OEQC Publication Form The Environmental Notice Name of Project: Ka‘ū Forest Reserve Management Plan Applicable Law: Chapter 343, HRS Type of Document: Draft EA Island: Hawai`i District: Ka‘ū TMK: (3rd) 9-7- 001:001, 009, 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022; 9-6-006:009, 010, 015, 018; and 9-5-015:003 (por.) Permits Required: Board of Land and Natural Resources approval; HRS Chapter 6e, Historic Sites approvals. Name of Proposing/ Approving Agency: Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Address 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 City, State, Zip Honolulu HI 96813 Contact and Phone Tanya Rubenstein 808-587-0027 Consultant Geometrician Associates Address PO Box 396 City, State, Zip Hilo HI 96721 Contact and Phone Ron Terry 808-969-7090 Project Summary: The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), is preparing a management plan for the 61,641-acre Ka‘ū Forest Reserve. The Plan responds to a need to maintain and restore key watershed, preserve a unique ecosystem with critically endangered plants and animals, perpetuate natural resources vital to Hawaiian culture and practices, find a suitable site to reintroduce ‘Alalā or Hawaiian Crow into the wild, and provide for continued and expanded public use. Common to all three alternatives under consideration is construction of 12,000 acres of new fenced management units in the upper elevation central portions of the Reserve in which ungulates will be removed and the native forest protected. Field surveys would be conducted to identify locations for the planned fence alignments, and final fence alignments would be sited to avoid any impacts to botanical, faunal, and archaeological resources. Fences would include walkovers and gates to ensure public access into management units. Other actions include weed monitoring and control, trail and access improvements for hunters and hikers, outplanting of rare plant species, cooperation with water source users, and actions to foster reintroduction and survival of the ‘Alalā. Impacts to pig hunting, which is considered by many to be a cultural practice, would occur but be less than significant because of the proposed locations of management areas. DOFAW seeks to balance providing public hunting opportunities in the Reserve with the protection of native ecosystems and watersheds, and the Plan includes actions to substantially facilitate public hunting in the Reserve. Dear Participant: Attached for your review is a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) prepared pursuant to the EIS law (Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Chapter 343) and the EIS rules (Administrative Rules, Title 11, Chapter 200). Project Name: Ka‘ū Forest Reserve Management Plan Location: Island: Hawai‘i District: Ka‘ū Tax Map Key Number: (3rd) 9-7- 001:001, 009, 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022; 9-6-006:009, 010, 015, 018; and 9-5-015:003 (por.) Comments must be received or postmarked by: June 22, 2012 Please send original comments to the: Consultant: Geometrician Associates Address: PO Box 396 Hilo HI 96721 Contact: Ron Terry Phone: 808-969-7090 Copies of the comments should be sent to: Proposing/Approving Agency: Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 Honolulu HI 96813 Contact: Tanya Rubenstein Phone: 808-587-0027 If you no longer need the EA, please recycle it. Thank you for your participation in the Environmental Assessment process. Dear Librarian: Please make available to your patrons the attached Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) prepared pursuant to the EIS law (Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Chapter 343) and the EIS rules (Administrative Rules, Title 11, Chapter 200), along with this notice. We very much appreciate your assistance in the public process for the EA. Project Name: Ka‘ū Forest Reserve Management Plan Location: Island: Hawai‘i District: Ka‘ū Tax Map Key Number: (3rd) 9-7- 001:001, 009, 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022; 9-6-006:009, 010, 015, 018; and 9-5-015:003 (por.) Comments must be received or postmarked by: June 22, 2012 Please send original comments to the: Consultant: Geometrician Associates Address: PO Box 396 Hilo HI 96721 Contact: Ron Terry Phone: 808-969-7090 Copies of the comments should be sent to: Proposing/Approving Agency: Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 Honolulu HI 96813 Contact: Tanya Rubenstein Phone: 808-587-0027 If you no longer need the EA, please recycle it. Thank you for your participation in the Environmental Assessment process. Dear Participant: This notice is to inform you that that a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) prepared pursuant to the EIS law (Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Chapter 343) and the EIS rules (Administrative