Hawaiian Electric protects Maui’s seabirds with long-term plan
Release Date: 11/3/2022
KAHULUI, Nov. 3, 2022 – As part of its continued efforts to protect and preserve Maui’s unique avian species, Hawaiian Electric is taking steps to prepare a long-term Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
In April 2022, Hawaiian Electric sent letters to the USFWS and DLNR proactively committing to the development of an HCP. The HCP is being developed by Hawaiian Electric to expand the protection of native seabirds on Maui. As part of its HCP, Hawaiian Electric will further evaluate company-owned infrastructure located across Maui for risks to seabirds. Such additional measures through an HCP should help to minimize and mitigate potential impacts on seabird species, such as the endangered ao or the Newell’s shearwater and the uau or Hawaiian petrel, and provide long-term benefits to the species and their habitats.
Since 2007, Hawaiian Electric has worked with government regulators, community organizations and wildlife agencies – including the USFWS, DLNR and Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project (MNSRP) – to implement measures to reduce potential impacts of its facilities on seabirds. Those measures include shielding facility lighting and altering power lines on the five islands it serves.
The company also continues to promote seabird recovery through support of the MNSRP Save Our Seabirds partnership on Maui, to help minimize threats to federally- and state-protected seabirds. Under Hawaiian Electric’s protected species program, the company is a member of the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC) – a national organization that leads the electric utility industry in protecting avian wildlife while enhancing reliable energy delivery.
