HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	215
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

Respectfully requesting the department of agriculture to work with the community on the side effects of cane burning.

WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company (HC&S) plays a vital role in Hawaii's sugar cane business, HC&S frequently burns cane in Haleakala and in the vicinity of North Kihei, and

WHEREAS, the ash (known locally as Maui snow) from cane burning generally only affects Maalaea and North Kihei, however, wind causes smoke and ash to blow southward, and in other directions depending upon which way the wind is blowing, and

WHEREAS, although barely noticeable to a short term visitor to north or central Kihei, a permanent resident will find smoke and ash residue from cane burning a constant nuisance 24 hours each day, and,

WHEREAS, HC&S frequently alters its schedule to burn, chop & haul acreage on the island an intermixing of different ages of fields close to each other results in frequent burning, and

WHEREAS, even though cane burning occurs in Haleakala at night before sunrise, cane burning does occur at any time of the year, and

WHEREAS, due to the recent migration of people to Kihei, many of its resident have begun complaining of health related illnesses such as, asthma, congestion, coughing, insomnia, bloody noses, sinus infections, migraine headaches, memory loss, and 'allergy like' symptoms such as sneezing and watery eyes, and 

WHEREAS, the health effects are so severe to some residents that they have begun to relocate away from Kihei. In at least one example, a family living in Kihei Villages have a son who developed a rare form of pneumonia related to asthma, was prescribed three forms of medication to prevent ashthma attacks, ultimately moved to the mainland where it was determined from prior visits there that the child no longer suffered from asthma attacks and was no longer required to take medication, and

BE IT RESOLVED THAT while we recognize sugar cane production and distribution as an important agricultural source of revenue to the state of Hawaii, we also recognize the need for a study of environmentally safe alternative methods of clearing cane, and the possibility of using windmills or voltaic solar panels along the Mokulele Highway from Kihei to Pu'unene to direct smoke away from local residents.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that this body hereby requests the Department of Agriculture to work with the community to study the side effects of cane burning.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THE SIDE EFFECTS OF CANE BURNING.