Fight Against Albizias Stalls in Hawaii Legislature
The legislation comes in the wake of Puna devastation brought by the invasive trees following Tropical Storm Iselle.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald regarding legislation and trees. Excerpt:
A Senate bill seeking funding to control albizia trees on Hawaii Island has stalled after failing to cross over to the state House of Representatives.
Proponents of the bill say they were surprised by the failure of the measure, in light of the devastation wrought by the invasive trees following Tropical Storm Iselle.
鈥淚 was shocked,鈥 said Springer Kaye, manager of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee. 鈥淭he Big Island has been trying to get some relief on this issue from the Legislature for years, and if being hit by a hurricane and having people without power up to three weeks 鈥 and possibly altering an election 鈥 doesn鈥檛 get enough attention on the issue to get it separate funding, I don鈥檛 know what will.鈥
was sponsored by state Sen. Russell Ruderman, D-Puna, and sought an appropriation of about $2 million to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to fund a coordinated management effort of albizia trees on the Big Island and across the state.
It was one of a raft of legislation introduced this session to address the rapidly growing trees, which are susceptible to snapping and collapsing in high winds, playing havoc with power lines and anything else unlucky enough to be below them. …
The Tribune-Heralds says Ruderman聽“has been in talks with other legislators about the possibility of including a line item in the final state budget to provide funding for albizia control.”
Iselle passed through the Big Island last August.
Albizia trees are largely to blame for blocked roads and downed power lines after Tropical Storm Iselle hit the Big Island.
PF Bentley/Civil Beat
