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Mahalo for your response. The Application for Section 18 FIFRA Emergency Exemption for use of the lab-altered mosquitoes ("DQB Males") hawaiiunites.org/wp-con… specifies that the "DQB line of mosquitoes was developed through transfection of Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB isolated from Ae. albopictus KLP strain mosquitoes originating from Kual…
Mahalo for your response. The Application for Section 18 FIFRA Emergency Exemption for use of the lab-altered mosquitoes ("DQB Males") https://hawaiiunites.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/EPA-HQ-OPP-2022-0896-0002_content.pdf specifies that the "DQB line of mosquitoes was developed through transfection of Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB isolated from Ae. albopictus KLP strain mosquitoes originating from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia into Culex quinquefasciatus Palmyra strain mosquitoes originating from Palmyra Atoll." These are foreign organisms.
This mosquito release plan has not been sufficiently studied as required for a project of this scope and magnitude that has potential significant impacts to the health of our island's people, wildlife, and 'āina. We have taken state agencies to court to seek a ruling that an environmental impact statement be completed, per the Hawai'i Environmental Policy Act (HEPA).
In the words of tropical disease and vector expert Dr. Lorrin Pang (expert witness in our case), "It is not only what ‘might’ happen, but quantitatively how likely or unlikely might it happen – both the benefits and the side effects." There's no way of answering this question without doing the comprehensive studies needed.
Dr. Lorrin Pang's full response to the judge's decision: https://www.newsletter.hawaiiunites.org/p/we-can-do-this-13000-more-needed
Dr. Lorrin among my oldest heroes & favorites Biotech Mafia opponents! <3