Delay in ‘Ohi‘a Rust Rule: Last August, after many years of delay, the state Department of Agriculture finally approved rules to ban the importation of plants in the Myrtaceae family from other states, in hopes of protecting ohi‘a from a devastating rust. … Continued
“Infectious disease is going to have a larger impact than terrorism on our future,” Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said in his introductory remarks to the 6th International Workshop on Angiostrongylus and Angiostrongyliasis, held last month in Hilo. In his official capacity, Green … Continued
(This article has been updated to correct Dr. Alfred Mina’s first name.) In Hawai‘i, it would seem, dogs have received better treatment for rat lungworm disease than humans. For several years, Dr. Alfred Mina, a veterinarian in Hilo, has been … Continued
In the normal life cycle of rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), snails and slugs eat rat feces that contain the first-stage lungworm larvae. Thoselarvae develop to the third stage in the snails. When rats eat the snails, the larvae develop into adults … Continued
Correction: Argon Steel, Ph.D., informed Environment Hawai`i that the bleach solution used in testing possible effective vegetable washes was household bleach, which was diluted 25 percent, so the actual dilution was 1.5 percent bleach. Also, the chlorine that was used … Continued
Tibouchina Biocontrol: The state Department of Agriculture has released a draft environmental assessment for the statewide release of a small Brazilian beetle, Syphraea uberabensis, to controlcane tibouchina, a noxious weed, and related species. According to the draft EA, noticed inthe Office of Environmental … Continued
The forecast for Moloka‘i was grim in late August of 2018. Hurricane Lane, a category 5 hurricane, was on a track that put the Friendly Isle in its cross hairs. Charles “Chucky” Miguel Sr. was taking no chances. The lot … Continued
‘Aina Le‘a Keeps Whiffing: Since August, ‘Aina Le‘a, Inc., has been attempting to win approval from the Hawai‘i County Planning Department of an environmental impact statement preparation notice, or EISPN. The notice is a necessary first step in moving forward with construction … Continued
The federal government is suing the owners of the Pacific Paradise for at least $1.66 million in an effort to recover costs associated with removing the fishing vessel from the reef off Waikiki where it ran aground in October 2017. … Continued
Michael Tosatto, administrator of the Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) of the National Marine Fisheries Service, says his office requires holders of longline permits “to list the business and to declare (under penalty of perjury) that the information is true. … Continued