Report Title:

Appropriation; Invasive Species; Coqui Frog

Description:

Makes appropriations to eradicate and control the coqui frog. (SD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2763

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Making an appropriation to eradicate and control the coqui frog.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State has become infested by the Caribbean tree frog (eleutherodactylus coqui) or more commonly known as coqui frogs, since their accidental introduction on the island of Hawaii in the early 1990s. In early 1992, there were only sporadic sightings of coqui frogs. In 1998, there were eight reported occurrences. In 2001, over eighty-five occurrences were documented and another sixty-five occurrences that were undocumented. Now there are over one hundred fifty established specific sites on the island of Hawaii alone.

In their native habitat in Puerto Rico, coqui frog populations can reach densities greater than eight thousand frogs per acre and consume an estimated 47,500 preys per night. Because Hawaii is similar in climate to Puerto Rico, it is estimated that the coqui frog population on the island of Hawaii could reach ten times the reported amount in the native forests of Puerto Rico because Hawaii does not have any of the coqui frog's natural predators. The infestation of coqui frogs is in such concentrations that the sounds they emit have been measured at sustained levels exceeding the department of health's maximum permissible sound level of 70 decibels, and therefore they have become a threat to human health and welfare and unreasonably interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property.

The coqui frog was declared an agricultural pest on September 27, 2001, making shipments of plants infested with coqui frogs subject to quarantine pursuant to chapter 150A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and sections 4-72-3 and 4-72-4, Hawaii Administrative Rules. The coqui frog has the potential to negatively impact sales of Hawaii's floriculture industry that totaled $61,187,000 in 2002.

In response to this threat on the island of Hawaii, the mayor of the county of Hawaii issued a Declaration of Emergency in February, 2004. The county of Hawaii, department of agriculture, University of Hawaii at Hilo, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services Division and the National Wildlife Research Center have formed the coqui frog working group and have produced the coqui frog working group incident action plan to combat this invasive specie. This plan focuses on three primary areas: eradication and control, research, and community education and support.

To this eradication effort, the county of Hawaii has contributed $1,000,000, the State has contributed $100,000, and the federal government has contributed $200,000. The legislature finds that:

(1) A greater level of State aid is needed to deal with a problem that has not been effectively dealt with for over a decade;

(2) The coqui frog invasion is not limited to the county of Hawaii and should be addressed in all counties; and

(3) With proper legislative funding, increased control, research, and community education, the coqui frog eradication efforts will bring a reduction in the economic, environmental, and public health threats posed by the coqui frog.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for a grant-in-aid to the county of Hawaii for the support and implementation of the coqui frog working group incident action plan.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated in section 2 shall be expended by the county of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for a grant-in-aid to eradicate and control the coqui frog in the county of Maui.

SECTION 5. The sum appropriated in section 4 shall be expended by the county of Maui for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for a grant-in-aid to eradicate and control the coqui frog in the county of Kauai.

SECTION 7. The sum appropriated in section 6 shall be expended by the county of Kauai for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for a grant-in-aid to eradicate and control the coqui frog in the city and county of Honolulu.

SECTION 9. The sum appropriated in section 8 shall be

expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.