Kauai Council rejects petition regarding GMO

The Kauai County Council on Wednesday rejected a proposed charter amendment to regulate the use of pesticides and growth of genetically engineered crops by large agri­businesses.

The Council voted 4-3 against a motion to receive a revised petition to put the issue on the November ballot.

Council Chairman Jay Furfaro and Council members Mel Rapozo, JoAnn Yukimura and Ross Kagawa voted against the motion on behalf of Kauai Rising. Councilman Mason Chock voted silent, which is considered an affirmative vote. Councilmen Tim Bynum and Gary Hooser voted in support of the motion.

The Council then voted 5-0 to reject the petition. Bynum and Hooser were excused to attend a federal court hearing concerning a lawsuit filed against the county by four seed companies that claim the new pesticides-GMO law is invalid. 

The petition calls for large agribusinesses to prove their operations do not pose a hazard to human health and the environment. It also would create an Office of Environmental Health to be overseen by a Council-appointed administrator.

Some Council members described the charter amendment as an initiative. Kauai Rising has the option of taking the matter to court. If the group decides not to take action, the petition process ends.

Sandy Herndon, chairwoman of the Kauai Rising Charter Amendment Petitioners’ Committee, said she was disappointed by the Council’s vote.

"The Council clearly has no legal right to do what they did this morning," she said.