Animal Quarantine Station Preferred Site for New O‘ahu Correctional Center

Governor David Ige today announced that his administration has identified the Animal Quarantine Station in Halawa as the preferred site for the relocation of the O‘ahu Community Correctional Center.

PC: DEIS/ PBR Hawaii/ OEQC

The announcement comes along with the completion of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project.  The preferred sites for development of a new OCCC facility, outlined in the document include: (1) Animal Quarantine Station Site; (2) Hālawa Correctional Facility Site; (3) Existing Oahu Community Correctional Center Site – Optional if required; (4) Mililani Technology Park Lot 17 Site – Optional only if required.

Gov. Ige pledged to move forward with the relocation of OCCC, a commitment he made during his 2016 State of the State address in which he said he would work with the community to envision a new future for Kalihi.

Today he said, “I’m confident that we will be able to build a modern facility at the Animal Quarantine Station that relieves long-standing overcrowding and is secure, efficient and cost-effective.”

The Draft EIS includes a discussion of the impacts of constructing and operating an OCCC replacement facility at each of four alternative sites.

The department of public safety is also proposing to relocate female detainees currently housed at OCCC to the Women’s Community Correctional Center to better accommodate their needs. Relocating females to WCCC is also addressed within the Draft EIS.

“After careful consideration, I believe moving forward with the Animal Quarantine location as our preferred site is the right choice. It is critical that we build a more modern and efficient jail to house our current population, and today’s decision moves us that much closer to making this goal a reality,” said Nolan Espinda, director, Department of Public Safety.

“The site selection and evaluation process used to develop the draft environmental impact statement for the replacement of OCCC was rigorous and transparent. The state and its consultants have worked effectively to ensure the integrity of a process that included an extensive public outreach and engagement effort and the identification and evaluation of potential impacts to the environment and the public,” said Roderick K. Becker, Comptroller.

The public comment period on the Draft EIS begins today, Nov. 8, 2017 and ends on Jan. 8, 2018. PSD will also host a public meeting to share its findings and to allow for public comments and input concerning the Draft EIS on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the Aloha Stadium Hospitality Room in Honolulu.