Maui Alien Species Action Plan – ASAP 2005 Pacific Aviation Directors Workshop Enhancing Partnership in Aviation Safety & Infrastructure Development April 5, 2005 Lyle Wong, Hawaii Department of Agriculture

The ASAP Has standing Part of the FAA Record of Decision (ROD) approving the Maui EIS for Kahului Airport improvements Federal & state agencies have an obligation to implement the plan under a signed MOU in the ROD The ASAP is specific to Kahului Airport

The ASAP List actions and activities to be accomplished prior to airport improvements. Is prescriptive in obligating specific actions and activities Can be changed based on pest risk assessment Generally viewed as onerous by airlines

Chronology of Events 1982HDOT completes Master Plan 1988/89Airport development plan completed – Interisland and forecast overseas 1989Environmental Assessment (EA) proposed 1991Court stipulation – EIS required 1992EIS completed - State approved Litigation

Chronology of Events 1993New Kahului Airport Master Plan Runway extension, fuel storage, others 1993Dept. of Interior, National Parks asks to be cooperating agency in new EIS 1994FAA denies DOI, NPS Request Endangered Species Concerns raised – purview DOI, Fish & Wildlife Service

Chronology of Events 1996EIS drafted Concerns raised regarding Federally listed endangered species Biological Assessment Team (BAT) convened Mitigation measures identified 1997USFW issues a No Jeopardy Biological Opinion with mitigation measures

Chronology of Events 1997Federal and state agencies begin work on acceptable plan of action: Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) FAA Dept. of Interior, National Park Service USDA State Dept. of Agriculture State Dept. of Land and Natural Resources Public and private agencies

Chronology of Events 1998FAA Judge approves EIS, incorporates MOU and ASAP in Record of Decision 2000Airlines give notice, will pull out of ASAP as unfairly identifying the airlines as the problem 2000/01Maui Pest Risk Assessment Funded by FAA - $300,000

Chronology of Events 2005Maui Planning Commission approves permits: Alien Species Inspection Facility Air cargo facility Timeline:

Protecting Hawaiis… Agricultural and horticultural industries Animal and public health Natural resources Environment

MRA Inspection Activities Passenger surveillance at planeside Baggage surveillance and inspection on ramp, staging, and baggage claim areas Detector dog clearance of baggage in baggage claim Cargo inspection

Flight Arrivals

Passenger Surveillance Declaration forms are reviewed, and passengers are watched upon deplaning.

Baggage Clearance Incoming baggage is monitored, with agricultural items inspected.

Detector Dog Inspection Detector dog teams search for undeclared fruits and other items.

Air Cargo Inspection Inspectors check incoming cargo for pests.

Agricultural items include:

Interisland Air Inspection Air carriers are monitored for the interisland movement of agricultural items that may be harboring pests.

Findings ( ): During the seven 3 to 4 week blitzes between Sept 2000 to July 2001, a total of 1,897 commercial flights were inspected. The risk of pest introduction through baggage, passengers, and aircraft cabins and holds was low.

Findings ( ): Cargo was identified as a high risk pathway for the entry of pests into Maui. A total of 1,401 insect interceptions were made on agricultural commodities. 279 different species were intercepted, of which 125 were NKO

Maui Risk Assessment November 2003 The purpose was to evaluate new technology to increase efficiency. Inspectors were trained on the new Invicta database.

Maui Risk Assessment May and July 2004 We continued to track the seasonality of pests and were able to quickly destroy infested commodities.

Maui Risk Assessment May and July 2004: Preliminary Findings: Organically grown leafy greens continued to be a high risk commodity.

Maui Risk Assessment May and July 2004: Preliminary Findings: From one box of organically grown red leaf lettuce: Found about different species of leafhoppers, aphids, lacewings, beetles, ants, thrips, plant bugs, loopers, spiders, and wasps, of which at least 18 NKO

Maui Risk Assessment May and July 2004: Preliminary Findings: High Risk Commodities: Lettuce, Red leaf Lettuce, Green leaf Cabbage, kale Cabbage, chard Strawberries Wax flowers

Current status: Positions 9 DOT-funded Inspector positions, of which 5 is vacant. Worked with Personnel Dept. to change the minimum qualifications which will open it up to more applicants. Working with Maui Community College so required classes are available. Worked with DHRD to develop media campaign for recruitment of people on Maui.

Current status: ASAP Inspection Building Received approval from the Maui Department of Planning for the Special Management Area Permit for the construction of the Alien Species Inspection Facility and Interior Modifications to the Existing United and American Warehouse (cargo) Buildings.

Next Steps: HISC Prevention Projects HDOA will be conducting statewide risk assessments for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC).

Next Steps: HISC Prevention Projects Risk assessments will include: Maritime studies to assess the pest risk on imported goods shipped via maritime vessels. Risk assessment on a specific pest: Solenopsis invicta, red imported fire ant

Next Steps: HISC Prevention Projects Risk assessment on imported goods from foreign countries Risk assessment on propagative plant materials and cut-flowers Risk assessment on pests moving between islands with emphasis on Coqui frog, nettle caterpillar and little fire ant

Interisland Movement of Pests will focus on: Description of the pathway Treatments for shipping nursery products The merging of applied research with practical applications Analysis of current regulatory system Linkage with federal, state, county agencies and with private sectors to address the interisland pathway of pests.