Mosquito control project focus of public meetings

The Maui News

A plan to suppress nonnative mosquitoes in hopes of preventing avian malaria in threatened and endangered forest birds on Maui will be the subject of two public meetings next week, Haleakala National Park announced.

The National Park Service and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are working to prepare an environmental assessment for the mosquito control project and are seeking public input.

The first virtual meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. To register, visit register.gotowebinar.com/register/3115355565283492367.

The second meeting will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 6. To register, visit register.gotowebinar.com/register/7258589157911365390.

Both meetings will cover the same material, so interested participants only need to attend one.

For more information, visit parkplanning.nps.gov/HALE-mosquito. To submit a comment on the project, click the "open for comment" link, select "public scoping newsletter" and click the "comment on document" button to enter and submit. Comments can also be mailed to Superintendent, Haleakala National Park, P.O. Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768.

Public comments will be accepted online and via mail until Jan. 20. They will not be accepted by fax, email or any other method other than those specified. Comments submitted by individuals or organizations on behalf of others will not be accepted.

Entire comments, including personal identifying information such as addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, may be made publicly available at any time. While commenters can ask for their information to be withheld from public review, it cannot be guaranteed, the park service said.