Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser, has authored bill 2491, which would put severe restrictions and regulations on pesticide use on the Garden Isle. The bill calls for the mandatory disclosure detailing pesticide use and the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a 500-foot buffer zone around schools, hospitals, public roads, streams and shorelines, a ban on open-air testing of experimental pesticides, a moratorium on new GMO operations pending results of an environmental impact statement, and a new permitting process for commercial farms that grow GMOs. Hooser noted that this would only apply to those operations that would use more than 5 pounds or 15 gallons of restricted-use pesticides annually, as well as those using any amount of experimental pesticides. Hooser stated, "People are just very concerned and very passionate about protecting their health and protecting their children."
However, this bill has polarized many residents on the island of Kauai. Some residents are delighted with the measure and feel that the use of pesticides has gone unchecked for too long. These supporters feel that more is needed to protect the public's health and the island's environment. However, opponents of the bill argue that it would significantly hurt agricultural business and that they are already being regulated by federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. One company, Syngenta, stated that almost 90 percent of their available land would be unusable if the 500-foot buffer zone is in place.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-28-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
