State funding sought for control of invasive species in Maui County

A House bill introduced by Maui County and Oʻahu legislators is seeking $3 million each in the next two fiscal years for the state Department of Agriculture to prevent and control little fire ants and coconut rhinoceros beetles on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

House Bill 1237 was introduced by Maui County Reps. Mahina Poepoe of Molokaʻi, Terez Amato of South Maui, Tyson Miyake of Wailuku. They are joined by Oʻahu Reps. Kim Coco Iwamoto, Darius Kila, Rachele Lamosao, Amy Perruso, Kanani Souza, Jenna Takenouchi and Chris Todd of Hawaiʻi Island.

The bill requires the Agriculture Department to hire full-time plant quarantine inspectors on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi to serve at harbors and airports. Funding would cover salary, fringe benefits and supplies and equipment.

Another part of the bill appropriates $2.25 million to combat the spread of coqui frogs in Maui County. This portion of funding would spend $2 million on the Maui Invasive Species Committee to support public education, early detection, response and control efforts, as well as provide for supplies and equipment for residents to treat coqui frog infestations on their properties. The remaining $250,000 would go toward establishing an invasive species committee on Lānaʻi as a sub-branch of the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

The bill was introduced and passed first reading on Thursday, but it had not been referred to committees as of late Friday.