DOCSLIB.ORG

Preliminary Environmental Assessment for MAUI ELECTRIC COMPANY REQUEST for PROPOSALS for VARIABLE RENEWABLE DISPATCHABLE GENERATION

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Preliminary Environmental Assessment for MAUI ELECTRIC COMPANY REQUEST for PROPOSALS for VARIABLE RENEWABLE DISPATCHABLE GENERATION Preliminary Environmental Assessment FOR MAUI ELECTRIC COMPANY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR VARIABLE RENEWABLE DISPATCHABLE GENERATION KAHANA SOLAR PROJECT MAUI, HAWAII Prepared for: Innergex Renewables USA, LLC 1185 West George Street, Suite 900 Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 4E6 Prepared by: Tetra Tech, Inc. 737 Bishop Street, Suite 2340 Honolulu, HI 96813 November 2019 PRELIMINARY EA FOR MECO RFP RESPONSE Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project Description .................................................................................................................................. 1 Natural Environment ............................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Existing conditions .................................................................................................................. 3 2.1.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts .......................................................................................... 3 2.1.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation .................................................................. 4 2.2 Biology .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2.2 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................. 10 2.3 Climate ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 2.3.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 12 2.3.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 13 2.3.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 13 2.4 Soils .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 2.4.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 13 2.4.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 14 2.4.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 15 2.5 Topography and Geology .................................................................................................................... 15 2.5.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 15 2.5.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 15 2.5.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 16 Land Regulation ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Land Uses .................................................................................................................................................. 16 3.1.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 16 3.1.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 17 3.1.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 17 3.2 Natural Hazards ...................................................................................................................................... 18 3.2.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 18 3.2.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 18 3.2.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 19 3.3 Noise ............................................................................................................................................................ 19 3.3.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 21 3.3.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 22 3.3.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 22 Tetra Tech, Inc. i Kahana Solar Power Project PRELIMINARY EA FOR MECO RFP RESPONSE 3.4 Roadways and Traffic ........................................................................................................................... 23 3.4.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 23 3.4.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 23 3.4.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 23 3.5 Utilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.5.1 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................ 24 3.5.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................ 25 3.5.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................ 25 Socio-Economic Characteristics ....................................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................... 25 4.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................................ 26 4.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................................ 26 Aesthetic/Visual Resources ............................................................................................................................... 26 5.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................... 26 5.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................................ 27 5.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................................ 27 Hazardous Materials and Wastes .................................................................................................................... 28 6.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................... 28 6.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................................ 28 6.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................................ 29 Water Quality .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 7.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................... 29 7.2 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................................ 30 7.3 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................................ 30 Public Safety Services........................................................................................................................................... 31 8.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................... 31 8.1 Short- and Long-Term Impacts ........................................................................................................ 31 8.2 Best Management Practices and Mitigation ................................................................................ 31 Recreation ................................................................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Can Hawaii Meet Its Renewable Fuel Target? Case Study of Banagrass-Based Cellulosic Ethanol
