HONOLULU — Kauai County will be taking law firms up on their offers for free legal help defending an ordinance regulating the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops by large agricultural businesses. Several firms offered attorneys for legal actions that were expected in response to the bill passing. On Friday, three biotech companies filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the county from implementing the law when it goes into effect in August. Environmental lawyers are also providing pro-bono assistance to defend the ordinance, while not directly representing the county. The bills co-author, Councilman Gary Hooser, says hes confident the county will do its best to defend against the lawsuit, even though Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. vetoed the measure. A scheduling conference for the lawsuit is set for April.
