HAWAI‘I	  INVASIVE	  SPECIES	  COUNCIL	  	  RESOLUTION	  LINDA LINGLEGovernorJAMES R. AIONALieutenant Governor	  Resolution	  06-­‐1	  January	  19,	  2006	  Hawai’iInvasiveSpeciesCouncilCo-Chairs:PETER T. YOUNGSANDRA LEE KUNIMOTOMEMBERS:Theodore E. LiuChiyome L. Fukino M. D.
Rodney HaragaDavid McClain, Ph. D.
PARTICIPANTS:Micah A. Kane	   G.F. LeeMajor General RobertMark E. RecktenwaldCOUNTIES:Mayor Alan ArakawaMayor Bryan J. BaptisteMayor Mufi HannemannMayor Harry Kim	  IN	  SUPPORT	  OF	  THE	  HAWAI‘I	  INVASIVE	  SPECIES	  PREVENTION	  ACT,	  H.R.	  3468	  	  Congressman	  Ed	  Case	  introduced	
  a	  bill	  to	  require	  the	  same	  or	  greater	  level	  of	  federal	  inspection	  of	  all	  visitor	  and	  cargo	  shipments	  arriving	  in	  Hawai‘i	  from	  domestic	  and	  foreign	  locations	  as	  now	  exists	  for	  outgoing	  traffic.	  He	  said	  the	  measure	  was	  the	  only	  way	  to	  overcome	  “a	  true	  crisis”	  caused	  by	  rapidly	  accelerating	  introduction	  of	  invasive	  species	  and	  diseases	  that	  are	  devastating	  Hawai‘i’s	  flora	  and	  fauna	  and	  costing	  the	  state	  millions	  of	  dollars	  in	  agricultural	  losses,	  export	  costs,	  and	  other	  expenses.	  	  “My	  bill,	  the	  Hawai‘i	  Invasive	  Species	  Prevention	  Act,	  may	  be	  condensed	  into	  this	  simple	  statement:	  what	  is	  good	  for	  the	  U.S.	  mainland	  should	  be	  good	  for	  Hawai‘i,”	  said	  Case,	
  a	  member	  of	  the	  House	  Agriculture	  Committee.	  “Current	  federal	  inspections	  protect	  the	  U.S.	  
mainland	  from	  insect	  pests	  in	  Hawai‘i.	  But	  Hawai‘i,	  which	  has	  the	  greatest	  number	  of	  endemic	  endangered	  species	  of	  any	  state	  in	  the	  nation,	  doesn’t	  enjoy	  similar	  protection.”	  	  Case	  states	  that	  the	  bill	  is	  needed	  particularly	  because	  the	  state,	  as	  the	  transportation	  crossroads	  of	  the	  Pacific,	  has	  been	  hamstrung	  by	  existing	  federal	  laws	  that	  preempt	  state	  efforts	  to	  control	  the	  movement	  of	  goods	  and	  requirements	  that	  states	  consider	  regulatory	  burdens	  imposed	  on	  commerce.	
  	  In	  response	  to	  those	  obstacles,	  Case’s	  bill:	  • States	  that	  it	  is	  U.S.	  policy	  to	  fund	  and	  support	  efforts	  to	  control	  and	  prevent	  the	  introduction	  and	  spread	  of	  invasive	  species	  into	  Hawai‘i	  and	  no	  federal	  agency	  may	  take	  action	  to	  counter	  that	  policy;	  • Directs	  the	  U.S.	  Departments	  of	  Agriculture	  and	  Interior	  to	  implement	
  a	  comprehensive	  system	  in	  Hawai‘i	  of	  post-­‐arrival	  protocols	  for	  all	  persons,	  baggage,	  cargo,	  containers,	  packing	  materials,	  and	  other	  items	  traveling	  or	  being	  shipped	  to	  Hawai‘i	  from	  domestic	  or	  foreign	  locations.	  
Case	  said	
  a	  similarly	  comprehensive	  system	  is	  already	  in	  place	  in	  New	  Zealand,	  which	  is	  comparable	  to	  Hawai‘i	  because	  of	  its	  remoteness	  and	  high	  and	  exposed	  endemic	  species.	  
New	  Zealand	  “white	  lists”	  permissible	  import	  species	  but	  bans	  everything	  else,	  and	  conducts	  inspections	  of	  arrivals.	  But	  ironically,	  Hawai‘i,	  which	  has	
  a	  much	  more	  acute	  overall	  problem	  than	  either	  the	  U.S.	  mainland	  or	  New	  Zealand,	  has	  found	  it	  very	  difficult	  to	  fashion	  and	  implement	
  a	  similar	  prevention	  regime	  under	  current	  law.	  

	  FEDERAL:U.S. Department of AgricultureU.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Department of Defense

The	  bill	  supports	  the	  following	  statements	  from	  the	  Hawai‘i	  Invasive	  Species	  Council’s	  Interim	  State	  of	  Hawai‘i	  Strategic	  Plan	  for	  Invasive	  Species	  Prevention,	  Control,	  Research	  and	  Public	  Outreach:	  •LINDA LINGLEGovernor•JAMES R. AIONALieutenant Governor••Increase	  inspection	  and	  other	  prevention	  capabilities	  to	  prevent	  high-­‐risk	  invasive	  species	  and	  diseases…from	  entry	  into	  the	  state…	  An	  integrated	  action	  and	  funding	  plan	  that	  incorporates	  contributions	  from…federal…sources	  is	  needed	  to	  provide	  focus	  and	  fiscal	  resources	  for	  the	  ongoing	  invasive	  species	  prevention	  and	  control	  programs.	  
Coordinate	  efforts	  with	  federal	  agencies	  to	  maximize	  resources	  and	  reduce	  or	  eliminate	  system	  gaps	  and	  leaks…	  Request	  APHIS	  [USDA]	  to	  screen	  domestic	  traffic	  into	  Hawai‘i	  for	  living	  plant	  material	  (similar	  to	  the	  screening	  that	  takes	  place	  between	  Hawai‘i	  and	  the	  mainland	  now).	  	  Recommendation:	  That	  the	  council	  resolve	  to	  support	  the	  Hawai‘i	  Invasive	  Species	  Prevention	  Act,	  H.R.	  3468,	  sponsored	  by	  Congressman	  Ed	  Case.	  	  Hawai’iInvasiveSpeciesCouncilCo-Chairs:PETER T. YOUNGSANDRA LEE KUNIMOTOMEMBERS:Theodore E. LiuChiyome L. Fukino M. D.
Rodney HaragaDavid McClain, Ph. D.
PARTICIPANTS:Micah A. KaneMajor General Robert G.F. LeeMark E. RecktenwaldCOUNTIES:Mayor Alan ArakawaMayor Bryan J. BaptisteMayor Mufi HannemannMayor Harry KimFEDERAL:U.S. Department of AgricultureU.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Department of DefenseAction:	  Approved.