FILE COPY ·:u-·=OIATilP[RSOS DAVIDY. IGE 80A1lD Of LA."'10 A!'lo'D SA TUML RESOURCES GOVERSOR OF !IA W All MAR O8 2017 M\11SSIO~OS\l,AJ'ERRESOURt.EMA'fl\O[MEJ,.T KEKOA KALUHIWA llJlSTDEJlt.TY JEFFREY T. PEARSON, P.£ . CEPUTY DIRECTOR WATER AQUATIC RISOLRCES BOATISO A.'JO UC.EAS REC~TIOI'\ BUREAU OF CTll\\'EVA '(CE.Ii CO MM1SSIOS OS WATER RESOURCE MA 'fAG£),tEJt,, T CO'iS[R VATIOtr,. A ND COAST AL LAJ\'DS CO'fSER VA TIOS AXD RESOURCES E"if'ORCEMEST STATE OF HAWAII 0,;GL'l!:.CRISG FORESTRY AJ\'D Y.1LDUFE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES HISTOKIC PRESERVATlOS K.A ffOOLAWE ISLAND RESERVE COMMISSIOX IA'ID DIVISION OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE STATE PARKS 1151 PUNCHBOWL STREET, ROOM 325 HONOLULU. HAWAII 96813 February 24, 2017 m .,, • 0~ ...... Mr. Scott Glenn, Director c:® - ;o >,, r .,, m Office of Environmental Quality Control -1::z:-f'Tl Ea () Department of Health, State of Hawaii -< < N m c, =:;i ~ 0 Ci,) 235 S. Beretania Street, Room 702 :.C:z: < -1 7 -0 :;Ill -- ~ rn Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 .::,_...__~ .. !" - -0 Dear Mr. Glenn: With this letter, the Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the Department of Land and Natural Resources hereby transmits the draft environmental assessment and anticipated finding of no significant impact (DEA-AFONSI) for the Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project situated at TMK: 1-1-01 :2, in the Waimea District on the island of Lehua for publication in the next available edition of the Environmental Notice. Enclosed is a completed OEQC Publication Form and one copy of the DEA-AFONSI. The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of the DEA-AFONSI, an electronic copy of the OEQC publication form in MS Word, and this letter has also been sent via electronic mail to your office. If there are any questions, please contact Patrick Chee of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife at 808-587-4191. David G. Smith Administrator Enclosures: OEQC Publication Form Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project Lehua DEA-AFONSI Office of Environmental Quality Control February 2016 Revision AGENCY PUBLICATION FORM . Project Name: Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project Project Short Name: Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project HRS §343-5 Trigger(s): Using State funds lsland(s): · Lehua Island ~--------------------------- Judicial District(s): Waimea TMK(s): 1-1-01:2 Permit(s)/Approval(s): Permits and approvals come under the following authorities. Federal: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Endangered Species Act (ESA) Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended Water Pollution Control Act of 1948, as amended Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended State: Hawaii Administrative Rules 13-124 Hawaii Revised Statutues 343 Various permits under the above Federal laws have been delegated to the State to administer. .__________ _ Further authorities for action can be found under the Regulatory Framework section of the Draft EA Proposing/Determining Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Agency: __ Contact Name, Email, Patrick Chee, [email protected], 808-587-4191, Telephone, Address 1151 Punchbowl St. Rm. 325, Honolulu, HI 96813 Accepting Authority: (for EIS submittals only) Contact Name, Email, Telephone, Address Consultant: -------, Contact Name, Email, L Telephone, Address Status (select one) Submittal Requirements _ X_ DEA-AFNSI Submit 1) the proposing agency notice of determination/transmittal letter on agency letterhead, 2) this completed OEQC publication form as a Word file, 3) a hard copy of the DEA, and 4) a searchable PDF of the DEA; a 30-day comment period follows from the date of publication in the Notice. FEA-FONSI Submit 1) the proposing agency notice of determination/transmittal letter on agency letterhead, 2) this completed OEQC publication form as a Word file, 3) a hard copy of the FEA, and 4) a searchable PDF of the FEA; no comment period follows from publication in the Notice. FEA-EISPN Submit 1) the proposing agency notice of determination/transmittal letter on agency letterhead, 2) this completed OEQC publication form as a Word file, 3) a hard copy of the FEA, and 4) a searchable PDF of the FEA; a 30-day comment period follows from the date of publication in the Notice. Act 172-12 EISPN Submit 1) the proposing agency notice of determination letter on agency letterhead and 2) this ("Direct to EIS" ) completed OEQC publication form as a Word file; no EA is required and a 30-day comment period follows from the date of publication in the Notice. DEIS Submit 1) a transmittal letter to the OEQC and to the accepting authority, 2) this completed OEQC publication form as a Word file, 3) a hard copy of the DEIS, 4) a searchable PDF of the DEIS, and 5) a Page 1 of 2 Office of