draft eis comments and responses - Lee Altenberg

Stuart Yamada
SUBJECT: HONUAÿULA DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND PROJECT
DISTRICT PHASE II APPLICATION
May 31, 2012
Page 4 of 4
3. Cattle ranching activities upslope of the Honuaÿula Property and the off-site Honuaÿula wells
have very limited potential for contamination of Honuaÿula’s groundwater sources. The areas
used for cattle ranching upslope of the Property are dry, hot, and un-irrigated; therefore cattle
grazing in these areas is extensive, not intensive. The two- and 10-year zones of contribution
would potentially cover the area from the 500-foot elevation (a short distance down slope
from the highest point of the Property) to the 1,600-foot elevation (approximately 10,000 feet
upslope of the Property). These elevations are the vertical travel distances for contaminates to
reach groundwater. Substantial natural protection is provided by these distances as well as
the multiple layers of successive lava flows, and therefore upslope cattle ranch activities are
not expected to impact Honuaÿula’s groundwater sources.
To reflect the relevant above information in the Final EIS, in the Final EIS Section 3.5.1
(Groundwater Resources) will be revised to include the following information:
Cattle Ranching
Cattle ranching activities upslope of the Property and the off-site Honuaÿula wells have very
limited potential for contamination of Honuaÿula’s groundwater sources. The areas used for
cattle ranching upslope of the Property are dry, hot, and un-irrigated; therefore cattle grazing
in these areas is extensive, not intensive. The two- and 10-year zones of contribution would
potentially cover the area from the 500-foot elevation (a short distance down slope from the
highest point of the Property) to the 1,600-foot elevation (approximately 10,000 feet upslope
of the Property). These elevations are the vertical travel distances for contaminates to reach
groundwater. Substantial natural protection is provided by these distances as well as the
multiple layers of successive lava flows, and therefore upslope cattle ranch activities are not
expected to impact Honuaÿula’s groundwater sources.
4. Figure 2 of the Draft EIS shows the location of the off-site wells and the proposed transmission
pipeline route. Figure 3-2 in Appendix P (Preliminary Engineering Report) of the Draft EIS
shows the location of the existing wells and the proposed storage tanks. Figure 3.3 in
Appendix P (Preliminary Engineering Report) of the Draft EIS shows the location of the
proposed reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plant and water mains necessary to distribute
water throughout Honuaÿula.
Thank you for reviewing the Draft EIS. Your letter will be included in the Final EIS.
Sincerely,
PBR HAWAII
Tom Schnell, AICP
Senior Associate
cc: William Spence, Maui Planning Department
Charles Jencks, Honua‘ula Partners, LLC
O:\JOB19\1905.08 Honuaula-EIS\EIS\DEIS\DEIS Comments\Responses\Agency\Final\DOH SDWB.doc