HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-10 Letter to Nicole E. Lowen and Tina Wildberger HB 1854 Relating to Little Fire Ants O;NSv;os„� Roy Takemoto
•• 7�' Managing Director
Harry Kim +, \yt,2,_—\ :+'
.1fa�'or � �'_
•ir ,,; eso:• Barbara J. Kossow
�r�•of•N'. Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawaii
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740
(808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440
February 10, 2020
Representative Nicole E. Lowen, Chair
Representative Tina Wildberger, Vice Chair
Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection
Dear Chair Lowen, Vice Chair Wildberger, and Committee Members:
RE: HB 1854 Relating to Little Fire Ants
The little fire ant (LFA), for those who have experienced it, is a horrific species. It
causes great pain in humans and has been reported to cause blindness in pets and
horses. It has proliferated so widely that some have given up on eradication and may
even be ready to throw in the towel on control efforts. That is not acceptable. We must
fight back, and that is why I appreciate the opportunity to testify on HB 1854.
I do not have the expertise to judge the most effective way to treat this menace,
but if there is a scientific consensus that the Ant Lab approach is best, then I endorse
the specific provisions of HB 1854. More broadly, whether you pass this bill or not, I ask
that you please provide as much funding for an anti-LFA initiative as you can justify in
your budget recommendations for the coming fiscal year. In that way, government
efforts to control, and even eliminate, LFA from Hawaii can be maximized. The threat
is great and warrants your much-appreciated attention.
Respectfully Submitted,
Harry Kim
MAYOR
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.