Final AA Hu Honua Bioenergy Facility

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INTRODUCTION At the request of Hu Honua Bioenergy LLC, Pacific Consulting Services, Inc. (PCSI) has prepared the following literature review in support of the proposed installation of a chip processing building and a chip storage building on the grounds of the Hilo Coast Power Company (HCPQ in Pepe'ekeo, Hawaii Island (Figure 1). HCPC was a coal burning electric generating power plant which Hu Honua Bioenergy LLC intends to convert to a renewable electrical power facility fueled by locally grown, renewable biomass. In order for this conversion to take place, a foundation for a conveyor belt as well as two structures, measuring 180 x 40, feet will need to be built. The footprint of the structures will be excavated to a depth of six feet to construct the foundations for each. The conveyor belt foundation will require an 8 x 8 foot excavation at a depth of 20 feet. (Figure 2) This literature review has been prepared in compliance with Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), Chapter 6E, and Title13 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Subtitle 13 (State Historic Preservation Division Rules), Chapter 284 (Rules Governing Procedures for Historic Preservation Review to Comment on Section 6E -42 Projects). PROJECT AREA LOCATION The entire project area lies within Pepe'ekeo in Kahua Ahupua'a, located approximately 10 miles north of Hilo Bay in the South Hilo district of Hawai' i Island. The project area is bounded by Kulaimano Homestead Road to the west, Bluffview Drive to the north and Old Mamalahoa Highway to the south. The eastern end of the property also abuts Old Mamalahoa Highway and terminates at the Pacific Ocean. The proposed earth - altering activities related to the build -out will take place within the 25.57 acre parcel in the aforementioned storage and processing locations. The project area consists of the single parcel: TMK: (3) 2 -8 -008: 104 (formerly TMK: (3) 2 -8 -007: 053). ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND TOPOGRAPHY & SOILS The topography of the project area is relatively flat due to extensive grading. The soils in the area are Hilo Series: HoC, HoD, and HoE, which are all silty clay loams that were preferred for cane cultivation. The coastline is classified as RB or Rough Broken land which is a miscellaneous, precipitous land type. There are no Jaucus sand deposits in the area according to the Hawai' i Island USDA soil survey. (Sato et al. 1973:17 -18, Sheet 49) . VEGETATION Vegetation in the vicinity of the project area falls within two categories. The first category consists of exotic, invasive species typical of areas formerly used for commercial sugar cane production (the parcel is on the site of the former Pepe'ekeo Sugar Mill). These include iron wood (Casuarina equisetifo /ia), monkey pod (Samanea samara), guinea grass (Panicum maximum), Miconia (Miconia calvescens) and other noxious grasses and weeds. The second category includes the native species ha /a