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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0489.082 2018-2020 ` ~ ' ~ ' From: GoodVibes7 / Subject: Ban Roundup onBig Island~testify tomorrow~wxCounty use mHerbicide ban Date: m��v October 1�zom2:�^ pn �8�� Attachments: -----Forwarded Message From: GN1O Free Hawaii Island<gmofreehevmuiioland@gmaiioom> � To: Hawaii Island GMDFree<G&4OFreeHawaii|mland@0mail.uum> Sent: Fhdoy, October 11. 2O1S. 12:4T:38P[NHST Subject: County use ofHerbicide ban A]ohaKakou. ' Let's ban the county's use of Roundup and other toxic herbicides! Next week October 15th in Hilo at I pm, testimony for Bill 101 will begin. If you are unable to attend in person either there are any of the video conferencing sites, you can send in testimony before noon October 14th to . Bosure towrite"in support mfBill 1Q1'" inthe subject Ane. District 7 Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas is introducing the bill on Tuesday, October 15, to the Committee of Agricultural, Water, Energy and Environmental Management. If approved in committee, the bill will move forward toCouncil for afull vote. The bill would prohibit the County of Hawaii's use of toxic pesticides and herbicides on all county-owned porke, roedn, bikevvays, sidovvo|ka, tnai|s, drainage ways, and waterways. It allows for a four-year transition period and establishes a Vegetation Management Transition Commission to guide the conversion to organic practices. The bill exempts County agricultural lands that are leased out hoany other entity besides the County. During the transition period to alternative methods, steps will be required to reduce the use of prohibited herbicides, all label instructions will need to be adhered to, and notification of herbicide use will beimproved, including adding blue dye tothe herbicide. "Working collaboratively with the Mayor's office and the departments ofPublic Works, Parks & Recreation, and Environmental Management, I am honored to bring forth this legislation that will require and facilitate Hawaii County's transition to new and safer technologies to maintain our parks and noedvvaya.^ said Vi||ogau. ''VVhi|o | have the privilege of presenting this |mgio|odon' credit must be given to former County Councilwoman, Jennifer Ruggles, and her Legislative Aid, Blake Watson, for its inception. Please come and share your support of Bill 101. Your voice makes adifferenca.^ The public is invited to attend and testify in person at the Hilo Council Chambers located at 25 Aupuni Street or by video conference from the Kona Council Chambers and video conferencing locations in Koha|a' Waimea, Ka'u and Pahoa. Following public testimony, Beyond Pesticides will provide a 45-minute presentation on the issues associated with current herbicide use and the alternatives available. Again, for those who can't attend, they can email their testimony regarding Bill 1O1to bynoon October 14th. The safety of glyphosate herbicides (one common brand name is Roundup) and others used by the county became a much-discussed topic after a visit to Hawaii in June by Dewayne"Lee" Johnson, who won the first lawsuit against Monsanto after contracting non-Hodgkins lymphoma from exposure to glyphosate as a school groundskeeper. He spoke at a community meeting in Oahu voicing concerns about the use ofherbicides and pesticides bythe DOE. Afterwards, Com— N Ref' To: Rey OCT u 5 709 - - ° Board of Education Superintendent Christina Kishimoto announced an immediate halt to use of chemical pesticides and herbicides on Hawaii school campuses. Since that ruI ing more have affirmed glyphosate's danger and legal liabilities, including cases settled in the billions of dollars for just two plaintiffs. Children have unique susceptibilities to the potential toxicity of herbicides, yet they are still being exposed every day when they go to County parks or walk or ride along the roads. "Evidence demonstrates associations between early life exposure to pesticides and pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and behavioral problems," according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. According toa8acteheetfrom NCAP (Northwest Coalition from Alternatives to Pemtioidea), acute symptoms of exposure to glyphosate include eye irritation, burning eyes, blurred vision, skin rashes, burning or itchy skin, nausea, sore throat, asthma and difficulty breathing, headache, lethargy, nose bleeds, and dizziness. Long-term exposure is linked with increased risks of cancer including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, miscarriages, attention deficit disorder and reduced production of sex hormones. A newly published study in Frontiers in Genetics shows that a very low concentration of glyphosate (in the parts per trillion range and thus environmentally relevant for everyone) can trigger aggressive breast cancer when combined with other risk factors. What does glyphosate do to our fragile environment? Studies indicate that it can contaminate streams, which empty into our oceans, and affect sea life including fish and coral. Problems with drift ofglyphosate herbicides occur frequently. What dothose opposed tothe bill fear?The cost. "The notion that the county cannot afford alternatives to Roundup has proven false time and again," said Greener Hawaii volunteer Diane Koerner. "Efforts to 'green' Hawaii's parks and roadsides began in the 1990's with five trial oceanfront parka in Hilo and 20 miles ofroads. They were manually maintained' which required some volunteer help in the beginning. but cost less in the long run.