Representatives support collaborative efforts
and steps to protect residents
The House Committee on Health & Human Services, chaired by Rep. John M.
Mizuno, and the Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Rep. Richard P. Creagan, held
an informational briefing today to update the status and progress of the Kauai
Pesticide Joint Fact Finding (JFF) Study Group’s recommendations released last
year.
The report, completed in May 2016, provided an analysis of environmental and
health issues associated with pesticide use on Kauai, and today’s briefing was to hear how the various
state and county departments had followed up on the group’s recommendations.
Lawmakers also want to make sure continued environmental and human health
impacts related to pesticides are addressed with fact-based policy and decision
making.
Rep. Mizuno (Kalihi Valley, Kamehameha Heights,
Lower Kalihi) said pesticide use will continue to be an important issue for
Hawaii and will be discussed during the next legislative session.
“I want to acknowledge the state departments of
Health, Agriculture, and Education along with the County of Kauai, and the
Kauai Department of Water for working together on the pesticide issue and
taking positive steps to protect residents,” said Mizuno. “This is a critical
health and environmental issue that we need to have consensus and solution
building to stay in front of.”
At the briefing, department representatives reported
that steps taken since May, 2016 include:
·
The hiring of three
new agriculture inspectors that has reduced the number of open pesticide investigation
cases from 780 to less than 10.
·
Funding to hire an epidemiologist
by the Department of Health.
·
Training of departments
and first responders to coordinate rapid response to pesticide exposure
incidents.
·
Training of the local medical
community to record birth defect data.
·
Testing more than 50
surface water areas for pesticides on Oahu and Kauai and planning to expand
testing to Maui and Hawaii Island.
Scott Enright, Chair of the Board of Agriculture told
the Representatives that the Department of Agriculture has also developed a
packet of rules that update Hawaii’s
pesticide laws and regulations.
Rep. Della Au Belatti (Makiki, Tantalus, Papakolea,
McCully, Pawaa, Manoa) said lawmakers see these as positive steps and want to
make sure the departments have the resources they need to continue their efforts.
“This has been good information to direct us moving
forward on this issue,” Belatti said.
Rep. Dee Morikawa, (Niihau, Lehua, Koloa, Waimea)
said Kauai County has developed a pesticide policy and she suggested all four
counties work together to develop a statewide policy on pesticide use, testing,
enforcement and treatment.
“Let’s have a plan that allows proper pesticide use,
protects our residents and notifies communities if there is any possible
contamination,” Morikawa said.
Rep. Creagan (Naalehu, Ocean View,
Capt. Cook, Kealakekua, Kailua-Kona) said he is concerned about the long-term
effects of exposure to pesticides.
“I am concerned with the
possibility of birth defects, particularly nerodevelopmental injuries to the
fetus from long-term, low level pesticide exposure, especially related to
chlorpyrifos,” said Creagan.
