David LaS5ner UNIVERSITY President 1 I COPV of HAWAI r SYSTEM FEB 2 3 2018 February 12, 2018 ~..., . Mr. Scott Glenn, Director o 0 (X) c::o - ;o Office of Environmental Quality Control l> ...,, r .,., m Department of Health -rri rr, --i :z CD 0 State of Hawai'i -< < ,n 235 South Beretania Street, Room 702 r. :::i -N Oo Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813 :Z :;r.: -i:, < --i7::.,:;=;:-, rn -vi ·"":) Subject: Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice for Lancr' := 0 Authorizations for Long-Term Continuation of Astronomy on Maunakea Dear Director Glenn: The University of Hawai'i (UH) has determined at the outset that it will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed new land authorizations for the continuation of astronomy on Maunakea. UH will prepare the EIS in accordance with the provisions and requirements of Hawai'i Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 343. Pursuant to HRS Chapter 343-S(c), an Agency Publication Form and Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice (EISPN) are attached. The EISPN includes a description of the requested land authorization and a brief discussion of the kinds of potential environmental impacts which will be analyzed in the forthcoming EIS. In accordance with Hawai'i Administrative Rules Chapter 11-200, we respectfully request that you publish this notice in the next available edition of The Environmental Notice for the public to submit comments to UH during the statutory 30-day public consultation period. If you have any further questions about this letter or its attachments, please contact Stephanie Nagata, Director, Office of Mauna Kea Management, at (808) 933-0734. ~ce'.."M~ ~ssner President Attachments OEQC Agency Publication Form (Printed and Word version on DVD) EISPN for Land Authorizations for Long-Term Continuation of Astronomy on Maunakea (2 Printed and PDF version on DVD) l'l-35 I 2444 Dole Street, Bachman Hall Honolulu, Hawai'I 96822 Telephone: (BOB) 956-8207 Fax: (BOB) 956-5286 An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution Office of Environmental Quality Control February 2016 Revision AGENCY PUBLICATION FORM Project Name: Land Authorizations for Long-Term Continuation of Astronomy on Maunakea Project Short Name: Land Authorizations UH Maunakea HRS §343-5 Trigger(s): Propose the use of state or county land or the use of state or county funds Island(s): Hawai‘i Judicial District(s): Hāmākua TMK(s): 4-4-015:009 (Mauna Kea Science Reserve), 4-4-015:012 (Halepōhaku Mid-Level Facility), and 4-4- 015:001 por. (Mauna Kea Access Road) Permit(s)/Approval(s): Issuance of new land authorization(s) for a portion or all of the lands currently encumbered to UH. Proposing/Determining University of Hawai‘i Agency: Contact Name, Email, Stephanie Nagata Telephone, Address Director, Office of Mauna Kea Management 200 W. Kawaili Street Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808) 933-3195 [email protected] Accepting Authority: Governor of the State of Hawai‘i Contact Name, Email, 415 South Beretania Street #5 Telephone, Address Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813 (808) 586-0034 Consultant: Planning Solutions, Inc. Contact Name, Email, Jim Hayes Telephone, Address 711 Kapi‘olani Boulevard, Suite 950 Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 (808) 550-4559 [email protected] Status (select one) Submittal Requirements ____ 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. _X__ 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 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. Page 1 of 2 Office of Environmental Quality Control Agency Publication Form February 2016 Revision ____ 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 343-5(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 Provide a description of the proposed action and purpose and need in 200 words or less. The University of Hawai‘i (UH) leases the 11,288-acre Mauna Kea Science Reserve (MKSR) under general lease S-4191, which expires on December 31, 2033, and the 19-acre Halepōhaku mid-level facility under general lease S-5529, which expires in 2041. In addition, UH holds non-exclusive Easement S-4697 for the Mauna Kea Access Road between the two leased properties, the easement area is roughly 71 acres and the easement expires on December 31, 2033. The two leased properties plus a 400-yard wide corridor on either side of the Mauna Kea Access Road, excluding areas within the adjacent Natural Area Reserve, make up the UH Management Area on Maunakea. UH is seeking to replace its two existing leases and easement with a new land authorization well before they expire. UH is seeking a new land authorization for two principal reasons. The first is to incorporate the new Comprehensive Management Plan objectives into the authorization. The second is to provide an adequate planning horizon for ongoing and future scientific activity, something that is increasingly difficult as the remaining term of the existing Master Lease becomes shorter. The Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice (EISPN) discusses a “No Action Alternative,” an action alternative under which UH receives a new authorization for a much reduced land area relative to its current encumbered area, and an action alternative under which it receives a new authorization for the same areas it currently leases or holds an easement over. These three alternatives and potentially additional alternatives advanced by stakeholders during the EISPN review period will be evaluated in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The EISPN outlines the kinds of potential adverse and beneficial impacts that are likely to result from the alternatives being considered. These potential impacts and others identified by stakeholders during the review of the EISPN will be evaluated in the DEIS. Public open house meetings will be held where exhibits will be available for viewing and attendees will have an opportunity to talk with various resource specialists, managers, and planners. The meetings will occur as follows: • Waimea; Monday, March 12 – 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Department of Hawaiian Homelands – Kūhiō Hale, 64-756 Māmalahoa Highway • Hilo; Tuesday, March 13 – 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.; ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii – Moanahoku Hall, 600 ‘Imiloa Place • Honolulu; Wednesday, March 14 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, Sullivan Conference Center, 701 Ilalo Street Page 2 of 2 Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice (EISPN) LAND AUTHORIZATIONS FOR LONG-TERM CONTINUATION OF ASTRONOMY ON MAUNAKEA PROPOSING AGENCY: UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I This Environmental Document was Prepared Pursuant to Chapter 343, Hawai`i Revised Statutes, and Chapter 200 of Title 11, Hawai`i Administrative Rules, Department of Health, Environmental Impact Statement Rules. FEBRUARY 2018 EIS PREPARATION NOTICE LAND AUTHORIZATIONS FOR CONTINUED ASTRONOMY ON MAUNAKEA TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 PURPOSE AND NEED .............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................1-1