Watch: Lab-altered Mosquitoes: ‘Coming to Your Town Next?’

Tina Lia, president and founder of Hawaii Unites, joined “The Defender In-Depth” podcast this week…

Children's Health Defense

Tina Lia, president and founder of Hawaii Unites, joined “The Defender In-Depth” podcast this week to discuss the plan in Hawaii to release up to 775,992,000 lab-altered, bacteria-infected mosquitoes on Maui every week for the next 20 years.

Advocates for a program that will release up to 775,992,000 lab-altered, bacteria-infected mosquitoes in Maui every week for the next 20 years claim it will help prevent the spread of avian malaria, protect humans and reverse the population decline of native bird species.

But local activists argue that an environmental impact study was not performed before the project was launched and warn the possible negative consequences of the mosquito release may outweigh any benefits.

Last year, Hawaii Unites sued the State of Hawaii and the multi-agency partnership backing the mosquito project.

Following a legal setback last month after a Hawaii court granted summary judgment to the state, Hawaii Unites has launched a fundraising campaign, aiming to raise enough money to file an appeal by the end of the month.

Tina Lia, president and founder of Hawaii Unites, joined “The Defender In-Depth” podcast this week to discuss the project.

Lia discussed the legal challenge her organization launched, the powerful entities supporting the project, its future aims and the potential harms the project could cause to humans and the local ecosystem…