Two bug experts were called as witnesses by the opposition. Frank Howarth, PhD., was the co-discoverer of the Wekiu bug, back in l978. He pointed to various flaws in the proposed mitigation by U.H. entomologist Gregory Brenner, Ph.D., who contends that the bugs are nocturnal, whereas Dr. Howarth asserts that they are diurnal. Dr. Howarth documented how the bug's "prime habitat" has been taken over by the observatory, causing their population to drop.
Fred Stone, Ph.D., worked with Dr. Howarth back on the seminal l982 study of the Wekiu bug. Dr. Stone began his rebutal of U.H. by noting, "There are errors of fact and interpretation in Dr. Brenner's testimony that have the effect of minimizing the impact of construction on the habitat of the Wekiu bug." He noted that "the IFA agreed in their l983 Master Plan to mitigate their impact on the bug's habitat. But they have made no effort to do so." He called into question the trustworthiness and credibility of U.H.'s current promises.
Drs. Howarth and Stone called for more studies of the bug before construction proceeds, rather than after, or they may go extinct. "Our understanding of the Wekiu bug and its behavior is still very slight," Dr. Stone noted. From his recent observations he is concerned that the numbers of the surviving bugs are "so low that any further change to the area could be fatal to the few remaining individuals."
Fred Stone, Ph.D., worked with Dr. Howarth back on the seminal l982 study of the Wekiu bug. Dr. Stone began his rebutal of U.H. by noting, "There are errors of fact and interpretation in Dr. Brenner's testimony that have the effect of minimizing the impact of construction on the habitat of the Wekiu bug." He noted that "the IFA agreed in their l983 Master Plan to mitigate their impact on the bug's habitat. But they have made no effort to do so." He called into question the trustworthiness and credibility of U.H.'s current promises.
Drs. Howarth and Stone called for more studies of the bug before construction proceeds, rather than after, or they may go extinct. "Our understanding of the Wekiu bug and its behavior is still very slight," Dr. Stone noted. From his recent observations he is concerned that the numbers of the surviving bugs are "so low that any further change to the area could be fatal to the few remaining individuals."