11-10-2021 Agency Comments from DLNR-DOFAW

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Island DOFAW office at(808)974-4226 for further information about where BSM maybe present and whether a vegetation survey should be conducted to determine the presence of plants preferred by BSM. To avoid harm to BSM, DOFAW recommends removing plants less than one meter in height or during the dry time of the year. If you remove tree tobacco over one meter in height or disturb the ground around or within several meters of these plants they must be checked thoroughly for the presence of eggs and larvae. DOFAW recommends minimizing the movement of plant or soil material between worksites, such as in fill. Soil and plant material may contain invasive fungal pathogens(e.g. Rapid `Ohi`a Death), vertebrate and invertebrate pests (e.g. Little Fire Ants), or invasive plant parts that could harm our native species and ecosystems. We recommend consulting the Big Island Invasive Species Committee at(808) 933-3340 in planning, design, and construction of the project to learn of any high-risk invasive species in the area and ways to mitigate spread. All equipment, materials, and personnel should be cleaned of excess soil and debris to minimize the risk of spreading invasive species. DOFAW recommends using native plant species for landscaping that are appropriate for the area (i.e. climate conditions are suitable for the plants to thrive,historically occurred there,etc.). Please do not plant invasive species. DOFAW recommends consulting the Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment website to determine the potential invasiveness of plants proposed for use in the project(hllps://sites.google.com/site/weedriskassessment/home). We recommend that you refer to www.planlpono.org for guidance on selection and evaluation for landscaping plants. We note that artificial lighting can adversely impact seabirds that may pass through the area at night by causing disorientation. This disorientation can result in collision with manmade artifacts or grounding of birds. For nighttime lighting that might be required, DOFAW recommends that all lights be fully shielded to minimize impacts. Nighttime work that requires outdoor lighting should be avoided during the seabird fledging season from September 15 through December 15. This is the period when young seabirds take their maiden voyage to the open sea. For illustrations and guidance related to seabird-friendly light styles that also protect the dark, starry skies of Hawaii please visit: ha2s://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/files/2016/03/DOC439.pdf. We appreciate your efforts to work with our office for the conservation of our native species. Should the scope of the project change significantly, or should it become apparent that threatened or endangered species may be impacted,please contact our staff as soon as possible. If you have any questions,please contact Paul Radley, Protected Species Habitat Conservation Planning Coordinator at(808) 295-1123 or paul.m.radley2hawaii.gov. Sincerely, �OA DAVID G. SMITH Administrator