Draft Environmental Assessment for Kīlauea Point Refuge Access Repairs

Kauaʻi Island, Hawaiʻi, suffered major flooding as a result of several large storms that resulted in emergency proclamations in 2018, 2020, and 2021. The Kauaʻi National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Complex), managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), sustained a significant amount of infrastructure damage from the 2020 and 2021 storms. The Complex oversees management of three National Wildlife Refuges, including the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), Infrastructure damaged includes the Refuge entrance road, parking lot, boundary fence, and main water line servicing the Refuge. As a result, the Service received emergency disaster relief funding to repair the damaged infrastructure in 2022. The repair of the main entrance road, parking lot, and waterline were prioritized among the many damages across the Complex, and were grouped into one project.
The proposed repair project includes a slight widening of the main entrance road, as well as enhanced markings, drainage, and other safety-related improvements that would improve accessibility and safety for staff, volunteers, and visitors. The main waterline to the Refuge runs underneath the road and parking lots and this waterline would be completely replaced to prevent further leaks and failure before the road is resurfaced. A small section of ungulate fencing that was damaged during storm events would also be replaced to protect the Refuge.
A proposed action may evolve during the NEPA process as the agency refines its proposal and gathers feedback from the public, Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs), and other agencies. Therefore, some details of the final proposed action may be different from the original. The proposed action would be finalized at the conclusion of the public comment period for the EA.