Wind farm proposal
available for review

A company's plan to minimize the effect of a proposed Maui wind farm on native birds is available for public review and will be the topic of a public hearing next month.

Kaheawa Wind Power LLC proposes putting 20 General Electric wind turbines at Kaheawa Pastures in the West Maui mountains.

A public hearing on the company's habitat conservation plan will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 10, at the Velma "McWayne" Santos Community Center in Wailuku.

The plan focuses on mitigating potential impacts to four threatened or endangered species: the Hawaiian petrel ('ua'u), Newell's shearwater ('a'o), Hawaiian goose (nene) and Hawaiian hoary bat ('ope'ape'a). These species are known to be in the vicinity and could be injured or killed if they collide with one of the wind turbines.

"This plan implements one of the most extensive efforts to reduce impacts to endangered species in the state, and the research conducted will help our department in its efforts to recover these species in other areas as well," said Peter Young, Department of Land and Natural Resources director.

The wind farm would sell 30 megawatts of power to Maui Electric Co. Using wind to generate that much electricity is estimated to save 200,000 barrels of oil annually.

"This project promises to alleviate some of Hawaii's dependency on oil for electricity while also considering the welfare of endangered and threatened species," said Patrick Leonard, field supervisor for the Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office.

The plan proposes research and management measures that will help compensate for the possibility of killing or hurting some listed birds during the next 20 years. It also will fund study of bat habitats.

The habitat conservation plan can be reviewed at the Wailuku, Lahaina and Kihei libraries on Maui; the main state library in Honolulu; and the DLNR-Forestry office in Wailuku. It is also available for review on the Internet at www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/ pubs/index.html.

Written comments should be submitted to Conservation Initiatives Coordinator, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813, and must be received by Sept. 6.