Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Environment, and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1301, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate additional funds specifically for response and control efforts for programs and initiatives that are found to be most effective in the control or eradication of priority invasive species, including the coqui frog.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, the Maui County Mayor, the Hawaii County Mayor, the Maui Invasive Species Committee, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, the Big Island Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Association of Realtors, the Hawaii Pest Control Association, The Nature Conservancy, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, a representative of the Board of Directors and Owners at Kihei Akahi, and the Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Director of the Institute for the Study of Culturogenic Diseases submitted testimony in opposition.

Your Committee finds that more funding is necessary to continue the effort to control or eradicate priority invasive species such as the coqui frog. According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, it is unlikely that the current level of resources will achieve eradication or lasting control in the most heavily impacted areas. Your Committee agrees that there is a risk of greater infestation if the response is inadequate. The Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources testified to some of the problems that just one of the priority invasive species called the coqui frog poses to the State.

According to that testifier, "the coqui frog has no predators and reaches population densities three to four times greater than in its native Puerto Rico. It eats insects and spiders, putting native and endemic prey species at risk." Aside from the male's loud, shrill mating call disrupting human activities, it also disrupts the nursery industry. That is because "the transportation of potted plants can spread the frogs to new locations" and therefore plants must be disinfected before shipment, adding an additional cost to the industry.

This measure will provide the additional funding needed to assist with control efforts and help contain the invasive species from further spreading across the State.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by changing the expending agency to the counties and providing that the funds be distributed to the county invasive species committee on each island.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Environment, and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1301, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1301, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.