STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1294-14
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2014
RE: H.C.R. No. 47
Honorable Joseph M. Souki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Seventh State Legislature
Regular Session of 2014
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 47 entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS TO PROTECT OHIA AND OTHER MYRTACEAE FAMILY PLANTS FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE RUST FUNGUS, PUCCINIA PSIDII,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to show that the legislature stands in support of preventing the spread of Puccinia psidii (rust fungus) to ōhia trees thus preventing devastation of our ōhia forests and the ruin of watershed health and biodiversity. This Resolution will assist in bringing public awareness to the rust fungus issue, prepare business for the ban on the Myrtaceae family plants, and send a message to the United States Department of Agriculture demonstrating the legislative intent to support efforts to prevent Puccinia psidii from being imported and spread in Hawaii.
The legislature requests that Hawaii Department of Agriculture adopt administrative rules restricting the import of Myrtaceae family plants. The measure also requests that the United States Department of Agriculture act upon an existing request from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to classify imports of Myrtaceae species as Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis.
House Resolution 181 HD1 was passed out of the Committee on Agriculture last session to highlight the current biological, social and economic risks caused by the existing federal pre-emption of state laws, thus making it a very difficult and long process for Hawaii (or any other state) to stop the import of a plant which is spreading disease. This Resolution, HCR47, goes further and specifies that the legislature supports the prevention of the spread of Puccinia psidii, rust fungus, and the banning of Myrtaceae family plants imports.
Your Committee notes that an economic analysis of the effects of this rust fungus versus banning imports of Myrtaceae family plants was completed by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization in 2012. The study found that benefits of the proposed import policy largely outweigh the costs, even when potential damages to native ōhia forest are not directly accounted for. The benefit of banning imports of Myrtaceae family plant was estimated at $14.3 million dollars. In addition the study estimated that the ecosystem benefits, such as recharging the aquifers, provided by the state's watersheds, which are comprised largely of ōhia forests, are upwards of $7 billion dollars.
Your Committee notes that it is critically important to address invasive species as quickly and as early as possible. Your Committee respectfully requests that the next Committee determine whether any additional language or better methods can be crafted to address our response time to invasive species issues, particularly to promote communication from executive agencies to the legislature.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 47 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Water & Land.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,
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____________________________ JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair |
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