STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1892

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 231

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 231, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO INTRODUCE AND SUPPORT FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS CONCERNS REGARDING THE INSPECTION OF PLANTS AND PRODUCTS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO PREVENT INVASIVE SPECIES FROM ENTERING THE STATE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to protect the State's environment and agricultural industry from the detrimental effects of invasive species entering Hawaii by requesting Hawaii's Congressional delegation to introduce and support federal legislation to address concerns regarding the inspection of plants and products imported to Hawaii from foreign countries.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, the Hawaii Forest Industry Association, and the Nature Conservancy.

 

     Your Committees find that federal law prohibits Hawaii from controlling, eradicating, or preventing a plant pest from entering the State from any foreign origin.  The United States Department of Agriculture's risk-based analysis only targets specific "actionable" pests of national concern, but fails to consider those that are of critical importance to Hawaii and does not address the broad spectrum of pests, which may be hitchhiking on the commodity or packing material imported to the State.  Unless federal policies recognize the State's uniqueness and provide substantial protection, Hawaii is left vulnerable to having additional quarantines placed on Hawaii's agricultural products to protect the mainland and other Pacific Island regions, countries, or territories.  Requesting Hawaii's Congressional delegation to introduce and support legislation that addresses concerns regarding the inspection of plants and products imported to Hawaii from foreign countries will further aid in the prevention of invasive species and prevent the detrimental effects an invasive species outbreak can have on the State's economy, environment, and quality of life.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 231, H.D. 1, and recommend its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment,

 

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair

 

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair