[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7402-7404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3251]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning Project, Honolulu, O'ahu, 
Hawai'i, Department of the Army Regulatory File Number POH-2004-1141

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, LLC proposes to 
construct

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a seawater air conditioning system (SWAC) at Kaka'ako on the south 
shore of O'ahu in order to provide a renewable-energy air conditioning 
system for downtown Honolulu buildings. The applicants propose to 
construct intake and return pipelines in adjacent coastal waters to 
utilize available deep, offshore cold seawater for their planned 
onshore cooling plant. The proposed pipeline staging and installation 
sites are located within the navigable waters of the United States and 
the proposed activity is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

DATES: In order to be considered in preparation of the DEIS, comments 
and suggestions should be received no later than March 20, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Honolulu District; ATTN: Regulatory Branch (CEPOH-EC-R/P. Galloway); 
Building 230; Fort Shafter, HI 96858-5440. Facsimile comments can be 
sent to 808-438-4060. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) should be addressed 
to: Mr. Peter Galloway (see ADDRESSES), Telephone 808-438-8416.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, LLC 
proposes to develop a seawater air conditioning system (SWAC) to serve 
the downtown area of Honolulu. The SWAC system would utilize available 
deep, cold seawater obtained offshore of Kaka'ako on the south shore of 
O'ahu.
    To obtain, utilize, and return seawater, the applicant proposes to 
construct a 63-inch diameter seawater intake pipe extending offshore 
approximately four miles, to a depth of 1,770 feet; a 55-inch diameter 
seawater return pipe extending offshore approximately 2,000 feet, to a 
depth of 150 feet; an on-shore cooling station containing pumps, heat 
exchangers and auxiliary chillers; and a network of distribution pipes 
to circulate cooled fresh water from the station to customer buildings 
in the downtown area. In addition, the applicant proposes to use an 
area along the western shore of Sand Island and the adjoining channel 
area of Ke'ehi Lagoon for pipeline assembly and staging prior to towing 
and installing the lines at the project site. Individual pipe segments 
would be heat-fused to form longer segments and then flange-bolted to 
form a continuous line.
    At the project site, the pipelines would be buried from behind the 
shore to some depth offshore in order to reduce negative impacts to the 
benthic environment and to protect the pipes from high waves and storm 
surge in the nearshore zone. The offshore portions of the intake and 
return pipelines, which would be installed adjacent to each other, 
would be supported on pre-cast concrete supports which would be placed 
on the pipelines prior to their filling and sinking at the project 
site. The seaward end of the intake line would be unscreened and would 
terminate in a right-angle elbow, such that water would be drawn down 
into the pipe from about 14 feet above the sea bottom. The seaward end 
of the return pipeline would terminate in a diffuser section extending 
from depths of 120 to 150 feet.
    The proposed project would involve work or structures in or 
affecting the course, condition, location or capacity of navigable 
waters of the United States. It would also involve the discharge of 
dredged or fill material into waters of the United States. Federal 
authorization of the project will therefore require issuance of a 
Department of the Army (DA) permit pursuant to both Section 10 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) and Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).
    In addition to the no-action alternative and the applicant's 
proposal, other alternatives to be considered in the DEIS may include: 
(1) Project utilizing different technology; (2) project with different 
size, alignment or location.
    Potentially significant impacts identified to date and to be 
addressed in the DEIS include: (1) Reduction in demand for fossil fuel-
based electrical energy consumption in the service area; (2) setting of 
precedent for use of large-scale SWAC on O'ahu; (3) commitment to long-
term presence of elevated intake and outfall pipelines in navigable 
waters which will require avoidance by future activities that could 
damage the lines; (4) temporary (estimated 10-month) displacement of 
canoe paddlers and other users of the Ke'ehi Lagoon pipeline staging 
area; (5) short-term and long-term changes in benthic habitat; (6) 
entrainment of sea life by the unscreened seawater intake during system 
operation; (7) effects of project construction and operation on 
federally protected species (sea turtles, cetaceans, monk seals); (8) 
uncertain long-term water quality effects of discharged return flow.
    The decision whether to issue a DA permit will be based on an 
evaluation of the probable impacts, including cumulative impacts, of 
the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will 
reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of 
important resources. The benefit, which reasonably may be expected to 
accrue from the proposal, must be balanced against its reasonably 
foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the 
proposal will be considered, including the cumulative effects thereof: 
among these are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general 
environmental concerns, wetlands, historic values, fish and wildlife 
values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, 
shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and 
conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber 
production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership and, in 
general, the needs and welfare of the people. Evaluation of the impact 
of the activity on the public interest will include application of the 
guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, Environmental Protection 
Agency (40 CFR Part 230).
    The Corps anticipates that consultations will be required pursuant 
to provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Before a final DA permit 
can be issued, the applicant must first obtain a Hawai'i Coastal Zone 
Management (CZM) Program federal consistency certification issued by 
the State of Hawai'i Department of Business, Economic Development and 
Tourism, and a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification, 
or waiver thereof, issued by the State of Hawai'i Department of Health.
    The Corps invites participation in the EIS process of affected 
federal, state and local agencies; affected Hawaiian organizations, 
individuals and practitioners; and other interested private 
organizations and parties. The applicant has previously issued a state-
level DEIS pursuant to requirements of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes 
(HRS Chapter 343). All comments received in response to this NOI will 
be considered when determining the scope of the federal DEIS.
    A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2009, 
at the McKinley High School Cafeteria, 1039 South King Street, 
Honolulu, Hawai'i, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., to help determine 
the scope of analysis of the proposed action. The scoping meeting will 
also be announced in local media.

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Interested parties are encouraged to express their views during the 
scoping process and throughout the development of alternatives and the 
federal DEIS. To be most helpful, comments should clearly describe 
specific environmental topics or issues which the commenter believes 
the document should address. Further information concerning the 
proposed or the scoping meeting may be obtained from Peter C. Galloway 
(see ADDRESSES). The DEIS is expected to be published and circulated 
for review in mid-2009, and the final EIS is expected to be completed 4 
to 6 months later.

    Dated: February 3, 2009.
John W. Henderson,
Major, U.S. Army, Acting Commander.
 [FR Doc. E9-3251 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]
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