Abstract
Kaheawa Wind Power, LLC proposes to develop and operate the island of Maui's first commercial wind energy generation facility in the Kaheawa Pastures area of West Maui. The State Board of Land and Natural Resources has approved a Conservation District Use Application (CDUA) for the proposed facility, which will be situated on State conservation lands.
Among the conditions imposed by the approved CDUA is a requirement to "comply with the Incidental Taking Permit requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including the preparation of the Habitat Conservation Plan." Therefore, pursuant to this condition, as well as in accordance with section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended, and Chapter 195-D, Hawai`i Revised Statutes, Kaheawa Wind Power has prepared this Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in support of the incidental take permit and license requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). The identified applicant, and holder of the permit/license if issued, is Kaheawa Wind Power, LLC, which is seeking a Federal Incidental Take Permit and State Incidental Take License with concurrent durations of twenty (20) years each.
The incidental take of four listed species (Hawaiian Petrel, Newell's Shearwater, Nene, and Hawaiian Hoary Bat) is anticipated to potentially occur as a result of the operation of the wind farm. These species presently, or may, fly in the vicinity of the project site and could be injured or killed if they collide with a wind turbine. No other listed, proposed or candidate species have been found or are known to be present in the project area.
The purpose of this HCP is to document how Kaheawa Wind Power will minimize, mitigate, and monitor the effects of incidental take of threatened and endangered species anticipated to be adversely affected by the proposed project operation. Efforts have already been made to minimize the potential impact that the facility may have on these listed species, including aspects of the site design and configuration, turbine height and model, rotor speed, and lighting. General and species-specific mitigation is proposed to further survey the occurrence and behavior of these species in the project vicinity, and to compensate for any project-related take. Additionally, a monitoring protocol is outlined to determine the actual take of each species during the operation of the facility. Lastly, an adaptive management strategy will be implemented to allow for necessary and appropriate modifications to the mitigation and monitoring measures.