Lawmakers consider industrial hemp bill

Hawaii residents say legalizing industrial hemp could spur business ventures ranging from home construction to selling hemp seed candy bars at Hawaii airports.

Lawmakers considered a bill Friday that would legalize and set rules for growing industrial hemp. The bill would require growers to register with the state and would clarify the difference between hemp and marijuana.

The bill would also require the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to research development of products, such as clothing, oils and seed. Supporters say industrial hemp production could boost the agriculture sector and help rural economies.

Nationwide at least 27 states have laws in place related to industrial hemp. In 2014 President Barack Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill, which allowed universities and state departments to grow industrial hemp for limited uses.

Legislators oppose ban on new cesspools

Nearly a dozen legislators asked Gov. David Ige in a letter dated Feb. 1 not to sign off on a proposed state Department of Health rule change that would ban new cesspools statewide. The letter was signed primarily by neighbor island lawmakers with constituencies in rural areas that rely on cesspools, and points out that a previous version of the rule change would have required conversion of all cesspools to septic systems and cost Hawaii island homeowners $1.5 billion, according to a press release from the state House of Representatives. The release notes that there are over 50,000 cesspools on Hawaii island.

“A bill to do that same thing was introduced into the Legislature in 2015 and did not pass. In fact, a bill to ban new cesspools was not passed. The will of the Legislature should thus be clear,” the letter states. “Furthermore, this rule change greatly discriminates against the poorest of our citizens who might not be able to afford to build a home if a septic system is required.”

The letter also notes that septic systems in Hawaii cost between $20,000 and $30,000 to install, compared with cesspools, which range from $2,000 to $3,000.

Input sought on game management

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife is seeking comments on a Draft Environmental Assessment on a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take License for game management at Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve and Pu‘u Anahulu Game Management Area.

The state has been developing a conservation plan for land managed primarily for maintenance of non-native game mammal populations for hunting, in addition to conservation of native habitat in the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve and the Pu‘u Anahulu Game Management Area in North Kona on the island of Hawaii.

The plan proposes the incidental take of 15 threatened and endangered plants and one endangered insect; identifies proposed and alternative actions; describes the existing physical, biological and socioeconomic environments; and analyzes potential environmental impacts to the existing environment.

Public comments on the draft assessment will be accepted until Feb. 23, and can be sent to Huang-Chi Kuo at Garcia and Associates, 146 Hekili St., Suite 106, Honolulu, HI 96813; or emailed to kuo@ garciaandassociates.com.

Visit oeqc.doh. hawaii.gov/Shared %20Documents/ Environmental_ Notice/current_issue.pdf.