Pacific Southwest Research Station - Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry - Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Laupahoehoe Research and Education Center Construction Project EA Document Number: 600-1 Version Number: v03112009 Approval: Draft Environmental Assessment Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Laupahoehoe Research and Education Center Construction Project Pacific Southwest Research Station – Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service March 2009 For Information Contact: Boone Kauffman 60 Nowelo Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 (808) 933-8121 ext. 101 This is a controlled document: The official version is located in the project record at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. 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This is a controlled document: The official version is located in the project record at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. This is a controlled document: The official version is located in the project record at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Research and Education Center Construction Project EA Table of Contents Table of Contents....................................................................................................................................1 List of Tables...........................................................................................................................................1 Summary ................................................................................................................................................3 Summary ................................................................................................................................................3 Section 1. Purpose and Need.................................................................................................................3 Background ........................................................................................................................................3 Purpose and Need for Action .............................................................................................................4 Project Description, Location, and Property Ownership....................................................................4 Environmental Assessment Process...................................................................................................4 Decision Framework ..........................................................................................................................4 Public Involvement and Agency Coordination ..................................................................................4 Issues..................................................................................................................................................5 Section 2. Alternatives ..........................................................................................................................7 Alternative 1 (No Action) ..................................................................................................................7 Alternative 2 (Proposed Action Power for Facilities from Buried Electrical Power Line and Green Energy)...............................................................................................................................................7 Alternative 3 (Power for Facilities from Overhead Electrical Powerline and Green Energy)...........8 Alternative 4 (Power for Facilities from Propane Generation and Green Energy) ............................8 Alternative 5 (Power for Facilities from Buried Electrical Power Line and Green Energy from Solar Only).........................................................................................................................................8 Mitigations Specific to Alternatives 2–5............................................................................................9 Alternatives Considered but Dropped from Further Analysis .........................................................10 Comparison of Alternatives .............................................................................................................11 Section 3. Environmental Setting and Consequences .........................................................................11 Climate, Geology, Soils and Hydrology.......................................................................................12 Fauna ............................................................................................................................................14 Flora..............................................................................................................................................20 Scenery .........................................................................................................................................21 Air Quality....................................................................................................................................26 Noise.............................................................................................................................................26 Hazardous Substances ..................................................................................................................27 Socioeconomic and Cultural.........................................................................................................27 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................30 Section 4. Cumulative Impacts............................................................................................................31 Required Permits and Approvals..........................................................................................................32 Anticipated Determination ...................................................................................................................32 Findings and Reasons...........................................................................................................................32 Laupahoehoe Research and Education Center Facility Construction Project ID Team Members.......35 References ............................................................................................................................................36 Appendix A: List of Agencies and Persons Consulted ....................................................................38 Appendix B: Public Comments Received During Scoping .............................................................42 List of Tables Table 1. Mitigation Measures for Laupahoehoe Research and Education Center Facility Construction Project ..............................................................................................9 Table 2. Comparison of Alternatives....................................................................................................11 1 This is a controlled document: The official version is located in the project record at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Research and Education Center Construction Project EA Table 3. Impacts to Federally Listed Threatened and Endangered Species and Hawaii Species of Greatest Need .................................................................................................19 Table 4. Thirty Year Life Cycle Costs by Alternative for the Laupahoehoe Research and Educational Center Facility Including Road Improvements (Swienton 2009)......................30 Table 5. Past, present, and foreseeable future actions near the Laupahoehoe Research and Education Center Project Area...............................................................................31 2 This is a controlled document: The official version is located in the project record at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Research and Education Center Construction Project EA Summary The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Pacific Southwest Research Station (IPIF), United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service proposes to construct a state-of-the-art, environmentally sensitive research and education facility that will support the vision and objectives of the newly established Laupahoehoe Unit of the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest (HETF). The project would construct facilities to house sleeping quarters for up to 20 persons, for storage areas, and for one permanent residence for a full-time caretaker. Construction would include road repair and