Caring For The Land
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 that is heavy industrial and currently houses two large warehouses, which will be deconstructed by a local recycling non-profit entity, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
City Zoning and Land Use Classification
Generally, given the proposed project is located on federal land it is not subject to state or local land use planning or zoning considerations.
City & County of Honolulu Zoning: F-1 (Federal and Military Preservation District)
State Land Use Designation: Urban on federal land
Discretionary and Non-Discretionary Land Use, Environmental and Construction Permits and Approvals
Given the proposed project is located on federal land, these permitting requirements will be addressed through the federal permitting process.
Permits and Approvals
The proposed project will be designed in compliance with permitting requirements, including:
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
- The Clean Air Act;
- The Clean Water Act;
- Endangered Species Act;
- National Historic Preservation Act; and
- Hawaiʻi Coastal Zone Management Program.
| Permit or Consultation | Agency or Stakeholders |
|---|---|
| National Environmental Policy Act – NEPA | Department of the Navy |
| National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 Consultation | State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Division |
| Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) De minimis acknowledgment | State of Hawai‘i, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program |
| Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) or Covered Source Permit (CSP) | State of Hawai‘i Department of Health – Clean Air Branch |
| National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit | State Department of Health, Clean Water Branch |
Environmental Assessment
The U.S. Navy conducted an Environmental Assessment (EA) in conformance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) resulting in the Navy issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed Project on November 1, 2024. The EA & FONSI concluded there would be no significant direct, indirect, or cumulative environmental impacts associated with implementing the Project.
The EA includes required Best Management Practices (BMP) and Design Measures to mitigate potential impacts to air quality, water resources, cultural resources, biological resources, visual resources, noise, and traffic.
Cultural Resource Analysis
Pearl Harbor is associated with Native Hawaiian and World War II era military resources and sites. The Pearl Harbor Naval Complex has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Architectural resources near and within the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark main base include warehouse buildings, the Marine Barracks and Hale Alii, Makalapa Housing historic management zones, and small-scale rail landscape features. There are three historic buildings that are currently present within the project area, and include:
- Facility 244, a storage shed that was constructed in 1943, which has already been determined not significant, and no documentation would be required prior to its removal; and
- Buildings 158 and 159, both General Warehouse structures that were built in 1940 and have been identified as a type of historic resource that can potentially be mitigated through some combination of written and photo documentation, interpretive signage, deconstruction along with reuse or recycling of the warehouse materials rather than demolition, and rehabilitation of other buildings that contribute to the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark.
The EA and FONSI analyzed the potential for impacts to archaeological, architectural, and historic resources and concluded that no known archaeological resources are present within the construction footprint of the Project. The EA included consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 program resulting in the development of an Archaeological Resources Management Plan (ARMP).
The ARMP outlines requirements to avoid known archaeological resources and testing to assess the potential presence of previously unidentified archaeological resources, prior to the initiation of ground-disturbing activities associated with the project. The ARMP incorporates specific measures for the identification, avoidance, minimization, and mitigation of adverse effects to archaeological resources. If archaeological resources are found within the period of significance and the areas of significance of the PHNHL or the Hickam Field National Historic Landmark Area, then JBPHH would also consult with NPS and SHPD as necessary.