§150A-53 - General actions to achieve objectives. - Hawaii Statutes

     [§150A-53]  General actions to achieve objectives.  To achieve the objectives of the biosecurity program, the department shall plan for and, within available legislative appropriations, implement the following:

     (1)  Work with government agencies and agricultural commodity exporters of other states and countries to establish pre-entry inspection programs under which inbound cargo into the State is inspected at the ports of departure or other points outside the State;

     (2)  Establish, operate, or participate in operating port-of-entry facilities where multiple government agencies may inspect, quarantine, fumigate, disinfect, destroy, or exclude as appropriate, articles that may harbor pests or exclude articles that are prohibited or restricted without a permit, with the goals of:

         (A)  Performing inspections in an efficient, effective, and expeditious manner for the government agencies involved and for cargo owners, carriers, and importers; and

         (B)  Providing for the proper and safe storage and handling of cargo, especially agricultural and food commodities, awaiting inspection;

     (3)  Develop, implement, and coordinate post-entry measures to eradicate, control, reduce, and suppress pests and, as appropriate, eradicate or seize and dispose of prohibited or restricted organisms without a permit that have entered the State;

     (4)  Collaborate with relevant government agencies, agricultural commodity importers, and other persons to examine and develop joint integrated systems to better implement the biosecurity program;

     (5)  Improve cargo inspection capabilities and methods, including enhancement of the content and submission requirements for cargo manifests and agricultural commodity ownership and movement certificates;

     (6)  Promote the production of agricultural commodities in the State to reduce cargo shipments of imported commodities into the State; and

     (7)  Provide public education on the negative effects of pests and prohibited or restricted organisms without a permit, to the environment and economy of the State. [L 2008, c 236, pt of §2]