Governor Josh Green, M.D.

 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ʻOIHANA MAHIʻAI

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KIAʻĀINA
                                                                       

SHARON HURD
CHAIRPERSON

HAWAI`I BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                       

NR23-22

Oct. 4, 2023

 

NEW INTERIM RULE RESTRICTS MOVEMENT OF PALM PLANTS AND ORGANIC MATERIAL THAT MAY CONTAIN COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLES

 

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) today established a new interim rule to help stop the movement of the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) from designated CRB-infested areas to non-infested areas in the state.  On Monday afternoon, the Advisory Committee on Plants and Animals recommended approval of an interim rule that restricts the movement of palm plants; decomposing plant material, such as compost, wood or tree chips; mulch; potting soil; and other landscaping products that may harbor CRB, from infested areas to non-infested areas. In addition, the new interim rule restricts the movement of palm plants higher than four feet in height, which will enable closer inspection of palm crowns where CRB are most likely to bore into a tree. The new interim rule designates the island of O‘ahu as a CRB-infested area. All other areas in the state are currently considered to be non-infested areas.

 

The interim rule was signed today by HDOA Chairperson, Sharon Hurd, and is effective immediately. It is valid for one year, while HDOA finalizes a permanent rule. The interim rule approved today is based on a previous interim rule established in July 2022, but expands restrictions on the movement of potential CRB host plants and plant materials, and increases the penalties.

 

Any individual, company or organization that violates the rule will be charged with a misdemeanor and fined not less than $100 and up to $10,000. Penalties for a second offense committed within five years will require the violator to pay for the cost of clean-up and decontamination fees to remove contaminated materials, and the cost to fully eradicate any CRB infestations caused by the violation. Repeat violators will be fined not less than $500 and up to $25,000.

 

The new interim rule follows the first detection of CRB on Maui three weeks ago, when a dead adult CRB was found in a bag of compost shipped from O‘ahu at a Maui retailer. No other CRB has been detected on Maui. However, the efforts to restore the land and soil on Maui and Hawai‘i Island due to the wildfire damage have increased shipments of compost and organic landscaping material from O‘ahu, increasing the risk of the transport of CRB to non-infested areas.

 

“The new interim rule will help our agricultural inspectors prevent the movement of coconut rhinoceros beetle and strengthens penalties for those who violate the rules,” said Hurd. “Preventing pathways of movement, and early detection is key to stopping the spread of these invasive beetles.”

 

Surveillance for CRB has been ongoing on all neighbor islands, including pheromone traps at airports, harbors and other strategic locations. The traps are used for early detection of CRB infestations.

 

Green waste provides an optimal breeding environment for CRB and residents on all islands are urged to check their compost bins and green waste for CRB larvae and be aware of the visual signs of CRB feeding damage on live palms.

 

CRB were first detected in Hawai‘i in December 2013 on O‘ahu and have gradually spread from Central and West O‘ahu to the North Shore and the windward side. In late May, CRBs were found on Kaua‘i and eradication efforts are ongoing.

 

CRB are a serious pest of palm trees, primarily coconut palms, as the adult beetles bore into the crowns of the palms to feed on the tree’s sap. New unopened fronds are damaged in this way and when fully opened, may break and fall unexpectedly. If CRB kill or damage the growing point of the palm, the tree may die. Secondary fungal or bacterial pathogens may also attack the wounds caused by CRB, thereby killing the tree as well. Tree mortality after CRB attack has been reported to be anywhere from 10 percent to 50 percent. Dead trees then become a safety hazard as they may fall unexpectedly after the trunk rots, potentially resulting in bodily injury or property damage. 

 

CRB is a major pest of palms in India, the Philippines, Palau, Fiji, Wallis, Nukunono, American and Western Samoa and Guam. It is still not known exactly how the beetles arrived in Hawai‘i.

 

Reports of possible CRB infestation may be addressed to the CRB Response Team at (808) 679-5244 or email [email protected] or the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at (808) 643-PEST (7378).

 

# # #

 

Attachment: Interim Rule

 

Media Contact:
Janelle Saneishi, Public Information Officer
Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
(808) 973-9560
[email protected]
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov

 

 

HDOA is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination, retaliation, or harassment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability, or any other class as protected under federal or state law, with respect to any program or activity.

 

For more information, including language accessibility and filing a complaint, please contact HDOA Non-Discrimination Coordinator at (808) 973-9560, or visit HDOA’s website at http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

To request translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, or other auxiliary aids or services for this document, contact the HDOA at (808) 973-9560 or email [email protected]

 

 

 

Paʻa ka manaʻo o ka HDOA ma hope o ka pāpā loa ʻana i ka hoʻokae, ʻimi mākaia, a hoʻopilikia ʻana no kō ke kanaka lāhui, ʻili, keka, ʻāina, kūlana makahiki, kīnānā, a mea ʻokoʻa aʻe i kaʻa ma lalo o nā kānāwai pekelala a mokuʻāina, ma kona mau papahana a hanana.

 

No kekahi ʻike hou aku, e laʻa nā lawelawe unuhi ʻōlelo a me ka waiho ʻana i palapala hoʻopiʻi, e hoʻohui ʻoe me HDOA ma (808) 973-9560, a i ʻole e kipa aku i kō ka HDOA kaha pūnaewele ma http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

No ke noi ʻana i kōkua māhele a unuhi ʻōlelo, a me nā lawelawe a kōkua keu o kēlā ʻano kēia ʻano e pili ana i kēia palapala, e kelepona aku i ke keʻena o ka Luna Hoʻokele o ka HDOA ma (808) 973-9560 a i ʻole e leka uila aku iā [email protected] .