Rules, Title 11, Chapter 200) is available for review. As of May 23, 2012, the EA is available for download at: http://hawaii.gov/health/environmental/oeqc/index.html Hardcopies of the EA have been sent to the Naalehu, Pahala and Hilo Public Libraries. Limited numbers of hardcopies are also available for private distribution (call 808-969-7090 to request). Project Name: Ka‘ū Forest Reserve Management Plan Location: Island: Hawai‘i District: Ka‘ū Tax Map Key Number: (3rd) 9-7- 001:001, 009, 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022; 9-6-006:009, 010, 015, 018; and 9-5-015:003 (por.) Comments must be received or postmarked by: June 22, 2012 Please send original comments to the: Consultant: Geometrician Associates Address: PO Box 396 Hilo HI 96721 Contact: Ron Terry Phone: 808-969-7090 Copies of the comments should be sent to: Proposing/Approving Agency: Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife Address: 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 Honolulu HI 96813 Contact: Tanya Rubenstein Phone: 808-587-0027 Distribution List, Ka‘ū Forest Reserve Management Plan Environmental Assessment FEDERAL AGENCIES Loyal Mehrhoff, Field Supervisor Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office USFWS Div. of Ecological Services P.O. Box 50088 Honolulu HI 96850 U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service P.O. Box 50004 Honolulu HI 96850 U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division 3190 Maile Way, St. Johns Hall, Room 408 Honolulu HI 96822 Jim Kauahikaua, Scientist-in-Charge Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey P.O. Box 51 Hawaii National Park, HI 96718-0051 [email protected] Cynthia Orlando, Superintendent Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park P.O. Box 52 Hawaii National Park HI 96718-0052 STATE AGENCIES Pua Aiu, Administrator State Historic Pres. Div. 601 Kamokila Blvd., Rm. 555 Kapolei HI 96707 Dr. Kamana‘opono Crabbe, CEO Office of Hawaiian Affairs 711 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1250 Honolulu HI 96813 University of Hawai‘i, Environmental Center Environmental Coordinator Krauss Annex 19, 2500 Dole Street Honolulu HI 96822 University of Hawai‘i Water Resources Research Center 2540 Dole Street, Room 283 Honolulu HI 96822 Russell Kokubun, Chair Hawaii State Dept of Ag [email protected] EPO Manager Hawai‘i State Dept. of Health P.O. Box 3378 Honolulu HI 96801-3378 Hawai‘i State Dept. of Transp. Highways Division 869 Punchbowl Street Honolulu HI 96813 COUNTY AGENCIES Quirino Antonio, Manager Hawai‘i County DWS 345 Kekuanaoa Street, Suite 20 Hilo HI 96720 Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd, Director Hawai‘i County Planning Dept. 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo HI 96720 And Ron Whitmore Ka‘ū Community Development Plan [email protected] ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS Lehua Lopez Ka ‘Ohana o Honu‘apo [email protected] Marge Elwell [email protected] and Rev. Dallas Decker PO Box 7105 Ocean View HI 96737-7105 Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce Mike Dubois 640-1118 Gil Robinson 939-7047 [email protected] Ocean View Community Association/Community Development Corporation* Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs PO Box 1135 Honolulu, Hawai`i 96807 [email protected] E Mau Na Ala Hele Deborah Chang [email protected] Sierra Club, Moku Loa Group P.O. Box 1137 Hilo HI 96721 PRESS West Hawai‘i Today P.O. Box 789 Kailua Kona HI 96745 Hawai‘i Tribune Herald 355 Kinoole Street Hilo HI 96720 Honolulu Star-Advertiser City Desk P.O. Box 3110 Honolulu HI 96802 Environment Hawai‘i [email protected] LIBRARIES Librarian Hilo Public Library 300 Waianuenue Avenue Hilo HI 96720 Librarian Kailua-Kona Public Library 75-140 Hualalai Road Kailua-Kona HI 96740 Librarian Naalehu Public Library P.O. Box 653 Naalehu HI 96772 Librarian Pahala Public Library P.O. Box 400 Pahala HI 96777 Hawai‘i State Library Hawai‘i & Pacific Room 478 S. King St. Honolulu HI 96813 LANDOWNERS Kama Dancil Kamehameha Schools Shalan Crysdale The Nature Conservancy [email protected] Chris Manfredi Ka‘ū Farm and Ranch [email protected] Kyle Soares 987-3569 John Cross Edmund Olson Trust [email protected] Jeff McCall Ka’u Agricultural Water Cooperative District Steering Committee [email protected] Scott Enright Hawai‘i State Agribusiness Development Corporation State Office Tower 235 S. South Beretania St., Room 205 Honolulu HI 96813 Michelle Galimba Kuahiwi Ranch [email protected] Lani Petrie Kapapala Ranch [email protected] Randy Cabral Mauna Loa Macnuts [email protected] ELECTED OFFICIALS State Rep. Bob Herkes Fifth Representative District [email protected] State Senator Gil Kahele Second Senatorial District [email protected] Hawai‘i County Council Chair Dominic Yagong 25 Aupuni Street Hilo HI 96720