SAFE HARBOR AGREEMENTS IN HAWAII
The Safe Harbor program
encourages proactive natural resource management to benefit endangered
and threatened species by providing regulatory assurances that future
property-use restrictions will not be imposed if those efforts attract
endangered or threatened species to their enrolled property or result
in increased numbers or distributions of listed species already
present. Text of the Hawaii Revised Statute regarding Safe Harbor
Agreements (HRS Section 195D-22) is available online.
Safe Harbor Agreements already in place in Hawaii include the following: [in PDF Format]
Safe Harbor Agreement with Chevron Products Company, Hawaii Refinery at James Campbell Industrial Park, Oahu: Finalized in July, 2005, this Safe Harbor Agreement is for the management of nesting and foraging habitat for endangered Hawaiian Stilt and Hawaiian Coot at the Chevron Refinery Hawaii at the James Campbell Industrial Park on Oahu. The Agreement has a term of 6 years and during that period Chevron will maintain 6 acres of stilt nesting habitat and 5 acres of habitat for stilt and coot foraging. Chevron will manage the water level and vegetation in a basin known as Rowland's Pond to maximize nesting habitat and conduct predator control around Rowland's Pond and several other ponded areas within the refinery to provide additional foraging habitat. Chevron has committed to monitor the stilts and coots occurring on their property and implement adaptive management strategies should current management activities appear ineffective. In addition, Chevron will conduct an education program for its employees and contractors about the Hawaiian stilt and Hawaiian coot at the refinery.
Safe Harbor Agreement for the Reintroduction of the Nene to Piiholo Ranch, Maui: Under this Agreement, finalized in August, 2004, Piiholo Ranch will maintain or improve approximately 600 acres of nene habitat on the Ranch for a period of 10 years by continuing cattle ranching operations, thereby maintaining open, short-grass habitat; establish and maintain a nene release pen; control predators around breeding and release sites; and outplant native plant species known to be nene food sources. DLNR will conduct the actual reintroduction of nene raised at the Maui Bird Conservation Center and Ranch staff will provide food and water to the nene while they are in the release pen and assist DLNR in monitoring the population on the Ranch.
Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement for the Nene on the Island of Molokai, Hawaii:
Finalized in April, 2003, this is the first "programmatic" Safe Harbor
Agreement in the state, such that DOFAW is the permitee and individual
landowners ("Cooperators") enroll through Cooperative Agreements with
DOFAW and are covered under DOFAW's Agreement and Permit. Landowners
can voluntarily enroll by signing a Cooperative Agreement with the
State which commits them to make appropriate habitat on their land
available to nene for a period of 10 years, and in return the landowner
receives assurances from both the state and federal agencies that they
will not be held responsible if nene should be accidentally harmed or
killed on their property for the duration of the permit, which expires
in 2053.
Safe
Harbor Agreement and Habitat Management Plan for Koloa (Hawaiian Duck)
and Nene (Hawaiian Goose) on Umikoa Ranch, Island of Hawaii: Under
this Agreement, finalized in December, 2001, Umikoa Ranch will create
and fence 152 acres of new wetland and associated upland habitat,
improve nene and koloa breeding success in new habitats by controlling
mammalian predators there, and maintain additional foraging and wetland
habitat that is already present on the Ranch.
Safe Harbor Agreement for Nene Introduction to Puu O Hoku Ranch, Molokai:
Under the first Safe Harbor Agreement in the State, finalized in
September, 2001, Puu O Hoku Ranch agreed to maintain or improve
significant amounts of nene habitat for a period of 7 years by
continuing cattle ranching operations, thereby maintaining open, short
grass habitat; assist DLNR to establish and maintain release sites and
assist DLNR to control predators around breeding and release sites.
For more information contact:
Bill Standley
DLNR/DOFAW
1151 Punchbowl St., Rm. 325
Honolulu, HI 96813
Telephone (808) 587-4171
Fax (808) 587-0160
Email: William.G.Standley@hawaii.gov