HILO, Hawaii — Starting July 1, Hawaii County will cease the use of glyphosate-based herbicides on county roadsides, drainage structures, rights-of-ways and easements, according to the county’s Public Works Department.

“The department has been working for some time to develop alternative means and methods to achieve maintenance of county infrastructure without the reliance on chemical herbicides,” stated Public Works Director Steve Pause in a news release. “We believe this day has arrived.”

District 7 County Council Member Rebecca Villegas said, “I’m deeply grateful for the leadership of Steve Pause and Neil Azevedo. Transitioning to alternate methods of road maintenance is the right thing to do for our people, our lands, and our waters. I cried when I heard the news. After years of working toward this vital transition, our community can celebrate positive changes in our county’s land management practices.”

“We have a real opportunity to put our money where our mouth is and invest in better management systems that put our aina and our people’s health first,” said Mayor Mitch Roth, who supports using non-chemical herbicides.

“This is something that the community has been asking for quite some time, and we applaud the efforts of Director Pause for his commitment to getting this done. We also acknowledge Council member Villegas’ continued commitment and advocacy for aina-conscious county practices,” said Roth.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.