~ George Yoshida, then Director ofParks & Recreation, said. "Maintaining the parks without herbicides takes more manpower, but herbicide-free parks have proved to be affordable, especially considering the money saved on purchasing and applying herbicides." This past July, 3C Goat Grazing was hired by the county's Department of Parks and Recreation ' under pilot project to dearbruah at the Hilo Soccer Field. Officials were impressed with the results and the priceless than the cost ofregular maintenance, said 3C'u &4erkChve||o. Background and Structure ofBill 1O1 There were two previous attempts to pass legislationin 2015 and 2016 at the County level to limit or prohibit use 8fu8rt8inoherOiva| herbicides by Hawaii County in controlling vegetation on County roads,parks, waterways, and other county spaces. While the testimony by the publicfor these bills was considerable, certain provisions of the bills made itclifficult for some of the council members to support, even though these membe rssu p ported the intent of the bills. This new bill has been re-worked toaccommodate those concerns, primarily being the mechanism used to designate aparticular herbicide to be prohibited from usage. For this, Bill 101 wouldcreate a schedule of prohibited chemicals in the code- including the chennica|ba[ni|y and nOnornuD brand name, SUthat there iSDoconfusion. s z Another important background to this bill isthe 2016 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that says that the State ofHawaii preempts County attempts to regulate pesticides for the public and private industries that would be stricter than State law. Our understanding, after conferring with legal experts, isthat this ruling does not preclude the County passing an ordinance to limit onlyifs own use of pesticides. The focus of this bill is County Workers andprotecting their health. That said, because the County uses so much herbicidein its vegetation management program, this new bill would also have the effectof protecting the public and wildlife to some extent. The bill contains a period of transition,whereby the county will be given four years to change from its currentherbicide program into one that uses eco-friendly products and methods. To helpoversee and bring educational resources to this process, a new commission willbe formed, consisting of experts in various fields related to alternative andnon-toxic land management and botany. It will be called the Vegetation Management Transition Commission, Members of the public who are professionalsor who have backgrounds in the fields of organic landscape management, nativeplants, natural farming, permaculture, agroforestry, cultural advisement, andsilviculture are encouraged to apply to serve on the commission. The goal is tohave members be from as many different districts of Hawaii Island as possible,in order to be able to fully address the variables to their local climate(s). Fromthe moment the bill becomes law (January 2020 if all goes well), the countywill have to strictly follow the label of all herbicides (that are to be phasedout), as well as add blue dye so that it will be visible for further safety. Some of the proposed eco-friendly products andmethods include Avenger herbicide, made from D-limonene, salt and vinegar, hotwater machines, and replanting with mulch and native and/or pollinator friend lyplantings. Imagine turning the chemical war zone that is our county roadsadesinto one of botanical interest and beauty. Another is the use of goats forvegetation management. While Maui had success in using goats in portablefencing along a State highway ( https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=lbwylihWFPg&feature=youtu.be) , Hawaii County could consider using this method first in drainage areas.According to Department of Public Works data, these areas are where the county oftensprays the heaviest amount of herbicide and this is perfect terrain and a Safeway to introduce goats onto our management system. We have price quotes on thecost of various hot water machines and they range between $15,000 and $30,OOOshipped to Hawaii. A resort on Kauai is already using one made byWeedtechinics.