Gov. Ige Hosts Western Governors’ Association Conference in Kona

Governor David Ige is hosting the Western Governors’ Association’s Winter Meeting in Kona this week, featuring public roundtable discussions on critical issues facing western states.

Topics include renewable energy, outdoor recreation economy, healthcare, veterans’ issues, and the Western Governors’ Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, launched by Gov. Ige.

The above video is from this morning’s keynote about the impact of invasive species by Gov. David Ige at the fourth and final workshop of the Western Governors’ Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, which is being held today at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.

The Initiative is the central policy effort of Governor Ige during his year as Chair of the Western Governors’ Association. It is focused on the impacts that nuisance species, pests and pathogens have on ecosystems, forests, rangelands, watersheds, and infrastructure in the West.

Gov. Ige at the WGA. File photo 2017.

Governors from 11 western states are scheduled to attend the winter meeting including: WGA Vice Chair Doug Burgum (North Dakota), C.L. “Butch” Otter (Idaho), Steve Bullock (Montana), Brian Sandoval (Nevada), Mary Fallin (Oklahoma), Kate Brown (Oregon), Dennis Daugaard (South Dakota), Gary Herbert (Utah), Matt Mead (Wyoming), Lolo Matalasi Moliga (American Samoa), and Ralph Torres (Northern Mariana Islands).

Keynote speakers include Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Henk Rogers, Blue Planet Foundation. Rogers helped win approval of Gov. Ige’s bill directing Hawai‘i’s utility companies to generate 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

Other keynote speakers include US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, and US Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.

WGA’s Winter Meeting is scheduled for Dec. 11 to Dec. 13, 2018.

WGA’s blog post will include all livestream links to Gov. Ige’s remarks, keynote speeches and roundtable discussions: WGA Blog OR YouTube/WGA