[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21909-21910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08848]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Hawaii Clean Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability 
of the Hawaii Clean Energy Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (Hawaii Clean Energy Draft PEIS or Draft PEIS) (DOE/EIS-
0459). DOE also announces eight public hearings to receive comments on 
the Draft PEIS. The Draft PEIS evaluates the potential environmental 
impacts associated with 31 energy efficiency activities and renewable 
energy technologies that could assist the State of Hawaii in meeting 
the goals established under the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI).

DATES: DOE invites comments on the Draft PEIS during a 90-day period, 
which ends July 17, 2014. Comments submitted after this date will be 
considered to the extent practicable during preparation of the Hawaii 
Clean Energy Final PEIS. The Department will hold eight public hearings 
at the locations, dates, and times listed in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
below.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft PEIS may be submitted:
     Orally or in writing at a public hearing.
     By email to [email protected].
     Through the PEIS Web site at http://hawaiicleanenergypeis.com.
     By mail to Dr. Jane Summerson, Hawaii Clean Energy PEIS 
Document Manager, DOE NNSA, POB 5400 Bldg 401, KAFB East, Albuquerque, 
NM 87185.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the 
Hawaii Clean Energy Draft PEIS, contact Dr. Jane Summerson at the 
address above or send an email to [email protected]. For 
general information regarding the DOE National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) process, contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of 
NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone 202-586-4600 or 
leave a message at 800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    DOE and Hawaii entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 
January 2008 that established a long-term partnership to assist Hawaii 
in its efforts to transform the way in which energy efficiency and 
renewable energy resources are planned and used in the State. The MOU 
established working groups to address key sectors of the energy economy 
(e.g., electricity, end-use efficiency, transportation, and fuels), 
which led to the establishment of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative 
(HCEI). A goal of the HCEI is to meet 70 percent of Hawaii's energy 
needs by 2030 through energy efficiency and renewable energy 
(collectively ``clean energy'').

PEIS Scoping

    On December 14, 2010, DOE issued a notice of intent to prepare a 
PEIS, with the State of Hawaii as a joint lead, on the wind phase of 
the Hawaii Interisland Renewable Energy Program (75 FR 77859). In light 
of scoping comments and regulatory and policy developments, DOE 
broadened the range of reasonable energy efficiency and renewable 
energy activities and technologies to be analyzed in the PEIS and 
issued an amended notice of intent to prepare the Hawaii Clean Energy 
PEIS (77 FR 47828; August 10, 2012). In preparing the PEIS, DOE 
considered scoping comments received on the initial and amended notices 
of intent.
    The Hawaii Clean Energy Draft PEIS was prepared with the following 
cooperating agencies: State of Hawaii (Department of Business, Economic 
Development and Tourism), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 
9, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, National Park Service, Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and 
Federal Aviation Administration.

Purpose and Need for Agency Action

    The purpose and need for DOE's action is based on the 2008 MOU with 
the State of Hawaii that established the long-term HCEI partnership. 
Consistent with this MOU, DOE's purpose and need is to support the 
State of Hawaii in its efforts to meet 70 percent of the State's energy 
needs by 2030 through clean energy. DOE's primary purpose in preparing 
this PEIS is to provide information to the public, Federal and State 
agencies, and future energy developers on the potential environmental 
impacts of a wide range of energy efficiency activities and renewable 
energy technologies that could support the HCEI. This environmental 
information could be used by decisionmakers, developers, and regulators 
in determining the best activities and technologies to meet future 
energy needs. The public could use this PEIS to better understand the 
types of potential impacts associated with the various technologies.

