Communication No. 2022-06.1 -Revised Ports of Entry Biosecurity Support Letter

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/ƚƒƒǒƓźĭğƷźƚƓ b ǒƒĬĻƩ ЋЉЋЋ Ώ ЉЏ ͵Њ Mitchell D. Roth Zendo Kern Mayor Director Lee E. Lord Jeffrey W. Darrow Managing Director Deputy Director 74 - 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Kailua - P hone (808) 323 - 4770 PLANNING DEPARTMENT Phone (808) 961 - 8288 Fax (808) 327 - 3563 Fax (808) 961 - 8742 DATE: March 1 5 , 2022 TO: DR. LEYLA KAUFFMAN FROM: CDP ACTION COMMITTEE SUBJECT: - of - Entry Biosecurity Program Aloha, T he Community Development Plan Action Committee on the Big Island of Hawai i would like to express support for the Po rts - of - Entry (POE) B iosecurity P rogram (formerly known as M malu Poepoe) , which actively surveils our ports for pests like invasive ants, coconut rhinoceros beetle, Africanized bees, new mosquito species, and more. We are highly supportive of proactive efforts taken to prevent the naturalization of new damaging species. For many years, the district has been subject t o severe impacts from invasive pests that have cost us not only monetarily but have also negatively impacted our health and well - being. From the impenetrable thickets of strawberry guava which disrupt natural ecosystems and crowd out native animal communit ies , to the incredibly fast growing Guinee grass that has a very high fine fuel load greatly increasing fire potential, spread, and severity pos ing a serious threat to both our natural environment and our public safety , to the little fire ants that blind our pets and make growing more difficult for our farmers, we are plagued by the worst of the worst in Hawai i. Our burden is already great without the addition introd uct ion of new pests known to be some of the worst in the world . F or many years now, economic analyses have made it clear that relatively small investments into biosecurity can have large payoffs later. Just one of the invasive ants targeted by this POE program, the red imported fire ant (RIFA), has been projected to cos t Hawai i more than $200 million per year should it become established here. The health costs of diseases carried by certain species of mosquitoes, the losses to our honey industry and pollination services caused by Africanized bees - any of these impacts run into the millions of dollars annually, yet this statewide program costs less than a million dollars a year. Truly a bargain! www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov Hawai i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer planning@hawaiicounty.gov