A Responsible Steward

The proposed project will be in compliance with all applicable permitting processes. As the long-term owner and operator of the project, Ameresco, Inc. is committed to serving as a good steward of the environment and community.

Project facilities will be located on land zoned as Heavy Industrial, owned by Maui Electric Company since the late 1990s, and will be adjacent to a new Hawaiian Electric Company substation located at the intersection of Pulehu Road and Upper Division Road.

City Zoning and Land Use Classification

The property is zoned “M-2, Heavy Industrial” by Maui County Zoning. No changes in the land use district or zoning classification are expected to be required for Project implementation.

Discretionary and Non-Discretionary Land Use, Environmental and Construction Permits and Approvals

No discretionary permits are anticipated to be required from the federal government or the State of Hawai‘i. No discretionary permits are anticipated for the development of the project as it is located on land zoned as Heavy Industrial land by Maui County Zoning.

Permits and Approvals

The proposed project will be designed in compliance with permitting requirements, including:

• The Clean Air Act;
• The Clean Water Act;
• Endangered Species Act;
• National Historic Preservation Act;

Preliminary Assessment

A preliminary environmental assessment concluded that the project is consistent with the zoning and land use in the project area. Impacts to biological resources or cultural resources are not anticipated, as no sensitive resources are expected to be present within the proposed Project area. Given the limited size and scale of the project, and its relatively remote location on land zoned as heavy industrial, there are no anticipated impacts to local climate or microclimate conditions. The emissions associated with the proposed project will meet applicable standards. The project is located in an area of minimal flood hazard and is not located within a tsunami evacuation area. The noise level from the operation of the proposed system will be below the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) standards and significant adverse impacts to ambient noise conditions are not anticipated. The generating station and exhaust stacks likely will be visible to those driving along Pulehu Road but will generally be consistent with other industrial and electrical facilities in the area, including overhead distribution lines, substation, and the landfill. The project site’s relatively remote location will not create use conflicts with Central Maui recreational facilities. As such, significant adverse impacts to recreational resources in the region are not anticipated. With the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures, the project is not anticipated to have any adverse secondary impacts on the environment.

Overall, the proposed project is anticipated to have a long-term beneficial impact on Maui’s economy, as it will create both short- and long-term employment opportunities, increase energy security for Maui to support anticipated residential and business growth in the future, and help further develop the sustainable energy industry on Maui.

Cultural Resource Impacts

Ameresco engaged ASM Affiliates to conduct a Cultural Resources and Due Diligence analysis of the project area. ASM is very familiar with the island of Maui and its rich archeological history and cultural heritage. In addition to working with ASM, Ameresco will work closely with the local leaders and the State Historic Preservation Department to ensure any, and all historical resources are identified, respected, and preserved to the greatest extent possible.

Two prior archaeological studies overlap the proposed project area with each finding no historical or cultural resources in part to prior sugarcane cultivation. Additionally, ASM Affiliates conducted a preliminary field inspection of the proposed project area in July 2023. During the site visit, ASM confirmed that no historic properties are located within the proposed project area.

To ensure the greatest degree of protection for known and potentially unknown cultural and natural resources in the proposed project area, Ameresco will work with the State Historic Preservation Division and Maui County to ensure all applications, assessments, and additional coordination documents are provided and thus can inform any mitigation measures required for the project area. Ameresco will continue to work towards and fulfill all future regulatory requirements related to historic and cultural resources, including HRS Chapter 6E-8 review and the preparation of a cultural impact assessment (CIA). Based on prior studies and the recent site visit, it is not anticipated that a CIA will result in the identification of significant cultural impacts.