LIHUE — The public comment period for the second draft Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the HCP prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service started on Saturday.
KIUC announced on Friday that the second draft HCP has been published by the Hawaii Environmental Review Program for 60-day public comment period would run through Oct. 22. The DEIS has been published by the Hawaii Environmental Review Program for a 45-day public comment period starting Saturday and running through Oct. 7.
The second draft HCP and the draft EIS has been published in the Federal Register for a 60-day public comment period starting Aug. 22 and running through Oct. 21, 2025, and can be accessed at https://bit.ly/4oYIOLc.
A draft HCP developed by KIUC in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or USFWS, and the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) was published by the Hawai‘i Environmental Review Program in January 2023 for a 60-day public comment period. Public comments were accepted on this draft from January 23, 2023, to March 24, 2023. The Endangered Species Recovery Committee (ESRC) also reviewed this draft and provided comments in five meetings in 2023.
The second draft HCP has been revised in collaboration with USFWS and the State of Hawaii DLNR DOFAW, to address comments received by the public and the ESRC.
A public meeting will be held on Sept. 16, at the Kauai Philippine Cultural Center from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. where oral testimony will be accepted on the draft HCP and DEIS.
An informal open house will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. to provide information and answer questions on the draft HCP and the DEIS.
The HCP is KIUC’s plan to minimize and mitigate adverse effects on state and federally listed threatened and endangered species. KIYC. is seeking incidental take authorization from USFWS and DLNR for the continued operation of existing and new KIUC infrastructure. The authorization is needed because some KIUC infrastructure necessary to utility operations, including aerial power lines and streetlights, is known to result in incidental take of certain state and federally listed species.
The DEIS analyzes the potential impacts on the human environment from issuing the incidental take authorizations and implementing the Habitat Conservation Plan.
Comments on the draft HCP and DEIS can be submitted through either the state or federal process, or directly to KIUC as described below. Comments must be received or postmarked by Oct. 22.
Federal process:
Online: https.//www.regulations.gov (Docket No. FWS-R1-ES-2022-0068)
Mail: Public Comment Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R1_ES-2022-0068, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
Comments on the second draft HCP:
Email: dofaw.hcp@hawaii.gov.
Mail: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources DOFAW, Habitat Conservation Planning, 1151 Punchbowl St., Rm 325, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Comments on the draft EIS:
Email: hcp@kiuc.coop
Mail: Ms. Dawn Huff, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, 4463 Pahee Street, Suite 1, Lihue, HI 96766-2000.
Source: The Garden Island
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