Meeting to discuss draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Haleakala Solar Telescope, August 23

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) will hold a public hearing to receive testimony on the draft “Habitat Conservation Plan for the Construction of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope at the Haleakala High Altitude Observatory Site Maui, Hawai‘i.”

The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, August 23, at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center Multipurpose Room, 91 Pukalani Street, in Pukalani, Maui.

File image. Courtesy.

Related to the construction of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, the National Science Foundation is seeking an Incidental Take License (ITL) and accompanying Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), as part of Chapter 195D Hawaii Revised Statutes; Conservation of Aquatic Life, Wildlife and Plants.

The HCP addresses “take,” of one endangered species, the ‘ua‘u, Hawaiian petrel, (Pterodroma sandwichensis). It outlines measures to minimize, avoid, mitigate, and monitor impact on the species as well as measures to provide a net recovery benefit to the species.

Copies of the draft HCP and ITL are available for review at the Hawai‘i State Library, the Wailuku Public Library, and online at www.dofaw.net in the Announcements section.

Anyone wanting to provide testimony who is unable to attend the public hearing may send written testimony to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813, Attention Habitat Conservation Planning Associate, no later than September 8, 2010.

Anyone planning to attend the meeting who requires auxiliary aids (taped materials or sign language interpreter) should request assistance prior to the meeting by contacting the Division in writing to the above address or by phone at 808 587 0166.

(Information courtesy Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)