(a) Except as otherwise provided, an environmental assessment shall be required for actions that:

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-5

  • Acceptance: means a formal determination that the document required to be filed pursuant to § 343-5 fulfills the definition of an environmental impact statement, adequately describes identifiable environmental impacts, and satisfactorily responds to comments received during the review of the statement. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Action: means any program or project to be initiated by any agency or applicant. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Agency: means any department, office, board, or commission of the state or county government which is a part of the executive branch of that government. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Applicant: means any person who, pursuant to statute, ordinance, or rule, officially requests approval for a proposed action. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Approval: means a discretionary consent required from an agency prior to actual implementation of an action. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Council: means the environmental advisory council. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
  • Environmental assessment: means a written evaluation to determine whether an action may have a significant effect. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Finding of no significant impact: means a determination based on an environmental assessment that the subject action will not have a significant effect and, therefore, will not require the preparation of an environmental impact statement. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Helicopter facility: means any area of land or water which is used, or intended for use for the landing or takeoff of helicopters; and any appurtenant areas which are used, or intended for use for helicopter related activities or rights-of-way. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Office: means the office of planning and sustainable development. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Power-generating facility: means :

    (1) A new, fossil-fueled, electricity-generating facility, where the electrical output rating of the new equipment exceeds 5. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2

  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Significant effect: means the sum of effects on the quality of the environment, including actions that irrevocably commit a natural resource, curtail the range of beneficial uses of the environment, are contrary to the State's environmental policies or long-term environmental goals as established by law, or adversely affect the economic welfare, social welfare, or cultural practices of the community and State. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • statement: means an informational document prepared in compliance with the rules adopted under § 343-6 and which discloses the environmental effects of a proposed action, effects of a proposed action on the economic welfare, social welfare, and cultural practices of the community and State, effects of the economic activities arising out of the proposed action, measures proposed to minimize adverse effects, and alternatives to the action and their environmental effects. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
  • Wastewater treatment unit: means any plant or facility used in the treatment of wastewater. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 343-2
(1) Propose the use of state or county lands or the use of state or county funds, other than funds to be used for feasibility or planning studies for possible future programs or projects that the agency has not approved, adopted, or funded, or funds to be used for the acquisition of unimproved real property; provided that the agency shall consider environmental factors and available alternatives in its feasibility or planning studies; provided further that an environmental assessment for proposed uses under section 205-2(d)(11) or 205-4.5(a)(13) shall only be required pursuant to section 205-5(b);
(2) Propose any use within any land classified as a conservation district by the state land use commission under chapter 205;
(3) Propose any use within a shoreline area as defined in § 205A-41;
(4) Propose any use within any historic site as designated in the National Register or Hawaii Register, as provided for in the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Public Law 89-665, or chapter 6E;
(5) Propose any use within the Waikiki area of Oahu, the boundaries of which are delineated in the land use ordinance as amended, establishing the “Waikiki Special District”;
(6) Propose any amendments to existing county general plans where the amendment would result in designations other than agriculture, conservation, or preservation, except actions proposing any new county general plan or amendments to any existing county general plan initiated by a county;
(7) Propose any reclassification of any land classified as a conservation district by the state land use commission under chapter 205;
(8) Propose the construction of new or the expansion or modification of existing helicopter facilities within the State, that by way of their activities, may affect:

(A) Any land classified as a conservation district by the state land use commission under chapter 205;
(B) A shoreline area as defined in § 205A-41; or
(C) Any historic site as designated in the National Register or Hawaii Register, as provided for in the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Public Law 89-665, or chapter 6E; or until the statewide historic places inventory is completed, any historic site that is found by a field reconnaissance of the area affected by the helicopter facility and is under consideration for placement on the National Register or the Hawaii Register of Historic Places; and
(9) Propose any:

(A) Wastewater treatment unit, except an individual wastewater system or a wastewater treatment unit serving fewer than fifty single-family dwellings or the equivalent;
(B) Waste-to-energy facility;
(C) Landfill;
(D) Oil refinery; or
(E) Power-generating facility.
(b) Whenever an agency proposes an action in subsection (a), other than feasibility or planning studies for possible future programs or projects that the agency has not approved, adopted, or funded, or other than the use of state or county funds for the acquisition of unimproved real property that is not a specific type of action declared exempt under § 343-6, the agency shall prepare an environmental assessment for the action at the earliest practicable time to determine whether an environmental impact statement shall be required; provided that if the agency determines, through its judgment and experience, that an environmental impact statement is likely to be required, the agency may choose not to prepare an environmental assessment and instead shall prepare an environmental impact statement that begins with the preparation of an environmental impact statement preparation notice as provided by rules.
(c) For environmental assessments for which a finding of no significant impact is anticipated:

(1) A draft environmental assessment shall be made available for public review and comment for a period of thirty days;
(2) The office shall inform the public of the availability of the draft environmental assessment for public review and comment pursuant to § 343-3;
(3) The agency shall respond in writing to comments received during the review and prepare a final environmental assessment to determine whether an environmental impact statement shall be required;
(4) A statement shall be required if the agency finds that the proposed action may have a significant effect on the environment; and
(5) The agency shall file notice of the determination with the office. When a conflict of interest may exist because the proposing agency and the agency making the determination are the same, the office may review the agency’s determination, consult the agency, and advise the agency of potential conflicts, to comply with this section. The office shall publish the final determination for the public’s information pursuant to § 343-3.

