Kapulena Hamakua EA PBR Final TMK No. 4-7-005 and 006

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KAPULENA AGRICULTURAL PARK FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures Because there were no cultural activities identified within the project area, there are no adverse effects anticipated by the CIA. Further, the former mauka -makai cane haul roads have been heavily overgrown with Guinea grass indicating that the roads have been unused or infrequently used for any activity. However, subsistence hunting is known to be practiced throughout mauka areas of Hamakua. The agricultural park plan includes fencing of the paved, former cane haul road to protect the public's safety from entering active cattle paddocks. In order to minimize access impacts, two former cane haul roads connecting the Waipi`o- Honoka`a Road and the quarry access road have been cleared of Guinea grass. It is expected that at least one of these roads will remain open, providing access for project use and cultural practitioners alike. 4.3 NOISE Currently, the project site is vacant, wooded land. No significant noise is generated on site, and ambient noise in the area emanates from wind, wildlife, and the infrequent traffic along the various access roads in the project vicinity. There are no existing dwellings near the site. Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures Since no farm dwellings will be permitted on the site, there will be no noise concerns to ofsite. Noise from agricultural activities on the site should not impact any offsite dwellings due to the distance between residents in this sparsely populated area. 4.4 AIR QUALITY Air quality in Hawaii is among the best in the nation, and criteria pollutant levels remain well below state and federal ambient air quality standards. The State Department of Health, Clean Air Branch monitors the ambient air in Hawai `i and has established a statewide system of monitoring stations whose primary purpose is ensuring that air quality standards are met. Hawaii Island is regularly affected by emissions from Mount Kilauea, or VOG. Due to the prevailing northeast winds, the site is less likely to be affected by VOG than sites on the south or Kona coasts. However, Kona winds can circulate VOG up the Hamakua Coast in the site's vicinity. Generally, air quality is affected by regional and local climate together with the amount and type of human activity in any given location. Federal and state ambient air quality standards have been established to regulate six parameters: particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead. No state or county air - quality monitoring stations exist in the vicinity of the site. Air quality in the vicinity of the site may be affected by pollutants from widely dispersed agricultural sources, such as concentrations of cattle and fugitive mists from infrequent spraying for agricultural pests. Other sources are emissions from occasional vehicular traffic on area roads and from farm machinery. we