    International Journal of Geo-Information Article Can Hawaii Meet Its Renewable Fuel Target? Case Study of Banagrass-Based Cellulosic Ethanol Chinh Tran * and John Yanagida Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1910 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-808-956-4065 Academic Editors: Shih-Lung Shaw, Qingquan Li, Yang Yue and Wolfgang Kainz Received: 9 March 2016; Accepted: 8 August 2016; Published: 16 August 2016 Abstract: Banagrass is a biomass crop candidate for ethanol production in the State of Hawaii. This study examines: (i) whether enough banagrass can be produced to meet Hawaii’s renewable fuel target of 20% highway fuel demand produced with renewable sources by 2020 and (ii) at what cost. This study proposes to locate suitable land areas for banagrass production and ethanol processing, focusing on the two largest islands in the state of Hawaii—Hawaii and Maui. The results suggest that the 20% target is not achievable by using all suitable land resources for banagrass production on both Hawaii and Maui. A total of about 74,224,160 gallons, accounting for 16.04% of the state’s highway fuel demand, can be potentially produced at a cost of $6.28/gallon. Lower ethanol cost is found when using a smaller production scale. The lowest cost of $3.31/gallon is found at a production processing capacity of about 9 million gallons per year (MGY), which meets about 2% of state demand. This cost is still higher than the average imported ethanol price of $3/gallon.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF Download Prevailing Trade Winds: Climate and Weather in Hawaii Kindle
    PREVAILING TRADE WINDS: CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN HAWAII PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Marie Sanderson | 126 pages | 01 Feb 1994 | University of Hawai'i Press | 9780824814915 | English | Honolulu, HI, United States Prevailing Trade Winds: Climate and Weather in Hawaii PDF Book Usually by late morning, winds increase again due to the additional forcing effects from the sun. Annual weather conditions in Hawaii vary neigh. Still, we can look at the long-term trends and get a general idea of what to expect. Project Seasons of the Year on YouTube channel:. The persistent trades mean steady winds in summer months. These conditions are often accompanied by higher gusts above 40 kts. However, trends from one day to the next may be inferred. Received: 14 Feb Published Online: Oct This book is not yet featured on Listopia. The trade winds that continually blow across the island cause it to be permanently bent in one direction. Link Network. Community Reviews. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Past Climatic Changes Dennis Nullet. Currents are not well defined around the Hawaiian Islands. The best method to differentiate current direction and speed is visual observations of buoys and onboard instrumentation. The temperature falls about 3. Easterly Waves and Remnants of Tropical Cyclones: The most likely effect of tropical cyclones may come from the remains an earlier tropical cyclone or easterly wave. Cite Data - Experimental. Enjoy a CovidSafe visit to the National Library. Clouds on the leeward side often have localized cells that contain increased wind speed as a result of downdrafts. July 4 — Independence Day. Summer kau lasts from May through October, with high temperatures and reliable trade winds.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rainfall Atlas of Hawai'i 2011
    THE RAINFALL ATLAS OF HAWAI‘I 2011 Final Report Thomas W. Giambelluca1, Qi Chen1, Abby G. Frazier1, Jonathan P. Price2 Yi-Leng Chen3, Pao-Shin Chu3, and Jon K. Eischeid4 1Department of Geography, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA 2Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Hawai‘i - Hilo, Hilo, HI, USA 3Department of Meteorology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA 4Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA October 2011 The Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i 2011 Final Report Acknowledgments The 2011 Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i was developed under an agreement between the State of Hawai‘i Commission on Water Resource Management and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District under Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1974. Contract No. W9128A-04-D-0019, Contract Task Order No. 0038 was awarded to Wil Chee Planning, Inc., which subcontracted the work to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Department of Geography. The development of the 2011 Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i was supported by numerous individuals and organizations. Please see the “People” tab of the Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i web site (http://rainfall.geography.hawaii.edu) for information about those who contributed to this work. We are grateful to the people listed there, as well as the many other individuals who contributed to Hawai‘i’s rainfall dataset by carefully and consistently making measurements and recording and preserving the data. Those records are an invaluable resource, without which no rainfall map analysis would be possible.
    [Show full text]
  • Hilo Talk 9-2017
    Outline The big picture - what controls the climate of Hawaii? Do our volcanos control on the climate of Hawaii Island? Changes to summit climate since mid last century The cloud forest and cloud layer changes Think global act local Mauna Kea Climate, Past and Future by Steven Businger, Professor and Chair Department of Atmospheric Sciences, UHM 1 2 3 4 Fall Equinox Friday was the autumnal equinox, so called because day and night have equal length. Also, interestingly, the border between day and night, called the terminator, is oriented exactly north-south, as seen in the visible satellite image at right. • The Earth’s spectral signature (color) is a product of our planet’s teeming life. Oxygen, which we breathe, and ozone, that shields us from UV radiation, are the products of photosythesis, and scatter blue light. Earth’s vegetation reflects red light. The resulting U-shaped spectrum, if seen in other planets, can help us to identify habitable planets. 5 6 Bird Bird Exodus Exodus Weather radar even tells us Our feathered friends know the which direction the birds are season is turning, with a massive flying. Here is the Doppler southward migration going on. How Velocity at 7:54 PM HST last do I know. Weather radar! Thurs, using the Camano Here is the radar image from 8:03 Island radar. It tells you the HST last Thursday night. Lots of component of motion echo..but no rain. Those are birds. towards or away from the How can I be sure? There was no radar. Cold colors (like blue) echo before sunset and then the indicate incoming, warm radar lit up as it got dark.
