Alternatives
Only two options are listed as “Alternatives” in Chapter 2 of the Maui Environmental Assessment (EA):
1. The Proposed Action: Experimenting on Maui’s fragile ecosystems with the release of up to 40,351,584,000 (over 40 billion) invasive Wolbachia bacteria-infected biopesticide mosquitoes annually
or
2. No-Action: No mosquito control efforts
Per “Appendix B: Issues, Impact Topics, and Alternatives Dismissed from Detailed Analysis” of the EA, numerous alternatives were considered but dismissed from further consideration. Those Dismissed Alternatives are:
- Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)
- Introducing Self-Limiting Male Mosquitoes with Edited Genes
- Gene Drive
- Mosquito Habitat Source Reduction
- Biological Larvicide Controls
- Chemical Controls
- Translocation of Birds to Mosquito-free Areas
- Treatment of Birds with Acute Infections using Anti-malarial Drugs
- Genetic Modification of Forest Birds
- Ground Release of Mosquitoes using Cars, Trucks, or ATVs
- Pedestrian Release of Mosquitoes Without the Use of Helicopters
There are additional alternatives that were not discussed in the Environmental Assessment. Further, combining any of the dismissed alternatives – such as habitat source reduction, translocation of birds, and treatment of infected birds – does not appear to have been considered.
