HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-02-11 Letter to Nicole E. Lowen and Ryan I Yamane HB 1548 Relating to Rapid Ohia DeathHarry Kim
Mayor
County of Hawai i
Office of the Mayor
Wil Okabe
Managing Director
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Managing Director
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553
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February 11, 2019
Representative Nicole E. Lowen, Chair
Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection
Representative Ryan I. Yamane, Chair
Committee on Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs
Dear Chair Lowen, Chair Yamane, and Committee Members:
RE: HB 1548 Relating to Rapid Ohia Death
The initial shock of the discovery of Rapid Ohia Death has passed, and therefore the media
has largely moved on. But the devastation of ROD and the loss of Ohia in Hawaii should not be
ignored. Therefore, I am grateful to the authors of this bill, and to you and your Committees, for
keeping this issue alive at the Legislature, and hopefully furthering the battle to defeat this terrible
scourge.
I will defer to the scientists as to how much funding can be productively used, and urge that, at
the end of the Session, there be sufficient money allotted to find an ROD cause and cure, or at least
treatment.
With whatever amendments are appropriate, please approve funding to combat ROD.
Respectfully Submitted,
Harry Ki
MAYOR
I�
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