Remove and Replace Park Maintenance Facilities

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comment on an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to remove and replace the existing maintenance facilities at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. The NPS is also seeking input on a separate but concurrent Assessment of Effect under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

The NPS will be accepting comments on the Environmental Assessment from June 13 to July 13, 2023, and will be hosting a virtual public meeting as indicated below.

The existing maintenance facilities were originally built in the 1960's with the stated intent to be temporary structures. The facilities are inadequate to meet the needs of the Park and their location inappropriately occupies an area known to contain both historic and ancient archaeological resources. The facilities are visually intrusive to the physical and cultural landscape and are located in a coastal area subject to high waves, storm surge, tsunami inundation and anticipated sea level rise.

The purpose of this project is to remove the intrusive temporary facilities from their present location, restore the historic scene of the site and construct replacement facilities in more suitable locations elsewhere in the park. Alternative sites for the replacement facilities are being considered based on their potential effect on park resources, benefit to park operations and their effect on visitor and community experiences. The location and design of the new facilities will be aligned with NPS's commitment to stewardship of this special landscape and to protect the wahi pana and interconnected cultural and natural resources of the park. These developments would all replace existing substandard and inadequate facilities.

Two alternatives were identified as best meeting project objectives and are analyzed in the EA. Each of the alternatives would remove the existing temporary structures, but each differ in the proposed location for new facility construction.

Please help guide the future of this special place by attending the virtual public meeting this May.

Save the Date! Virtual Meeting: Wednesday, June 21st at 6:00 - 7:30 pm HST.

Please check back for how to connect to the virtual meeting.
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/puhorelocmaint

Document Content:

20230517_PUHO154441_Replace Maint Fac EA_508.pdf   (15.3 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.