Senator J. Kalani English
Majority Floor Leader
State Capitol, Room 205
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 587-7225
E-mail: english1@capitol.hawaii.gov

Contact: Kalei Keolanui, Communications Specialist
Phone: 586-6812

PRESS RELEASE
March 8, 2002

SENATE BIG ISLAND SITE VISIT SEEKS CREATIVE FUNDING FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE EMERGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL WORKFORCE

On Tuesday, March 12th, Senate Majority Floor Leader J. Kalani English (D—Wailuku, Kahului, Upcountry Maui) and Big Island Senator Russell Kokubun (D—Puna, Ka'u, Kona) will be conducting site visits on the Big Island where the Emergency Environmental Workforce is aggressively removing destructive invasive plants and mosquito breeding areas that can harbor dengue fever. The Senators will meet with Mayor Harry Kim the afternoon of March 11th, and on the 12th they will start the morning on the Hilo side of the Big Island at the Onomea site and in the afternoon work their way over to the Kona side to the Pu'u wa'a wa'a site. "I want to see for myself the outstanding accomplishments of the EEWF on the Big Island, and to personally thank the workers for their efforts," Senator English said.

While SB 2900 will implement funding after July 1st, in the interim between now and July, funds need to be raised to continue the program. Senator English is seeking creative ways to raise the necessary $1 million to fund the program during the interim period, responding, "The original program was the collaborative and creative product of a number of individuals working together towards a common goal. I'm asking the private sector to partner with us in keeping this program alive; hopefully the same kind of cooperative spirit that was the genesis of the program will emerge and allow this program to continue for the next three months until the state funding kicks in." The workforce in Hana will cease working March 13th because the funds have run out. Other programs will end throughout the month of April.

Senator English commented, "It's a shame that the momentum this workforce has reached will come to a sudden halt because of a lack of funding. It's always more difficult to start up a stalled engine than one that's operating at top speed." He added, "I'm seeking ways to obtain funding from the private sector that can keep this engine going. Given the recent deadly outbreaks of dengue in the Cook Islands, Tahiti, and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, it's definitely in our best interest to prevent the contagion from spreading any farther than it already has in our islands."

To help continue a portion of the workforce until July, Maui County has stepped in with $100,000 from a special allocation approved by the Maui County Council last year to respond to the dengue outbreaks on Maui. Senator English hopes that others will follow Maui County's example, as he attempts to raise the estimated $800,000 to $1 million required to keep the workforce going.

"I know what the Hana and Maui crews have accomplished because I worked with them personally, but Tuesday's site visits on the Big Island will allow me to see first-hand the results achieved by work crews on other islands. Now is the time for the private sectors in the community to take an active role in preserving the health of the citizens and visitors in our state during this critical interim period. I am asking them to contribute funding to continue the EEWF for the next three months," urged Senator English.

Tax-deductible donations can be sent to the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH). Checks can be made out to RCUH, noting on the check that the contribution is for the EEWF Fund (Emergency Environmental Workforce). Please mail checks to:

Research Development Corporation of the University of Hawaii
2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki Hall D-100
Honolulu, HI 96822

A written confirmation will be mailed back by RCUH, with the accompanying acknowledgment to claim the tax deduction.

For more information, contact the office of Senator J. Kalani English at 587-7225.

END

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