A state advisory committee has approved a proposed interim rule that would restrict imports of plants, mulch, soil, and coconuts to Maui and Lānaʻi to prevent the spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle. The full Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity will now review the amended rule.
- Recent CRB detections near Kahului Airport and in Central Maui have raised alarm, though the beetle has not yet established a population on Maui.
- The proposed interim rule would ban the import of live plants, mulch, soil, and coconuts to Maui and Lānaʻi for up to one year.
- A beetle was found in a potted plant shipped to Lānaʻi in May, showing the risk extends beyond Maui.
- The advisory committee approved an amended version of the rule that includes treatment and storage protocols for shipped goods, addressing concerns from the state Plant Quarantine Branch.
- If adopted, the restrictions could affect landscaping, gardening supplies, and plant deliveries that property owners and contractors rely on.
Source: Hawaii Public Radio
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