Joint committees pass resolution urging increased federal, county support for invasive‑species work with amendments

The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment and the House Committee on Higher Education on April 14 passed HCR 130 HD1 with amendments that emphasize urging counties and Congress — rather than the state alone — to provide increased and sustained funding to island invasive‑species committees and the Hawaii Ant Lab.

The resolution, which is nonbinding, passed after testimony from state and island invasive‑species organizations and members of the public who described limited, unstable funding and urged longer‑term support. Cedric Gates of the Department of Agriculture said the Department "stands on its written testimony, offering comments and supporting the intent." Stephanie Easley of the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS) told the committees, "The island based invasive species committees get so much done with so few dollars."

Testimony and discussion

Shaya Honovar, director of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said the university supports HCR 130 HD1 and was available for questions. Several island invasive‑species committees and researchers also registered support, including representatives from the Hawaii Ant Lab, Maui Invasive Species, the Big…