Legislative Alert: Support Increased Pesticide Violation Fines
Agrochemical companies operating in Hawaiʻi have repeatedly violated pesticide laws endangering workers and threatening nearby communities. HB692 HD1 will allow the HDOA to increase fines for those who knowingly violate pesticide laws.
HB692 HD1 will be heard by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment this Friday, March 17, 2023 at 1:05 PM Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
Testimonies are due Thursday, March 16th at 1:05 PM.
HB692 HD1 - Increased Fines for Pesticide Use Violations
Increases administrative and criminal penalties for violators of the Hawaiʻi pesticides law.
Sample Testimony:
Large corporate polluters have exposed farm workers and neighboring communities to pesticide misuse for decades. As a result, exposure has threatened the health of vulnerable populations and contaminated the environment.
The state’s current low fine threshold does not create a sense of urgency to change behavior and stop repeat violators. The maximum fine for corporate pesticide violations is currently set at $25,000. For multi-billion dollar corporate polluters, this amount is simply a “cost of doing business” rather than a deterrent.
Improper and illegal use of pesticides threatens to harm adjacent, non-target plants and species, to lead to short and long-term contamination of the state’s soil, air and water and takes a toll on human health and quality of life. Despite the risks, pesticide misuse has, and continues to occur within Hawaiʻi.
Just recently Monsanto/Bayer has pleaded guilty to multiple pesticide violations on Oʻahu. This is on the heels of additional violations on Maui and Moloka’i.
Related coverage: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/01/07/monsanto-pleads-guilty-pesticide-related-crimes-hawaii/
Please support HB692 HD1.
Thank you for your consideration,
Your Name, Residence
