Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on a Proposed Incidental Take Permit for the Na Pua Makani Project, Kahuku, Hawaii

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to gather information to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) related to an incidental take permit (ITP) application that Champlin Hawaii Wind Holdings, LLC (Champlin) intends to submit to the Service pursuant to the requirements of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The proposed permit would authorize the incidental take of listed species caused by the construction and operation of Champlin's proposed Na Pua Makani Project (Project) near Kahuku, Hawaii, for production of wind-generated electrical energy on the island of Oahu. In accordance with ESA requirements for an ITP, Champlin is preparing a habitat conservation plan (HCP) to minimize and mitigate the impacts of take of the covered species likely to be caused by the Project. The DEIS will address the impacts of, and alternatives to, issuance of the ITP and implementation of the HCP to determine if these actions may significantly affect the human environment. This notice initiates the public scoping period for the DEIS during which we invite other agencies and the public to attend a public meeting and submit oral and written comments that provide suggestions and information on the scope of issues and alternatives that should addressed in the DEIS.