Follow the Money! -- 2017 Lehua Island Poison Drop 1. The manufacturer of the rat poison, Bell Laboratories, has been listed as a Donor to Island Conservation for more than a decade. 2. On the morning of March 14, 2011, an Island Conservation representative sent an email to an official at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) -- also a Donor and Partner -- telling the USFWS official, "I came across some funding here at IC" and asks him "if the re-do of Lehua is of interest." 3. Later the same morning (3/14/11), the USFWS replies by email, responding, "It would be great to talk to you about Lehua." The official then suggests that they meet with two other people in attendance. 4. An official from USFWS told the attendees at the July 25th meeting that they awarded a $1 Million grant for this Lehua project. 5. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) stated in their '2017 Memorandum of Understanding' that the DLNR would "Provide funding in the amount of at least $150,000 in state funds and $446,500 grant funds" 6. 10+ tons of Ditrac 50 diphacinone bait pellets were purchased from Bell Laboratories for the Lehua island poison drop. 7. The DLNR's MOU states that Island Conservation's 501(3)(c) was to provide $200,000 in funding, USFWS told the Hawaiians they awarded a grant of $1 million, and DLNR stated they would provide "at least" $596,500 in funds. TWO QUESTIONS -- Based on these contributions alone, $1.8 million in funding was donated for a $1.3 million project -- Where did the other $500,000 go? How much of this money was Bel Labs paid for their 10+ tons of Ditrac 50 rat poison? We have yet to be able to find any documentation online regarding the USFW grant, nor can we locate a line item budget (or any budget) for the Lehua Poison Drop. If anyone is able to find any information on the Island Conservation's grant application to USFWS, or the USFWS grant award, or a budget for the Lehua poison drop operation, please post to the "It Take a Village Kauai' FB group -- https://m.facebook.com/groups/1884230138270651?tsid=0.06323685203713514&source=result Mahalo � For a list of Island Conservation's Donors and Partners, click on 'Donors' and 'Partners' near the bottom of this webpage -- http://www.islandconservation.org/report/2016/ You can read the 2011 email exchange between the Island Conservation representative and the USFWS official can be found at this link -- https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwdOUBgcb_badmxZWW10TE51MkU/view The 'Memorandum of Understanding and Implementing Agreement Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project' can be read at the link below -- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/C-4.pdf