Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Technical Report for the Proposed Pu‘u Opae/West Kauaʻi Energy Project, Kauaʻi, Hawai‘i JANUARY 2019 PREPARED FOR Joule Group, LLC PREPARED BY SWCA Environmental Consultants TERRESTRIAL FLORA AND FAUNA TECHNICAL REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED PU‘U OPAE/WEST KAUAʻI ENERGY PROJECT, KAUAʻI, HAWAI‘I Prepared for Joule Group, LLC 5362 Kumole Street, A Kapa‘a, Hawai‘i 96746 Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants 307a Kamani Street Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 (808) 548-7899 www.swca.com SWCA Project No. 48182 January 2019 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Technical Report for the Proposed Pu‘u Opae Water/West Kauaʻi Energy Project, Kauaʻi, Hawai‘i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In support of Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 343 and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) Puʻu Opae/West Kauaʻi Energy Project (project), SWCA Environmental Consultants was contracted by Joule Group, LLC on behalf of KIUC to conduct terrestrial flora and fauna surveys in the project study area, including checking for the potential presence of state or federally listed threatened, endangered, proposed, or candidate species or rare species (hereafter referred to as special-status species). The flora and fauna surveys comprised both pedestrian (foot) and reconnaissance-level (automobile) ground surveys of a 968-acre study area in western Kauaʻi. The surveys took place on August 20–22, September 18, and October 1, 2018. Flora surveys were conducted to document vegetation types; plant species, including the potential for special-status plant species to occur in the study area; and areas designated as critical habitat. The presence of plants traditionally gathered for cultural use were also noted. Fauna surveys were conducted to document all birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrate species seen or heard and any sign (scat or tracks). Field surveys for the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat, or ‘ope‘ape‘a (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), were conducted by noting areas of suitable foraging and roosting habitat as indicators of potential presence; acoustic surveys were not conducted. The study area comprises primarily the Agriculture vegetation cover type. No threatened or endangered plant species were found during ground surveys of the study area; however, critical habitat for five special-status species is located in the study area. In all, 34 bird species were documented during the survey, including 16 that are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Of these 34 species, seven are endemic to Hawaiʻi, two are migratory shorebirds, one is an indigenous waterbird, one is an indigenous seabird, and 23 are nonnative introductions. Five nonnative mammal species, two nonnative reptile species, and one nonnative amphibian species were documented during the surveys. Twenty-six invertebrate individuals were observed during the survey; of these, 24 were identified to the genus or species level, including two endemic to Hawai‘i and two that are indigenous. Thirteen special-status species could occur in the study area based on the wildlife habitat present: ʻiʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea), Kaua‘i thrush (Myadestes palmeri), Kaua‘i akepa (Loxops caeruleirostris), and Kaua‘i creeper (Oreomystis bairdi) (collectively referred to as special-status forest birds); Hawaiian coot (Fulica alai), Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana), Hawaiian moorhen (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis), and Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) (collectively referred to as Hawaiian waterbirds); Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis); Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis); Band-rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro); Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus); and One threatened species: Newell’s shearwater (Puffinus auricularis newelli). Recommendations to avoid and minimize impacts to these species are provided in this report. i Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Technical Report for the Proposed Pu‘u Opae Water/West Kauaʻi Energy Project, Kauaʻi, Hawai‘i This page intentionally left blank. ii Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Technical Report for the Proposed Pu‘u Opae Water/West Kauaʻi Energy Project, Kauaʻi, Hawai‘i CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... i Contents ...................................................................................................................................................... iii Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ iv Tables .................................................................................................................................................... iv 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Proposed Project ........................................................................................................................... 1 2 Regulatory Environment ..................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Endangered Species Act ............................................................................................................... 2 2.2 Migratory Bird Treaty Act ............................................................................................................ 3 2.3 Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Chapter 195D ...................................................................................... 3 3 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................. 4 4 Field Methods ....................................................................................................................................... 4 4.1 Flora .............................................................................................................................................. 4 4.2 Fauna ............................................................................................................................................ 5 5 Results.................................................................................................................................................... 5 5.1 Flora .............................................................................................................................................. 5 5.1.1 Vegetation Classification .................................................................................................... 5 5.1.2 Special-Status Flora and Critical Habitat ............................................................................ 8 5.1.3 Plants Traditionally Gathered for Cultural Use .................................................................. 9 5.2 Fauna .......................................................................................................................................... 13 5.2.1 Avifauna............................................................................................................................ 13 5.2.2 Mammals .......................................................................................................................... 15 5.2.3 Terrestrial Reptiles and Amphibians ................................................................................ 15 5.2.4 Insects and other Invertebrates.......................................................................................... 15 5.2.5 Special-Status Fauna ......................................................................................................... 16 6 Avoidance and Minimization Measures ........................................................................................... 19 6.1 Flora ............................................................................................................................................ 19 6.2 Fauna .......................................................................................................................................... 19 6.2.1 Waterbirds ......................................................................................................................... 20 6.2.2 Hawaiian Goose ................................................................................................................ 20 6.2.3 Hawaiian Hoary Bat .......................................................................................................... 20 6.2.4 Seabirds ............................................................................................................................. 21 6.2.5 Other Birds ........................................................................................................................ 21 7 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................................. 22 iii Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Technical Report for the Proposed Pu‘u Opae Water/West Kauaʻi Energy Project, Kauaʻi, Hawai‘i Appendices Appendix A. Maps Appendix B. Checklist of Plants Observed in the Study Area Appendix C. Photographs of the Study Area Appendix D. Endangered and Threatened Flora and Fauna Species (Federal and State) with the Potential to Occur in the Study Area Tables Table 1. Puʻu Opae/West Kauaʻi Energy Project Actions and Study Area Sections ...................................