 

 

Ti HDOA ket nakatutok iti panangtaginayon iti aglawlaw a nawaya manipud iti panangidumduma, panagibales, wenno panagabuso a maibasar iti puli, kolor, seks, nasion a nagtaudan, edad, wenno disabilidad, wenno aniaman a dadduma pay a klase kas maprotektaran iti masakupan ti linteg ti pederal wenno estado, mainaig iti aniaman a programa wenno aktibidad.

 

Para iti ad-adu pay nga impormasion, kairamanan ti aksesibilidad ti lengguahe ken panagidatag iti reklamo, maidawat a kontaken ti HDOA iti (808) 973-9560, wenno bisitaen ti website ti HDOA iti http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

Tapno agkiddaw iti panagipatarus, interpretasion, modipikasion, akomodasion, wenno dadduma pay a pangtulong a tulong wenno serbisio para iti daytoy a dokumento, kontaken ti Opisina ti Mangidadaulo iti HDOA iti (808) 973-9560 wenno ag-email iti [email protected].

 

 

HDOA ມີຄວາມມຸ້ງໝັ້ນທີ່ຈະຮັກສາສະພາບແວດລ້ອມທີ່ບໍ່ມີການຈຳແນກ, ການໂຕ້ຕອບ ຫຼື ການລ່ວງລະເມີດດ້ານເຊື້ອຊາດ, ສີຜິວ, ເພດ, ຊາດກຳເນີດ, ອາຍຸ ຫຼື ຄວາມພິການ ຫຼື ປະເພດອື່ນໆ ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບການຄຸ້ມຄອງພາຍໃຕ້ກົດໝາຍຂອງລັດຖະບານ ຫຼື ລັດ, ໃນສ່ວນທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບໂຄງການໃດໆ ຫຼື ກິດຈະກຳ.

 

ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນເພີ່ມເຕີມ, ລວມທັງການເຂົ້າເຖິງພາສາ ແລະ ການຮ້ອງທຸກ, ກະລຸນາຕິດຕໍ່ຫາ HDOA ທີ່ (808) 973-9560 ຫຼື ເຂົ້າເບິ່ງເວັບໄຊທ໌ຂອງ HDOA ທີ່ http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

ເພື່ອຂໍການແປ, ການຕີຄວາມ, ການດັດແປງ, ການ ອຳ ນວຍຄວາມສະດວກ ຫຼື ເຄື່ອງຊ່ວຍ ຫຼື ການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອບໍລິການເສີມອື່ນໆ ສຳລັບເອກະສານນີ້, ຕິດຕໍ່ຫ້ອງການ HDOA ຂອງປະທານ ທີ່ (808) 973-9560 ຫຼື ສົ່ງອີເມວຫາ[email protected].

 

 

就任何計劃或活動而言，HDOA致力於維護一個不因種族、膚色、性別、國籍、年齡或殘障或受聯邦或州法律保護的任何其他類別而受到歧視、報復或騷擾的環境如需更多資訊，包括語言無障礙和提交投訴，請致電 (808) 973-9560聯絡HDOA，或瀏覽HDOA網站http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/如需與本文檔相關的翻譯、口譯、修改、住宿或其他輔助設施與服務，請致電(808) 973-9560或發送電子郵件至  [email protected].

 

 

Nakatuon ang HDOA sa pagpapanatili ng kapaligiran na malaya sa diskriminasyon, paghihiganti, o panliligalig batay sa lahi, kulay, kasarian, bansang pinagmulan, edad, o kapansanan, o anumang iba pang klase na protektado sa ilalim ng batas ng pederal o estado, na patungkol sa anumang programa o aktibidad.

 

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, kasama na ang kahandaang mai-access ng wika at pagsasampa ng reklamo, mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa HDOA sa (808) 973-9560, o bisitahin ang website ng HDOA sa http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ .

 

Upang humiling ng pagsasalin, interpretasyon, pagbabago, akomodasyon, o iba pang mga pantulong na tulong o serbisyo para sa dokumentong ito, makipag-ugnayan sa Opisina ng Tagapangulo ng HDOA sa (808) 973-9560 o mag-email sa [email protected].

 

 

HDOA มุ่งมั่นที่จะรักษาสภาพแวดล้อมให้ปราศจากการเลือกปฏิบัติ การตอบโต้ หรือการล่วงละเมิดทาง เชื้อชาติ สีผิว เพศ ชาติกำเนิด อายุ หรือความทุพพลภาพ หรือประเภทอื่นใดที่ได้รับการคุ้มครองภายใต้กฎหมายของรัฐบาลกลางหรือของรัฐ ในส่วนที่เกี่ยวกับโครงการใดๆ หรือกิจกรรม

 

สำหรับข้อมูลเพิ่มเติม รวมถึงการเข้าถึงภาษาและการยื่นเรื่องร้องเรียน โปรดติดต่อ HDOA ที่ (808) 973-9560 หรือเยี่ยมชมเว็บไซต์ของ HDOA ที่ [email protected].

 

หากต้องการขอการแปล ล่ามภาษา การปรับเปลี่ยน ที่พัก หรือความช่วยเหลือหรือบริการสำหรับเอกสารนี้ โปรดติดต่อสำนักงาน HDOA ของประธานที่ (808) 973-9560 หรืออีเมล[email protected].