STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2305

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2850

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2850 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BIOSECURITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and fund the Department of Agriculture's biosecurity program.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Board of Agriculture, Board of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, and Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species.

     Your Committees find that the unchecked spread of invasive species is the single greatest threat to Hawaii's economy, natural environment, and the health and lifestyle of Hawaii's people.  Invasive pests can cause millions of dollars in crop losses, the extinction of native species, the destruction of native forests, the spread of disease, and the quarantine of exported agricultural crops.

     Island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the destructive power of invasive pests.  In Guam, the accidental introduction of the brown tree snake has resulted in widespread devastation.  Without natural predators or competition for food, brown tree snake populations have grown exponentially, causing mass extinctions of endemic birds, power outages, and medical incidents.  Where there were once bird songs, the silent forests of Guam are now home to as many as 15,000 snakes per square mile.  Just one new pest like the brown tree snake could forever change the character of the Hawaiian Islands.  According to studies, the introduction of the brown tree snake to Hawaii could result in upwards of $485,000,000 in annual costs.

     Despite the State's ongoing efforts to detect and eradicate invasive species, its fragile island ecosystems are constantly at risk from insects, disease-bearing organisms, snakes, weeds, and other invasive pests.  The coqui frog, salvinia molesta, miconia calvescence, ohia rust, nettle caterpillar, and red imported fire ant are all present in Hawaii, disrupting the delicate balance of its ecosystems, crowding out native species, and reducing the biodiversity of our islands.  Other harmful species like the papaya mealybug, erythrina gall wasp, Asian citrus psyllid, and varroa mite have the potential to devastate Hawaii's environment and agriculture if allowed to become established and spread unchecked by natural predators.

     The Department of Agriculture has created a biosecurity program to fight invasive species on several fronts by:

     (1)  Administering pre-entry measures to minimize the risk of invasive pests entering the State;

     (2)  Conducting port-of-entry inspections to detect and quarantine or destroy pests upon arrival; and

     (3)  Administering post-entry measures to mitigate the establishment of pests in the State.

     The Department of Agriculture has also supported the growth of Hawaii's agriculture by attempting to reduce the State's dependency on imported agricultural products which may contain pests.  Your Committees find that sufficient support for a biosecurity program is vital to the public health and welfare of Hawaii.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding that an appropriation be made to the Department of Agriculture for the planning and design of the interim joint inspection facility and permanent joint inspection facility for the biosecurity program; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and style.

     With regard to the appropriation made to the Department of Agriculture for the planning of the interim joint-use inspection facility and permanent joint-use inspection facility for the biosecurity program, your Committees have made this appropriation for an unspecified amount, however, your Committees recommend that future committees hearing this measure appropriate $5,000,000 for those purposes.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2850, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair