Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Wildlife Program

Private landowner development of HCPs are voluntary and take a minimum of one year for processing.  Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife staff are available to provide technical assistance in the development of State HCPs and associated Incidental Take Licenses (ITLs).  If a private landowner or land management firm anticipates take of threatened or endangered species, state statute requires such landowner to seek an Incidental Take License, issued through an approved Habitat Conservation Plan.

Several projects are in various stages of the compliance process.  Pursuant to Subsection 195D-21(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, all proposed HCPs must be publicly noticed through the periodic bulletin of the Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC).

The public is strongly encouraged to provide testimony during the open comment periods. In some cases, public comment periods at this time are closed. The public can provide testimony on any project during Endangered Species Recovery Committee (ESRC) meetings provided the item is listed on the agenda. Testimony can be received in person or in writing on agenda items listed at ESRC public meetings.

Click here to view ESRC meeting dates and agendas.

Click here for the ESRC YouTube streamed meetings

Draft Habitat Conservation Plans:

Draft Kauai Island Utility Coop (KIUC) Habitat Conservation Plan

• Draft KIUC HCP: Appendices
• comments received:
  • Earth Justice 3/24/2023
  • American Bird Conservancy
  • PMRF Environmental Program
  • Pacific Rim Conservation, Eric VanderWerf
  • EJ testimony re KIUC LTHCP Feb 28 
  • Mehrhoff Initial Comments on January 2023 Draft KIUC HCP
  • Comments received via email from [email protected]
  • Dr. Kawika Winter, ESRC member, May 16 2023

Draft Kauaʻi Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan

• Kauaʻi Seabird HCP Appendices A-G
• Kauaʻi Seabird Participant Inclusion Plans Appendix H
• Written comments to HCP received during the public comment period
• KSHCP Final Environmental Assessment (FEA)

Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Kawailoa Wind Power (Amendment)

• Public hearing held on November 29, 2018 at 6:00 pm at Kaʻala Elementary School, Wahiawa, Oʻahu

Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Lalamilo Wind Farm

Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Pakini Nui Wind Farm

• Public hearing held on August 4, 2016 at 5:30 pm at Hawaiʻi Gateway Energy Center, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi Island

Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Honuaʻula (Wailea 670) Kihei, Maui

• Public hearing held on July 27, 2016 at the Cameron Center, Maui

Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Game Management at Puʻu Waʻawaʻa and Puʻu Anahulu, Hawaii

• Public hearings held on March 1 and 7, 2016 at Auntie Sally’s Luau Hale, Hilo and West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi 

*Draft HCPs publicly noticed in the OEQC Environmental Notice may not reflect final versions incorporating comments received from the public, ESRC, DLNR DOFAW, and federal partners.

For more information contact the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Protected Species Habitat Conservation Planning Coordinator:

State of Hawai‘i
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Division of Forestry and Wildlife
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 587-0166