says the items the bill addresses in "potential contaminants" and
"having to first wait for definitive science".
In both these bills, an assumption is made the genetically modified organisms are dangerous, are
contaminants and not well studied. These assumptions are false. There is so much scientific literature and
use and history of this technology that to cite them all would be a waste of time. I will cite the fact that there
is a productive papaya industry in Hawaii County due to the appropriate application of biotechnology. Here
is additional information from 2013 regarding the papaya story if you are interested:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/if305036x1f these bills were enacted prior to the papaya virus
outbreak, there would be no papaya production in Hawaii County. These bills will absolutely impede Hawaii
County farmers and ranchers ability to compete and remain viable if everyone but them has access to
modern agriculture tool.
Should you want to make an impact for Hawaii County, may I suggest you focus your attention on issue that
may not get your name in the news but address real issues, like affordable housing,job creation, reducing
illegal drug use/trafficking and crime prevention.
Please stand for your constituents who are less fortunate than you and be bold, not popular.
Sincerely,
Mark Willman
P.O. Box 25
Eleele, HI 96705
808-332-5353 Comm. No. 3 85'!/61
Ref. To: A/A5/1 re.
Ref. Date SEP 04 2013
9/3/2013