    [Show full text]
  • Thirty-Four Years of Hawaii Wave Hindcast from Downscaling of Climate Forecast System Reanalysis
    1 Ocean Modelling Achimer April 2016, Volume 100 Pages 78-95 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2016.02.001 http://archimer.ifremer.fr http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00313/42425/ © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Thirty-four years of Hawaii wave hindcast from downscaling of climate forecast system reanalysis Li Ning 1, Cheung Kwok Fai 1, *, Stopa Justin 2, Hsiao Feng 3, Chen Yi-Leng 3, Vega Luis 4, Cross Patrick 4 1 Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA 2 Laboratoire d’Oceanographie Spatiale, Ifremer, Plouzane, France 3 Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA 4 Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA * Corresponding author : Cheung Kwok Fai, Tel.: +1 808 956 3485 ; fax: +1 808 956 3498 ; Email address : [email protected] [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] Abstract : The complex wave climate of Hawaii includes a mix of seasonal swells and wind waves from all directions across the Pacific. Numerical hindcasting from surface winds provides essential space-time information to complement buoy and satellite observations for studies of the marine environment. We utilize WAVEWATCH III and SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) in a nested grid system to model basin-wide processes as well as high-resolution wave conditions around the Hawaiian Islands from 1979 to 2013. The wind forcing includes the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) for the globe and downscaled regional winds from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model.
    [Show full text]
  • Weather Extremes
    Answers archive: Weather extremes Link: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/archives-weather-extremes.htm Q: What's the hottest city in the country? A: When measured by average year-round temperature, the hottest city is Key West, where the temperature averages 78°F. A better measurement is a city’s average high temperature in July, taken during the hottest of the hot weather. Using this method, the hottest U.S. city is Lake Havasu City, Ariz., which has an average July daily high temperature of about 111°F. As for large cities, the hottest is Phoenix, where the typical July day has a high of 106°F. This information is from Christopher Burt's book Extreme Weather. (Answered by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY’s weather editor, July 23, 2007) Q: How much do Hawaii's temperatures vary throughout the year? A: Thanks to the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii has a mild, tropical climate, where the temperatures don't change all that much on a day-to-day basis, in comparison to much of the USA. To illustrate this, compare Hawaii and the continental climate of Fargo, N.D. The average high temperature in Honolulu in January is about 80°F. In August, it’s about 89°F. Compare that to Fargo's high of 16°F in January and 81°F in August. Where Hawaii's high temperature only varied 9°F from summer to winter, Fargo's varied 65°F. This USA TODAY state snapshot has more about the weather and climate of Hawaii, as does this report from the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
    [Show full text]
  • B-172376 DOD's Requirement for Air
    aii Department of Defense COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548 B-172376 To the President of the Senate and the cl Speaker of the House of Representatives d This is our report on DOD% unnecessarily requiring the air-conditioning of military family housing in Hawaii. We made our review pursuant to the Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (31 U.S.C. 53), and the Accounting and Auditing Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 67). Copies of this report are being sent to the Director, Office of Management and Budget, and the Secretaries of De- fense, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. Sincerely yours, Acting Comptroller General of the United States Contents Page DIGEST 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 3 Scope of review 3 2 REQUIREMENTSFOR AIR-CONDITIONING 4 June 17, 1971, memorandum . 4 Existing family housing 5 Across-the-board air-condi- tioning 6 3 POSITIONS OF MILITARY AND CIVILIAN OFFICIALS ON CENTRAL AIR- CONDITIONING 7 Military positions concerning air-conditioning 7 U.S. Coast Guard 9 FHA and commercial builders 10 4 COSTS AND RELATED ENERGY.EFFECTS OF INSTALLING CENTRAL AIR-CONDITIONING 11 New housing 11 Existing housing 12 Utility, repairs and maintenance, and replacement costs 13 Energy consumption 13 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 14 Recommendations 1.5 6 AGENCY COMMENTSAND OUR EVALUATION 16 Uncomfortable climate and human comfort 16 Private air-conditioning units 17 Air-conditioning in the United States 18 Cost estimates 18 Energy usage 19 Noise control 20 - _, __ -A--_. - -___ _a---.-- - - L- __“__ .._ ~._ _-._-I -” ._____
    [Show full text]
  • Influence of the Trade-Wind Inversion on the Climate of a Leeward Mountain Slope in Hawaii