The draft and final statements, if required, shall be prepared by the agency and submitted to the office. The draft statement shall be made available for public review and comment through the office for a period of forty-five days. The office shall inform the public of the availability of the draft statement for public review and comment pursuant to § 343-3. The agency shall respond in writing to comments received during the review and prepare a final statement.

The office, when requested by the agency, may make a recommendation as to the acceptability of the final statement.

(d) The final authority to accept a final statement shall rest with:

(1) The governor, or the governor’s authorized representative, whenever an action proposes the use of state lands or the use of state funds, or whenever a state agency proposes an action within the categories in subsection (a); or
(2) The mayor, or the mayor’s authorized representative, of the respective county whenever an action proposes only the use of county lands or county funds.

Acceptance of a required final statement shall be a condition precedent to implementation of the proposed action. Upon acceptance or nonacceptance of the final statement, the governor or mayor, or the governor’s or mayor’s authorized representative, shall file notice of such determination with the office. The office, in turn, shall publish the determination of acceptance or nonacceptance pursuant to § 343-3.

(e) Whenever an applicant proposes an action specified by subsection (a) that requires approval of an agency and that is not a specific type of action declared exempt under § 343-6, the agency initially receiving and agreeing to process the request for approval shall require the applicant to prepare an environmental assessment of the proposed action at the earliest practicable time to determine whether an environmental impact statement shall be required; provided that if the agency determines, through its judgment and experience, that an environmental impact statement is likely to be required, the agency may authorize the applicant to choose not to prepare an environmental assessment and instead prepare an environmental impact statement that begins with the preparation of an environmental impact statement preparation notice as provided by rules. The final approving agency for the request for approval is not required to be the accepting authority.

For environmental assessments for which a finding of no significant impact is anticipated:

(1) A draft environmental assessment shall be made available for public review and comment for a period of thirty days;
(2) The office shall inform the public of the availability of the draft environmental assessment for public review and comment pursuant to § 343-3; and
(3) The applicant shall respond in writing to comments received during the review and the applicant shall prepare a final environmental assessment to determine whether an environmental impact statement shall be required. A statement shall be required if the agency finds that the proposed action may have a significant effect on the environment. The agency shall file notice of the agency’s determination with the office, which, in turn, shall publish the agency’s determination for the public’s information pursuant to § 343-3.

The draft and final statements, if required, shall be prepared by the applicant, who shall file these statements with the office.

The draft statement shall be made available for public review and comment through the office for a period of forty-five days. The office shall inform the public of the availability of the draft statement for public review and comment pursuant to § 343-3.

The applicant shall respond in writing to comments received during the review and prepare a final statement. The office, when requested by the applicant or agency, may make a recommendation as to the acceptability of the final statement.

The authority to accept a final statement shall rest with the agency initially receiving and agreeing to process the request for approval. The final decision-making body or approving agency for the request for approval is not required to be the accepting authority. The planning department for the county in which the proposed action will occur shall be a permissible accepting authority for the final statement.

Acceptance of a required final statement shall be a condition precedent to approval of the request and commencement of the proposed action. Upon acceptance or nonacceptance of the final statement, the agency shall file notice of the determination with the office. The office, in turn, shall publish the determination of acceptance or nonacceptance of the final statement pursuant to § 343-3.

The agency receiving the request, within thirty days of receipt of the final statement, shall notify the applicant and the office of the acceptance or nonacceptance of the final statement. The final statement shall be deemed to be accepted if the agency fails to accept or not accept the final statement within thirty days after receipt of the final statement; provided that the thirty-day period may be extended at the request of the applicant for a period not to exceed fifteen days.

In any acceptance or nonacceptance, the agency shall provide the applicant with the specific findings and reasons for its determination.

(f) Whenever an applicant requests approval for a proposed action and there is a question as to which of two or more state or county agencies with jurisdiction has the responsibility of determining whether an environmental assessment is required, the office, after consultation with and assistance from the affected state or county agencies, shall determine which agency has the responsibility for determining whether an environmental assessment by the applicant is required, except in situations involving secondary actions under section 343-5.5; provided that in no case shall the office be considered the approving agency.
(g) In preparing an environmental assessment, an agency may consider and, where applicable and appropriate, incorporate by reference, in whole or in part, previous determinations of whether a statement is required and previously accepted statements. The council, by rule, shall establish criteria and procedures for the use of previous determinations and statements.
(h) Whenever an action is subject to both the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190) and the requirements of this chapter, the office and agencies shall cooperate with federal agencies to the fullest extent possible to reduce duplication between federal and state requirements. Such cooperation, to the fullest extent possible, shall include joint environmental impact statements with concurrent public review and processing at both levels of government. Where federal law has environmental impact statement requirements in addition to but not in conflict with this chapter, the office and agencies shall cooperate in fulfilling these requirements so that one document shall comply with all applicable laws.
(i) A statement that is accepted with respect to a particular action shall satisfy the requirements of this chapter, and no other statement for the proposed action shall be required.

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