Draft EIS Summary of Analysis

The Draft EIS contains summary tables and detailed analysis of the potential effects to resources studied, including consideration of applicable best management practices, standard operating procedures, and mitigation measures already in place. The Navy and NASA have also identified enhanced management measures to further reduce and offset potential effects.

A copy of the Draft EIS is available on the Documents page and at the Waimea Public Library (Kaua‘i) and the Hawai‘i Documents Center (Hawai‘i State Library, O‘ahu).

Environmental Resources Studied

The Navy and NASA evaluated the potential environmental impacts of each of the alternatives on the following resource areas. The public is invited to provide input on the environmental analysis presented in the Draft EIS.

Archaeological and Architectural Resources
Cultural Practices
Biological Resources
Land Use and Access
Socioeconomics
Water Resources
Utilities
Public Health and Safety
Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases
Transportation
Hazardous Materials and Waste
Visual Resources

Summary of Potential Effects

Resource	Alternatives 1 and 2	Enhanced Management Measures (EMM)	No Action Alternative
Archaeological and Architectural	Regulatory protections remain unchanged	Increase access to information about archaeological and architectural resources; see EMM-1 for details	Loss of federal protections under historic preservation programs; current stressors from ongoing operations would remain, and BMPs and the ICRMP would remain in place
Cultural Practices	Moderate access restrictions would continue	Develop an Access Management Plan for PMRF that balances public access and PMRF’s mission requirements; see EMM-2 for details	Access limitations during demolition and/or removal activities
Biological	Navy and NASA programs would continue (REPI projects, PMRF INRMP, nature-based solutions [e.g., for erosion control]); effects to general vegetation, general wildlife, special status species, and critical habitat would continue to occur from ongoing operations	Provide the public with annual wildlife summaries, status updates, data reports, and research studies; see EMM-3 for details	Long-term protection of special status species and their habitats, as well as management and control of invasive species by the Navy and NASA would not continue and DLNR would assume such responsibilities; loss of Navy and NASA programs
Land Use and Access	Remain consistent with regulatory requirements, no changes or new restrictions, long-term beneficial effect from fair market value of the real estate transactions		No new restrictions; access limitations during demolition and/or removal activities
Socioeconomics	Benefits to the economy would continue from employment opportunities at PMRF and KPGO; fair market value from the real estate transactions	Establish the One Kauaʻi Hui (Stakeholder Advisory Group); see EMM-4 for details	Potential in reduction in spending and loss of employment at both PMRF and KPGO
Water Resources	No degradation to water quality, no effect to beneficial uses of water resources, no contamination of a drinking water source; will not create noncompliance with the Clean Water Act, nor alter floodplains, nor increase hazards of flooding	Establish a Navy-DLNR-DHHL-ADC-Kauaʻi County Working Group to collaboratively manage water resources in West Kauaʻi; see EMM-5 for details	Navy would no longer operate the Kawaiʻele pump station, support sand berm openings at coastal outlets, nor maintain Mānā Water Well increasing flood potential; effects to groundwater and contamination of a drinking water source should the state not continue these operations
Utilities	No changes to current usage; no exceedance of capacity or demand; continue to comply with regulations		Reduction of potable water capacity for PMRF and increased demand on Kauaʻi County Water Department
Public Health and Safety	Continued ongoing use and storage of fuels and oils, missile operations, ordnance storage and movement, and radar operations; Public Health & Safety programs would continue	Improve closure protocol and public notification during launch activities; see EMM-6 for details	Short-term effect from transport of ordnance; missile launches decrease from loss of telemetry and tracking at Mākaha Ridge; current Public Health & Safety programs would not continue (wildfire risk)
Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases	No changes to ambient air quality conditions and no exceedances of federal or state ambient air quality standards		Short-term emissions from demolition activities; discontinuation of operations
Transportation	No change to current conditions, no changes in traffic volumes accessing facilities on the existing roadway network		Short-term road closures from demolition activities
Hazardous Materials and Waste	No increase in the use or generation of hazardous materials or waste		Short-term effect from transport of hazardous materials and waste; small decrease in the amount of hazardous materials and waste (including solid waste)
Visual Resources	No change to the existing scenic viewpoint		Due to lack of visibility of facilities, no change to existing scenic viewpoint

Key: ADC = Agribusiness Development Corporation; BMP = Best Management Practice; DHHL = Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; DLNR = Department of Land and Natural Resources; EIS = Environmental Impact Statement; EMM = Enhanced Management Measures (see Draft EIS Section 5.2); INRMP = Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan; REPI = Department of Defense Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration

Legend:

	Not adverse, not significant
	Adverse, not significant
	Adverse, significant

In addition to BMPs (see Draft EIS Section 2.5) and Community Coordination (see Draft EIS Section 1.7.5), Draft EIS Chapter 5 describes actions the Navy and NASA are currently taking to mitigate, avoid, and minimize effects from the Proposed Action and existing mitigation measures that would continue to be implemented under the action alternatives. The Navy and NASA have identified EMMs that aim to provide additional protections for the ʻāina.

Under the No Action Alternative and pursuant to the existing real estate agreements, any return of state property would involve complex negotiations with the State of Hawai‘i for the transfer of various environmental and cultural responsibilities now performed by Navy and NASA back to the state. Mitigation measures for the No Action Alternative would occur at a later time and are therefore not included in the Draft EIS.