    CLIMATE RESEARCH Vol. 1: 207-216, 1991 Published December 30 Clim. Res. Influence of the trade-wind inversion on the climate of a leeward mountain slope in Hawaii Thomas W. ~iarnbelluca'~~,Dennis ~ullet',* ' Department of Geography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA 'Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA ABSTRACT: The climate of oceanic islands in the trade-wind belts is strongly influenced by the persistent subsidence inversion characteristic of the regions. In the middle and upper elevations of high volcanic peaks in Hawaii, climate is directly affected by the presence and movement of the inversion. The natural vegetation and wildlife of these areas are vulnerable to long-term shifts in the inversion height that may accompany global climate change. Better understanding of the climatic effects of the inversion will allow prediction of global-warming-induced changes in tropical mountain climate. To evaluate the influence of the inversion on the present climate of the mountain, solar radiation, net radiation, air temperature, humidity, and wind measurements were taken along a transect on the leeward slope of Haleakala, Maui. Much of the diurnal and annual variability at a given location is related to proximity to the inversion level, where moist surface air grades rapidly into dry upper air. The diurnal cycle of upslope and downslope winds on the mountain is evident in all measurements. Measurements indicate that the climate of Haleakala can be described with reference to 4 zones: a marine zone, below about 1200 m, of moist well-mixed air in contact with the oceanic moisture source; a fog zone found approximately between 1200 and 1800 m, where the cloud layer is frequently in contact with the surface; a transitional zone, from about 1800 to 2400 m, with a highly variable climate; and an arid zone, above 2400 m, usually above the inversion where air is extremely dry due to its isolation from the oceanic moisture source.
    [Show full text]
  • 1.16 Hawaii C H a R L E S H
    1.16 Hawaii C h a r l e s H . F l e t c h e r E d e n J . F e i r s t e i n University of Hawaii , Manoa, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Honolulu, USA 1. Introduction creates local semi-arid conditions at Polihale Beach on the west side of the island which receives on average a mere Th e state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Hawaii, 20 cm of rain a year. In addition to northeasterly waves Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, generated by the trade winds there are ocean swells from all and 124 small volcanic and carbonate islets off shore of the directions, but notably from the north in the winter and main islands, and to the northwest (> Fig. 1). Th e climate is the south in the summer months. Tide ranges are small, sub tropical oceanic. Honolulu has a mean monthly tem- Honolulu having a mean spring tide range of 0.6-0.8 m. perature of 21.7°C in January, rising to 25.6°C in July, and Geologically the islands are a series of volcanoes. Th e an average annual rainfall of 802 mm. Th e Hawaiian archi- main Hawaiian Islands are great shield volcanoes built by pelago lies in the zone of northeast erly trade winds, which successive fl ows of pahoehoe and aa basalt lavas. Some bring high rainfall to the windward mountain slopes while have had prolonged phases of erosion, followed by renewed the leeward coasts are in rain shadow.
    [Show full text]
  • Hawaii As a Natural Laboratory for Research on Climate and Plant Response1
    Hawaii as a Natural Laboratory for Research on Climate and Plant Response1 E. J. BRITTEN 2 THE INTERPLAY of genetic and environmental phasis has been placed on agricultural meteorol­ forces has resulted in the process of evolution. ogy in an attempt to refine studies on this phase The distribution of indigenous plants is a prod­ of the plant's environment. Sprague (1959) and uct of the genetic make-up of the successful in­ others have shown the importance of micro­ vaders of a particular area and the total physical climate in understanding the plant's develop­ and biological environment of that area. Native ment. plants have achieved a point in which their Experimental work on the relationship of the genetic constitution is in a certain degree of genotype to its environment points up the mag­ harmony with their environment. Plants in ex­ nitude of the problem. Probably more such treme latitudes, for example, have a genetic con­ studies have not been made because of the dif­ stitution which few, if any, tropical plants pos­ ficulty of obtaining adequate comparative data. sess and so are able to withstand the low tem­ The interest in methods of obtaining controlled peratures. The successful cultivation of eco­ environment for research on plant growth and nomic plants is in even greater measure depend­ reproduction attests to the need for this type of ent upon the harmonious interaCtion of the information. plant's genes and its environment. One of the Two general methods may be used to obtain most important components of the plant's en­ data on this problem.