Environmental Quality Control Agency Publication Form February 2016 Revision searchable PDF of the distribution list; a 45-day comment period follows from the date of publication in the Notice. FEIS Submit 1) a transmittal letter to the OEQC and to the accepting authority, 2) this completed OEQC publication form as a Word file, 3) a hard copy of the FEIS, 4) a searchable PDF of the FEIS, and 5) a searchable PDF of the distribution list; no comment period follows from publication in the Notice. __ FEIS Acceptance The accepting authority simultaneously transmits to both the OEQC and the proposing agency a letter Determination of its determination of acceptance or nonacceptance (pursuant to Section 11-200-23, HAR) of the FEIS; no comment period ensues upon publication in the Notice. FEIS Statutory Timely statutory acceptance of the FEIS under Section 343-S(c), HRS, is not applicable to agency Acceptance actions. __ Supplemental EIS The accepting authority simultaneously transmits its notice to both the proposing agency and the Determination OEQC that it has reviewed (pursuant to Section 11-200-27, HAR) the previously accepted FEIS and determines that a supplemental EIS is or is not required; no EA is required and no comment period ensues upon publication in the Notice. Withdrawal Identify the specific document(s) to withdraw and explain in the project summary section. Other Contact the OEQC if your action is not one of the above items. Project Summary The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources' (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), in cooperation with the members of the Lehua Island Restoration Steering Committee (see EA for membership) are proposing a conservation action that will continue the restoration of Lehua Island. Lehua Island's natural ecosystem supports one of the largest and most diverse seabird colonies in the main Hawaiian Islands, and it has the potential to become a refuge to species displaced by sea level rise. However, damaging invasive Pacific rats were introduced decades ago, and have far reaching impacts on the island's seabird and native plant populations. For Lehua to reach its full potential as a bird sanctuary, Pacific rats must be completely removed from the Island. DOFAW is proposing the eradication of rats from Lehua using bait containing rodenticide. The potential risks to non-target species have been evaluated and are considered low. Mitigation strategies described in this EA will minimize the risks. The eradication of Pacific rats from Lehua will have long lasting benefits for native species on Lehua, particularly seabirds which outweighs the temporary risks posed by this proposed action. Page 2 of 2 Draft Environmental Assessment Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project March 2017 Lead Agency: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Cooperating Federal Agencies: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services Point of Contact: Patrick Chee Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaii In cooperation with Division of Forestry and Wildlife Honolulu, HI (808) 587-4191 [email protected] Responsible Official: David Smith, Administrator Division of Forestry and Wildlife Department of Land and Natural Resources 1151 Punchbowl St., Rm 325 Honolulu, HI 96813 Prepared in compliance with the Hawaii HRS 343 and all associated regulations. Note: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a cooperator and federal sponsor on this project. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service will be preparing a separate document that complies with the requirments for the National Environmental Protection Act. Cover photo courtesy of Kenneth Wood Lehua Island Ecosystem Restoration Project Page 3 Executive Summary Lehua Island is a 284-acre island located three-fourths of a mile off the northern shore of Niihau (a privately owned 46,080-acre island). Lehua is a state-designated seabird sanctuary managed by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and federally owned by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Lehua is one of Hawaii’s most important seabird colonies because of its size and height above sea level. It also offers a unique opportunity for restoring an island ecosystem. DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), in conjuction with federal sponsor United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), technical partner Island Conservation (IC), and the cooperating members of the Lehua Island Restoration Steering Committee (LIRSC) are proposing to complete the eradication of rats from Lehua Island so further restoration efforts can move forward in the future. The LIRSC is a multidisciplinary stakeholder body including representatives from: DOFAW, USFWS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), National Tropical Botanical Gardens (NTBG), the Owners of Niihau, and IC.