[[Page 21910]]

Proposed Action

    DOE's Proposed Action is to develop guidance that can be used in 
making decisions to support the State of Hawaii in achieving the HCEI's 
goals.
    For the Hawaii Clean Energy Draft PEIS, DOE and the State of Hawaii 
identified 31 clean energy technologies and activities associated with 
potential future actions and grouped them into five clean energy 
categories:
     Energy efficiency,
     Distributed renewable energy technologies,
     Utility-scale renewable energy technologies,
     Alternative transportation fuels and modes, and
     Electrical transmission and distribution.
    For each activity or technology, the Draft PEIS identifies 
potential impacts to 17 environmental resource areas and potential best 
management practices that could be used to minimize or prevent those 
potential environmental impacts.

Document Availability

    The Hawaii Clean Energy Draft PEIS is posted at http://hawaiicleanenergypeis.com and http://energy.gov/nepa/eis-0459-hawaii-clean-energy-programmatic-environmental-impact-statement. To obtain a 
compact disk (CD) of the Draft PEIS, contact Dr. Summerson at the 
address under ADDRESSES above, online at http://hawaiicleanenergypeis.com, or by email to 
[email protected]. Printed copies of the complete PEIS 
are available at:
     Hawaii State Library, 478 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 
96813.
     Lanai Public and School Library, 555 Fraser Ave, Lanai 
City, HI 96763.
     Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, HI 
96793.
     Molokai Public Library, 15 Ala Malama, Kaunakakai, HI 
96748.
     Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Ave, Hilo, HI 96720.
     Kailua-Kona Public Library, 75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-
Kona, HI 96740.
     Lihue Public Library, 4344 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI 96766.
     Kaneohe Public Library, 45-829 Kamehameha Highway, 
Kaneohe, HI 96744.
    DOE will provide a printed copy of the Summary or complete Draft 
PEIS upon request. However, due to the size of the document 
(approximately 60 pages for the Summary and 1,300 pages for the 
complete Draft PEIS), DOE recommends that interested parties take 
advantage of the download or CD options. If a printed copy is required, 
contact Dr. Jane Summerson at the address above or by email to 
[email protected].

Public Hearings

    The Department invites interested parties to provide comments on 
the Draft PEIS at public hearings to be held May 12 through May 22, 
2014, at:
     May 12: Kauai, Kauai War Memorial, Convention Hall, 4191 
Hardy Street, Lihue, HI 96766.
     May 13: Hawaii, Kealakehe High School, 74-5000 Puohulihuli 
Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740.
     May 14: Hawaii, Aunty Sally Kaleohano's Luau Hale, 799 
Piilani Street, Hilo, HI 96720.
     May 15: Maui, Pomaikai Elementary School, 4650 South 
Kamehameha Avenue, Kahului, HI 96732.
     May 19: Molokai, Kaunakakai Elementary School, 30 Ailoa 
Street, Kaunakakai, HI 96748.
     May 20: Lanai, Lanai High & Elementary School, 555 Fraser 
Avenue, Lanai City, HI 96763.
     May 21: Oahu, Kawananakoa Middle School, 49 Funchal 
Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.
     May 22: Oahu, James B. Castle High School, 45-386 Kaneohe 
Bay Drive, Kaneohe, HI 96744.
    Each hearing will begin at 5:00 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Each 
hearing will start with an open house (5:00-5:45), when Federal and 
State personnel and their contractors will be available to answer 
questions in an informal setting. The open house will be followed by a 
presentation (5:45-6:00) by Dr. Summerson, who will describe the PEIS, 
the NEPA process, and the methods that can be used to submit comments. 
During the remainder of the hearing, interested parties may present 
oral comments to DOE. A court reporter will transcribe the comments 
presented at each hearing. Individuals wishing to speak at a hearing 
should register when they arrive. DOE will initially allot three 
minutes to each commenter to ensure that as many people as possible 
have the opportunity to speak. More time may be provided, as 
circumstances permit. Written comments may be submitted at the hearing 
or by the other methods described in ADDRESSES above. DOE will give 
equal consideration to oral and written comments in preparing the 
Hawaii Clean Energy Final PEIS.

    Issued in Washington, DC, April 14, 2014.
Patricia A. Hoffman,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 
Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2014-08848 Filed 4-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P