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Pacific Pacific Basin Division Phone: 808.263.4800
<br /> I-eacy 146 Hekili Street,Suite 205 Fax: 808.263.4300
<br /> x'st"" Kailua,HI 96734
<br /> Preservation www.pacificlegacy.com
<br /> November 3, 2025
<br /> Dr. Susan Lebo,Archaeology Branch Chief
<br /> State Historic Preservation Division
<br /> Department of Land and Natural Resources
<br /> 601 Kamokila Blvd.,Suite 555
<br /> Kapolei, HI 96707
<br /> Via: HICRIS Project No. 2025PR00468
<br /> Subject: Proposed Testing Strategy for an Archaeological Inventory Survey and Request for
<br /> Concurrence for the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link Project,with Cable Landing Sites at
<br /> Kaua`i (Nukoli`i Beach and Kaua`i Community College), 0`ahu (Barbers Point Beach Park),
<br /> Maui (Kahului Harbor and UH Maui College), Molokai (Molokai Yacht Club and Molokai
<br /> Education Center), Lanai (Manele Harbor), and Hawaii Island(University of Hawai`i at
<br /> Hilo Pacific Aquaculture&Coastal Resources Center and UH Hilo)
<br /> TMKs: Kaua`i: (4) 3-4-007:003 (por.), (4) 3-7-003:007 (por.), (4) 3-7-003:017 (por.),and
<br /> (4) 3-7-003:999 (Kai()Highway ROW); 0`ahu: (1) 9-1-026:027, (1) 9-1-026:999 (Ola`i
<br /> Street ROW); Maui: (2) 3-7-001:021 (por.), (2) 3-7-001:022 (por.), (2) 3-7-001:999
<br /> (Kahului Beach Road ROW) (2) 3-8-007:001 (por.), (2) 3-8-007:040 (por.); Molokai: (2) 5-
<br /> 3-001:003 (por.); (2) 5-3-001:011 (por.); (2) 5-3-003:013 (por.), (2) 5-3-003:014 (por.),
<br /> (2) 5-3-003:999 (Alanui Kaimike Street ROW); Lana`i: (2) 4-9-017:006 (por.), (2) 4-9-
<br /> 017:027 (por.); Hawai`i Island: (3) 2-1-009:001 (por.), (3) 2-1-009:041 (por.), (3) 2-1-
<br /> 011:004 (por.), (3) 2-1-011:005 (por.), (3) 2-1-011:010 (por.), (3) 2-4-001:167 (por.).
<br /> Dear Dr. Lebo:
<br /> Pacific Legacy, Inc.has been retained to conduct an Archaeological Inventory Survey(AIS) for the
<br /> Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link(HIFL) Project, a proposed interisland subsea fiber optic cable system
<br /> intended to improve and expand high-speed internet(broadband) access and availability across the
<br /> State of Hawaii.The Project involves construction,operation,and maintenance of a subsea cable
<br /> that would interconnect the six main Hawaiian Islands,with cable landing sites at Kaua`i (Nukoli`i
<br /> Beach and Kaua`i Community College), 0`ahu (Barbers Point Beach Park), Maui (Kahului Harbor
<br /> and UH Maui College), Molokai (Molokai Yacht Club and Molokai Education Center), Lanai (Manele
<br /> Harbor), and Hawaii Island (University of Hawai`i at Hilo Pacific Aquaculture&Coastal Resources
<br /> Center and UH Hilo).The subsea cable,which would have a maximum diameter of approximately
<br /> 1.1 inches,would be surface-laid on the seabed within state and U.S.federal waters between these
<br /> sites.At all six cable landing sites,horizontal directional drilling(HDD) would be used to install
<br /> underground conduit to facilitate installation of the cable beneath the shoreline to an offshore
<br /> punchout location in nearshore waters.Terrestrial components of the system on each island would
<br /> include a beach manhole (BMH; concrete vault)where the subsea cable would terminate,
<br /> subsurface conduit for terrestrial fiber optic cable connecting from the BMH to existing utility
<br /> infrastructure (underground or aerial), and a cable landing station(CLS) with associated cable
<br /> termination and monitoring equipment.The CLS on Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii would involve
<br /> installation of a new modular structure;the CLS for the other three cable landing sites would utilize
<br /> space in an existing building. In some instances,the CLS would also entail the installation of an
<br /> emergency generator and short segments of subsurface conduit for utility connections.The AIS
<br /> testing strategy,which includes strategies that are specific to each of the six cable landing sites, is
<br /> provided below.
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