REPORT TITLE:
Roadside Herbicide Use


DESCRIPTION:
Requires state and county agencies responsible for roadside
vegetation maintenance to develop and implement an integrated
vegetation management strategy to minimize the use of herbicide.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           531
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO ROADSIDE HERBICIDE USE. 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The maintenance of roadsides by state agencies
 
 2 presently involves the use of herbicides.  There is growing
 
 3 evidence that the use of herbicides may be harmful to human
 
 4 health, and there is growing concern about their contribution to
 
 5 nonpoint source pollution of streams, and coastal and ground
 
 6 water.  Hawaii county and many jurisdictions in other parts of
 
 7 the country have developed integrated vegetation management
 
 8 strategies which use nonchemical methods of vegetation management
 
 9 wherever feasible.  
 
10      The purpose of this Act is to require the development and
 
11 utilization of a strategy that integrates all vegetation
 
12 management alternatives into a cost effective, safe vegetation
 
13 management program to minimize the use of roadside chemicals.
 
14      SECTION 2.  Chapter 46, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
15 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
16 read as follows:
 
17      "�46-     Integrated vegetation management program.  (a)
 
18 All county governmental agencies responsible for the maintenance
 
19 of public roadsides shall adopt an integrated vegetation
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           531
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 management program that includes the use of nonchemical,
 
 2 nonmechanical, and nonmanual methods whenever feasible.
 
 3      (b)  An integrated vegetation management strategy for the
 
 4 control of weeds along public roads shall be designed to minimize
 
 5 maintenance costs and minimize herbicide use.  The goal for
 
 6 herbicide use reduction is as follows:
 
 7      (1)  At least twenty-five per cent by January 1, 2000; and
 
 8      (2)  At least fifty per cent by January 1, 2002.
 
 9      (c)  For the purposes of this section:
 
10      "Integrated vegetation management" means an approach to
 
11 vegetation management that uses the right tool for each
 
12 situation, including mechanical, manual, cultural, biological,
 
13 chemical, thermal, and structural methods.  Human health,
 
14 environmental, aesthetic, and economic concerns shall be
 
15 incorporated into the chosen control method as part of vegetation
 
16 management decisions.
 
17      "Nonchemical methods" means methods that reduce or eliminate
 
18 noxious plant and weed species through the use or introduction of
 
19 natural enemies, pathogens, predators, parasites, diseases, and
 
20 other methods of control."
 
21      SECTION 3.  Chapter 264, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
22 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
23 read as follows:
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           531
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      "�264-    Integrated vegetation management program.  (a)
 
 2 All state governmental agencies responsible for the maintenance
 
 3 of public roadsides shall adopt an integrated vegetation
 
 4 management program that includes the use of nonchemical,
 
 5 nonmechanical, and nonmanual methods whenever feasible.
 
 6      (b)  An integrated vegetation management strategy for the
 
 7 control of weeds along public roads shall be designed to minimize
 
 8 maintenance costs and minimize herbicide use.  The goal for
 
 9 herbicide use reduction is as follows:
 
10      (1)  At least twenty-five per cent by January 1, 2000; and
 
11      (2)  At least fifty per cent by January 1, 2002.
 
12      (c)  For the purposes of this section:
 
13      "Integrated vegetation management" means an approach to
 
14 vegetation management that uses the right tool for each
 
15 situation, including mechanical, manual, cultural, biological,
 
16 chemical, thermal, and structural methods.  Human health,
 
17 environmental, aesthetic, and economic concerns shall be
 
18 incorporated into the chosen control method as part of vegetation
 
19 management decisions.
 
20      "Nonchemical methods" means methods that reduce or eliminate
 
21 noxious plant and weed species through the use or introduction of
 
22 natural enemies, pathogens, predators, parasites, diseases, and
 
23 other methods of control."
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           531
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 4.  The department of transportation shall submit a
 
 2 preliminary report to the legislature not later than twenty days
 
 3 prior to the convening of the 2000 regular session on the steps
 
 4 that will be taken to comply with section 3 of this Act.
 
 5      SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 6      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 7 
 
 8                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________