REPORT TITLE:
Roadside herbicide use


DESCRIPTION:
Requires state and county agencies responsible for roadside
vegetation maintenance to adopt an integrated vegetation
management program that includes the use of nonchemical,
nonmechanical, and nonmanual methods whenever feasible.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.467        
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO ROADSIDE MAINTENANCE. 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The management of vegetation along state and
 
 2 county roadsides in Hawaii involves the use of chemical and
 
 3 nonchemical methods.  To ensure that vegetative management is
 
 4 performed in a manner that provides the most effective and cost-
 
 5 efficient control with the least risk to human health and the
 
 6 environment, many jurisdictions in other parts of the country
 
 7 have established integrated vegetation management programs.  When
 
 8 properly implemented, such programs help to address the growing
 
 9 concerns that the use of herbicides may be harmful to human
 
10 health and contribute to the nonpoint source pollution of
 
11 streams, and coastal and ground water.
 
12      The purpose of this Act is to improve the safety and quality
 
13 of public roadside maintenance by requiring that the state and
 
14 counties establish integrated vegetation management programs.
 
15      SECTION 2.  Chapter 46, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
16 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
17 read as follows:
 
18      "§46-     Integrated vegetation management program.  (a)
 
19 All county governmental agencies responsible for the maintenance
 
20 of public roadsides shall adopt an integrated vegetation
 

 
Page 2                                                     
                                     H.B. NO.467        
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 management program that includes the use of nonchemical,
 
 2 nonmechanical, and nonmanual methods whenever feasible.
 
 3      (b)  An integrated vegetation management strategy for the
 
 4 control of weeds along public roads shall be designed to minimize
 
 5 maintenance costs and minimize and improve the overall efficiency
 
 6 of herbicide use.  The goal for herbicide use reduction is as
 
 7 follows:
 
 8      (1)  At least twenty-five per cent by January 1, 2000; and
 
 9      (2)  At least fifty per cent by January 1, 2002.
 
10 The amount of herbicides applied along public roads during fiscal
 
11 year 1992-1993 shall serve as the baseline for these goals.
 
12      (c)  For the purposes of this section:
 
13      "Integrated vegetation management" means an approach to
 
14 vegetation management that uses the appropriate resource for each
 
15 situation, including mechanical, manual, cultural, biological,
 
16 chemical, thermal, and structural methods.  Human health,
 
17 environmental, aesthetic, and economic concerns shall be
 
18 incorporated into the chosen control method as part of vegetation
 
19 management decisions.
 
20      "Nonchemical methods" means methods that reduce or eliminate
 
21 noxious plant and weed species through the use or introduction of
 
22 natural enemies, pathogens, predators, parasites, diseases, and
 
23 other methods of control."
 

 
Page 3                                                     
                                     H.B. NO.467        
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 3.  Chapter 264, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "§264-    Integrated vegetation management program.  (a)
 
 5 All state governmental agencies responsible for the maintenance
 
 6 of public roadsides shall adopt an integrated vegetation
 
 7 management program that includes the use of nonchemical,
 
 8 nonmechanical, and nonmanual methods whenever feasible.
 
 9      (b)  An integrated vegetation management strategy for the
 
10 control of weeds along public roads shall be designed to minimize
 
11 maintenance costs and minimize and improve the overall efficiency
 
12 of herbicide use. The goal for herbicide use reduction is as
 
13 follows:
 
14      (1)  At least twenty-five per cent by January 1, 2000; and
 
15      (2)  At least fifty per cent by January 1, 2002.
 
16 The amount of herbicides applied along public roads during fiscal
 
17 year 1992-1993 shall serve as the baseline for these goals.
 
18      (c)  For the purposes of this section
 
19      "Integrated vegetation management" means an approach to
 
20 vegetation management that uses the appropriate resource for each
 
21 situation, including mechanical, manual, cultural, biological,
 
22 chemical, thermal, and structural methods.  Human health,
 
23 environmental, aesthetic, and economic concerns shall be
 

 
Page 4                                                     
                                     H.B. NO.467        
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 incorporated into the chosen control method as part of vegetation
 
 2 management decisions.
 
 3      "Nonchemical methods" means methods that reduce or eliminate
 
 4 noxious plant and weed species through the use or introduction of
 
 5 natural enemies, pathogens, predators, parasites, diseases, and
 
 6 other methods of control."
 
 7      SECTION 4.  The department of transportation shall submit a
 
 8 preliminary report to the legislature no later than twenty days
 
 9 prior to the convening of the regular session of 2000 on the
 
10 steps that have been, are being, and will be taken to comply with
 
11 section 3 of this Act.
 
12      SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
13      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
14 
 
15                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________