Report Title:

Maui Invasive Species Committee; Action Plan

 

Description:

Appropriates $293,594 for the implementation of the Maui Invasive Species Committee action plan.

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

881

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MAUI INVASIVE SPECIES COMMITTEE ACTION PLAN.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that invasive non-native plant and animal species pose significant environmental, economic, and health threats to native ecosystems, watersheds, agriculture, tourism, and the general quality of life in Hawaii. The legislature further finds that Maui is the location of many of the most intact federal, state, and private conservation lands in the State of Hawaii, which serve as essential habitat for the survival of nearly one hundred federally-listed endangered plant and animal species. Although both the department of agriculture and the department of land and natural resources continue to support and commit a portion of their budgets to "Operation Miconia" - a cooperative, multi-agency effort to control the spread of the invasive plant, Miconia calvescens, on both the islands of Maui and Hawaii - inadequate funding exists in either department's budget to expand control efforts to other significant invasive plant and animal species.

The legislature further finds that the Maui Invasive Species Committee is a voluntary partnership of government, private, and nonprofit organizations aimed at eradicating newly established populations of non-native pest species before they spread to epidemic proportions and before control costs become prohibitive and unfeasible. The Maui Invasive Species Committee has determined that the cost to implement its action plan for fiscal year 2001-2002 is $769,794 and has subsequently submitted a grant proposal to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for $206,200 in federal challenge funds that must be matched by non-federal funds. Therefore, in addition to $175,000 of non-federal matching funds requested by the Committee from the county of Maui, it is critical that the State provide adequate matching funds to maximize both federal challenge funds and matching county of Maui funds in order to implement the Maui Invasive Species Committee action plan for fiscal year 2001-2002.

The purpose of this Act is to provide adequate funding to match Maui Invasive Species Committee-requested federal and county of Maui matching funds in order to allow the Committee to address, contain, and eliminate the threats to native ecosystems, agriculture, watersheds, tourism, health, and the general quality of life on Maui, Molokai and Lanai created by several major incipient populations of alien, invasive plant and vertebrate animal species.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $293,594, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for operational expenses related to the implementation of the Maui Invasive Species Committee action plan.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________