Kaua‘i Island Energy Cooperative unveils habitat conservation plan

LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative has released a nearly $265 million Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) entailing a 50-year strategy to minimize its impact on threatened wildlife.

When a private entity engages in activities that may harm or kill threatened or endangered species, they must first receive what’s known as an incidental take permit from the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service. Additionally, entities in Hawai‘i must receive similar authorization from the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

If approved, KIUC’s proposed plan would grant both state and federal incidental take authorization for a period of 50 years.

In anticipation of the take of up to 63,338 covered birds and up to 50 honu (green sea turtle) nests over the 50-year period, the plan also includes a multi-pronged conservation strategy. With it, KIUC aims to provide a net benefit to species most impacted by the cooperative’s activity.

“Certain KIUC facilities, primarily overhead powerlines and streetlights, are known to adversely (affect) the species covered in the HCP through powerline collisions and light attraction,” said KIUC communications manager Beth Tokioka. “In general, the HCP is expected to provide for and/or contribute to a reduction of impacts, increased survivorship and improved population growth of each of the covered species.”

In May 2011, KIUC received approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to implement a Short-Term Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan. The plan, centered around three seabirds — the ‘a‘o (Newell’s shearwater), ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian petrel) and ‘ake‘ake (band-rumped storm-petrel) — was only originally approved for a five-year period, but was later extended until a longer-term conservation plan could be developed.

Under the newly proposed plan, five additional waterbirds and the honu would also be included under the cooperative’s conservation efforts.

In order to reduce bird collisions with power lines, KIUC plans to reconfigure power lines, remove static wire and install diverters to increase wire visibility.

To limit harmful light attraction on seabirds, KIUC plans to install full-cutoff shield fixtures on its lights and dim exterior night lighting during the fledgling fallout season.

To minimize light attraction on honu, KIUC has developed a nest detection system and temporary shielding program that would block out artificial lighting. The cooperative is also determining if additional light minimization tactics are feasible.

Additionally, KIUC plans to provide $300,000 yearly in funding for the DLNR’s Save our Shearwaters program, which rescues and rehabilitates all birds covered in the conservation plan.

The plan also allows for adjustments to meet potential future conservation needs as they arise.

“The HCP has an extremely robust adaptive management program,” Tokioka said. “The purpose of adaptive management is to provide adaptive changes to occur as needed over the term of the HCP to meet the goals and objectives of the program.”

KIUC estimates costs of the program to exceed $264 million over the 50-year period.

“Costs associated with the HCP will be included in KIUC’s annual operating budget and will be paid for by KIUC customers via energy sales,” Tokioka said.

Members of the public can submit comments on the plan via email at dofaw.hcp@hawaii.gov or via mail at Department of Land and Natural Resources, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813. Comments must be received by March 24.

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Jackson Healy, reporter, can be reached at 808-245-0427 or jhealy@thegardenisland.com.