KIUC Announces Publication of Second Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative’s (KIUC) second draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) has been published by the Hawai‘i Environmental Review Program for a 60-day public comment period (August 23 – October 22, 2025). The draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the HCP prepared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been published by the Hawai‘i Environmental Review Program for a 45-day public comment period (August 23 – October 7, 2025). The second draft HCP and the draft EIS has been published in the Federal Register for a 60-day public comment period (August 22 – October 21, 2025), and can be accessed here.

A draft HCP developed by KIUC in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) was published by the Hawai‘i Environmental Review Program in January 2023 for a 60-day public comment period. Public comments were accepted on this draft from January 23, 2023 to March 24, 2023. The Endangered Species Recovery Committee (ESRC) also reviewed this draft and provided comments in meetings on February 28, March 1, May 17, June 22, and June 23, 2023. 

The second draft HCP has been revised in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), to address comments received by the public and the ESRC.

The HCP is KIUC’s plan to minimize and mitigate adverse effects on state and federally listed threatened and endangered species. KIUC is seeking incidental take authorization from USFWS and DLNR for the continued operation of existing and new KIUC infrastructure. This authorization is needed because some KIUC infrastructure necessary to utility operations, including aerial powerlines and streetlights, is known to result in incidental take of certain state and federally listed species. The DEIS analyzes the potential impacts on the human environment from issuing the incidental take authorizations and implementing the Habitat Conservation Plan.

The HCP can be viewed and instructions for submitting comments can be found at the following links: 

KIUC Second Draft HCP Volume I of II

KIUC Second Draft HCP Volume II of II

The draft EIS can be viewed and instructions for submitting comments can be found at the following link: KIUC HCP DEIS

A video of an HCP scoping meeting that was conducted in June 2022 is available at the following link: KIUC HCP Scoping Meeting 6.28.2022 (video)

Comments on the draft HCP and DEIS can be submitted through either the state or federal process or directly to KIUC as described below. Comments must be received or postmarked by October 22, 2025.

Federal Process:

Online:  https://www.regulations.gov (Docket No. FWS-R1-ES-2022-0068)

U.S. mail: 

Public Comment Processing

Attn: Docket No. FWS-R1_ES-2022-0068

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W

5275 Leesburg Pike

Falls Church, VA 22041-3803

Comments on the second draft HCP:

Email:  dofaw.hcp@hawaii.gov

U.S. mail: 

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources DOFAW

Attn: Habitat Conservation Planning

1151 Punchbowl St., Rm 325

Honolulu, HI 96813

Comments on the draft EIS:

Email:  hcp@kiuc.coop 

U.S. mail: 

Ms. Dawn Huff

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative

4463 Pahe‘e Street, Suite 1

Lihu‘e, HI 96766-2000

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