Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for the Na Pua Makani Wind Energy Project, Oahu, HI

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Na Pua Makani Power Partners, LLC (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The applicant is requesting an ITP to authorize take of one threatened and six endangered species (``covered species''). If issued, the ITP would authorize incidental take of the covered species that may occur as a result of the construction and operation of the Na Pua Makani Wind Energy Project (Project). The ITP application includes a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) describing the applicant's actions and the measures the applicant will implement to minimize, mitigate, and monitor incidental take of the covered species. The Service also announces the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We are making the ITP application, including the draft HCP and the draft EIS, available for public review and comment.