    [Show full text]
  • Hawaii's People
    Hawaii’s People FOURTH EDITION Andrew W. Lind The University Press of Hawaii Honolulu Copyright © 1980 by The University Press of Hawaii Copyright© 1955, 1957, 1967 by the University of Hawaii Press All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America first edition, 1955 second edition, 1957, 1961 third edition, 1967 fourth edition, 1980 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Lind Andrew William, 1901- Hawaii’s people. Includes bibliographical references and index, 1. Hawaii—Population. 2. Hawaii—Social con­ ditions. 3. Hawaii—Race relations. I. Title. HB3525.H3L5 1980 304.6’09969 80-10764 ISBN 0 -8248-0704-9 Dedicated to the memory of ROMANZO COLFAX ADAMS pioneer sociologist in Hawaii Contents Preface ix 1 Introduction 1 2 Who Are They? 19 3 Where Do They Live? 46 4 How Do They Live? 72 5 What Are They Becoming? 91 Notes 123 Index 127 » Preface More than half a century has passed since the first publication of Romanzo Adams’ The Peoples of Hawaii. This slim volume was designed primarily to furnish social scientists and administrators gathered for an international conference in Honolulu during the summer of 1925 with “information, mainly of a statistical nature, relating to the racial situation in Hawaii.” Members of that con­ ference testified to the immediate usefulness of the small volume of forty-one pages, but it and a revised edition published in 1933 proved of even greater utility during succeeding years to residents of Hawaii and to scholars seeking an accurate and nontechnical account of the process by which the many peoples of Hawaii were becoming one people.
    [Show full text]
  • "Agritourism" Means the Practice of Attracting Travelers Or
    OIACE O. 2 I O. 9 (200 rft A I O A OIACE AMEIG CAE 2.80, MAUI COUY COE, EAIG O E COUYWIE OICY A E I OAIE Y E EOE O E COUY O MAUI: SECIO . Exhbt A f Chptr 2.80, M Cnt Cd, rpld nd rpld b Exhbt A, hh tthd hrt nd d prt hrf, nd hh hrb dptd th Cntd l ln f th Cnt f M. SECIO 2. Stn 2.80.020, M Cnt Cd, ndd b ddn n dfntn t b pprprtl nrtd nd t rd fll: ""Artr" n th prt f ttrtn trvlr r vtr t n r r r d prrl fr rltrl prp. "Ahp" n lnd dvn xtndn fr th plnd t th nd rprntn th trdtnl fr f n lnd nnt. A tpl hp" fll tr fr th ntn hdtr t th tl dlt nd dhpd. "Altr" n th brdn, rrn, nd hrvtn f plnt nd nl n ll tp f tr nvrnnt, nldn pnd, rvr, l, nd th n. Altr n t pl n th ntrl nvrnnt r n ntrtd nvrnnt. "dvrt" n th vrt f lf nd t pr, nldn th vrt f lvn rn, th nt dffrn n th, nd th nt nd t n hh th r. "Crbnn tndrd" n rrnt tht t lt n th nt f rbn nxd, rnh n, r vltl hdrrbn tht n b dhrd nt th bnt r. "Cv nnt" n ndvdl nd lltv tn dnd t dntf nd ddr f pbl nrn. "Crtl hbtt" n: ( pf r thn th rph r pd b p t th t t ltd thrtnd r ndnrd prnt t th Endnrd Sp At, n hh r fnd th phl r bll ftr tht: ( r ntl t th nrvtn f th p nd (b rr pl nnt ndrtn nd (2 pf r td th rphl r pd b p t th t t ltd thrtnd r ndnrd prnt t th Endnrd Sp At, pn dtrntn tht h r r ntl fr th nrvtn f th p.
    [Show full text]