Division of Forestry and Wildlife

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

For Immediate News Release May 29, 2015      

DLNR TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON DRAFT HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN 
FOR NA PUA MAKANI WIND ENERGY PROJECT AT KAHUKU

HONOLULU —   A public hearing on a draft habitat conservation plan for the proposed  construction and operation of a wind farm project that could generate up to 25 megawatts of power on Oahu will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2015, at the Kahuku Village Association Community Center, 56-576 Kamehameha Highway.The (DLNR) invites  testimony on the Na Pua Makani Wind Energy project draft habitat conservation plan.

Na Pua Makani Power Partners LLC (Na Pua Makani) proposes to construct and operate a wind farm  in Kahuku. In addition to up to 10 wind turbine generators, the  project would include an electrical collection system, an operations and maintenance facility, an approximately 0.9-mile (1.5-km) transmission line, a permanent meteorological tower, and approximately 5.2 miles (8.4 km) of permanent roads.

Na Pua Makani has prepared a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) staff, for authorization and issuance of an incidental take license for endangered species associated with wind farm operations.  

The draft HCP was published in the March 8, 2015 Office of Environmental Quality Control Environmental Notice and is currently available for public review and comments.

The purpose of the draft HCP is to mitigate for potential injury and death to threatened and endangered species such as: the ‘a‘o or Newell’s shearwater (Puffinus auricularis newelli), koloa maoli or Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana), ae‘o or Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), ‘alae ke‘oke‘o or Hawaiian coot (Fulica alai), ‘alae ‘ula or Hawaiian moorhen (Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis), pueo or Hawaiian short-eared owl (Asio flammeus sandwichensis), nçnç or Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis), and the ôpe‘ape‘a or Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) due to construction and operation of the project. 

The HCP outlines provisions for net benefit to the covered species and environment, and contributes to the recovery of each of these species.

Copies of the draft habitat conservation plan are available for review at the DOFAW office in Honolulu or via a link provided in the Office of Environmental Quality Control March 8, 2015 issue of the Environmental Notice. Copies will be available at the public hearing.

Anyone planning to attend the hearing who may require auxiliary aids (taped materials or sign language interpreter) please request assistance by contacting the DOFAW, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813; or call (808) 587-0166. 

Anyone who is unable to attend the hearing and wants to provide testimony, can send comments to the above address, attention Afsheen Siddiqi. Comments should be received by June 8, 2015.

# # #

Media Contact: 
Deborah Ward 
DLNR Communication Specialist 
Phone: (808) 587-0320