A Kauai County Council committee voted 4-1 to approve an amended bill to regulate the use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms by large agricultural companies.

Bill supporters cheered after the council’s Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee voted on Bill 2491 shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday. Committee members amended the disclosure and buffer zone provisions and eliminated the prohibition of open-air testing of experimental pesticides and GMOs.

Also eliminated were a proposed moratorium on experimental use and commercial production of GMOs and permitting provisions.

The proposed ordinance will advance to the full council. A meeting date has yet to be set.

Bill 2491 calls for mandatory disclosure of pesticide use and GMOs by large agribusinesses and the implementation of buffer zones.

Under the disclosure provision, the committee voted to amend the requirement for companies to send out notices to adjacent property owners before the application of pesticides. Now notices must go to residents who live within 1,500 feet of the agricultural fields.

"It’s a stronger amendment, which I’m happy with," said committee Chairman Gary Hooser, who introduced the bill with ex-officio member Tim Bynum.

Companies will also be required to provide weekly after-application notices of pesticides instead of annual notices.

The committee narrowed the buffer zones near public highways, streams, rivers and shorelines to 100 feet from 500 feet.

Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said the biotech companies have agreed to enter into an understanding with the county to not farm north of the Wailua River until experts conduct an environmental and public health impact study. The companies are willing to do this to address a deep concern in the community, Yukimura said.

Hooser said he would prefer companies to cease farming on the entire island while the study is underway.

"If we could get them to agree to the entire island, that would satisfy me," he said by telephone Saturday.

Though Hooser said he is pleased the bill will move forward to the full council, more needs to be done.

Alicia Maluafiti, executive director of the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, which represents biotech companies Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer, Dow AgroSciences and BASF, said, "The amendments were sorely needed but it’s still far from perfect."

The proposed bill still perpetuates fear-mongering and misinformation of seed farming, she said Saturday. A recent report prepared by the Hawaii Tumor Registry showed no higher occurrence of cancer cases on Kauai compared with the rest of the state.

"The council needs to take a timeout," Maluafiti said.