By: The Alternative Daily, 02/08/2014

Elle Cochran, a council member in Maui County, Hawaii, has proposed a bill at the county level to require agricultural operations to disclose their use of genetically modified crops and pesticides to the public. The state of Hawaii currently has some regulations on pesticides in place, however, Cochran asserts, “The current requirements are simply not good enough for this community. Most protection standards put in place protect the workers, but require little to no protection notification to surrounding communities. This legislation is meant to alleviate this oversight.”

For more on this story visit http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

By: Dave Smith, 12/05/2013

Mayor Billy Kenoi today signed into law a bill that bans any new uses of genetically modified crops on the Big Island. Kenoi announced his decision to sign Bill 113 in a letter to the County Council. The council passed the measure on Nov. 19 on a 6-3 vote. The bill prohibits new open-air growing of genetically modified organisms, also known as GMOs.

For more on this story visit http://bigislandnow.com/2013/12/05/kenoi-signs-anti-gmo-bill-into-law/

By: PBSpot Admin, 10/03/2013

The Big Island of Hawaii County Council Committee passed a GMO prohibition Bill by a vote of 6-2. The Bill 113 passed out of committee and is progressing to the full Council, set for October 16th. The Bill is relevant to the island of Hawaii, known as “The Big Island.” The two “no” votes were Greggor Ilagan and Chair J Yoshimoto. Dennis “Fresh” Onishi was absent. The Bill 113 will ban all open air cultivation of GMOs, with the exception of papaya which already has genetically modified forms already being grown on the island. Other than this, the Hawaii island is the final to not yet have GMO crops in the state of Hawaii.

For more on this story visit http://politicalblindspot.com/big-island-of-hawaii-bans-gmos/

Theextinctionprotocol, 06/05/2013

HAWAII – A moderate earthquake struck in the deep ocean off Hawaii Island this afternoon but did not generate a tsunami, officials said. The quake, with a magnitude of 5.3, struck at about 2:12 p.m. and was centered 34 miles southeast of Pahala and 31 miles south of Kalapana, at a depth of about 25 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake initially was listed as a magnitude 5.2, briefly upgraded to 5.6 before USGS scientists reassessed and downgraded it to a magnitude 5.3.

No tsunami was generated but “some areas may have experienced strong shaking,” according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach. “It was a pretty significant jolt,” said Darryl Oliveira, director of the Hawaii County Civil Defense, who was on his way to the county building for a hearing when the earthquake occurred.

Natureworldnews, By: James Foley, 04/18/2013

Officials in Hawaii are trying to better educate visitors and locals about proper wildlife viewing practices with a new series of videos. The videos also encourage the public to choose tour operators that keep their distance from when viewing marine life such as spinner dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals, turtles, and humpback whales. A statement from the Hawaii Governor’s office said that the messages are cautionary tales that should be taken seriously, as incidents of monk seal hookings and boats running into whales continue to occur.

“In the 2012-2013 whale season, there have been 10 confirmed whale-vessel contacts. In 2012 there were 17 confirmed monk seal hookings. This year, there have been 6 confirmed hookings so far,” the statement reports. One clip features a flock of paparazzi tourists snapping away at a seal-like man on the sand. It asks, “If you don’t like it what makes you think they do? Please keep your distance and respect our marine wildlife.”

For more on this story visit www.natureworldnews.com