8 Public Involvement and Distribution

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1 8 Public Involvement and Distribution

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3 Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION Project Website Scoping Period Public Scoping Notification Notification Letters Postcard Mailers Newspaper Advertisements Press Releases Project Video Public Scoping Meetings Public Scoping Comments A True No Action Alternative Analysis Time-Area Management and Mitigation Areas Cumulative Impacts Analysis Water Quality and Hazardous Materials Air Quality and Air Traffic Patterns Human Health and Socioeconomic Impacts Simulation Look-out Effectiveness Impacts of Training and Testing on Marine Mammals Impacts on Focal Species and Essential Fish Habitat Notification of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement Notification of Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement and Public Meetings Notification Letters Postcards Press Releases and Public Service Announcements Newspaper Advertisements Public Meetings i Table of Contents

4 8.4 Distribution of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement Federal Agencies Repositories List of Figures Figure 8.2-1: Stakeholder Scoping Notification Letter Figure 8.2-2: Postcard Mailer for Scoping (Front) Figure 8.2-3: Postcard Mailer for Scoping (Back) Figure 8.2-4: Newspaper Announcement of Scoping Figure 8.2-5: Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific Press Release Figure 8.2-6: Navy Region Southwest Press Release List of Tables Table 8.2-1: Entities that Received the Scoping Notification Letter Table 8.2-2: Newspaper Announcements of Scoping Meetings Table 8.3-1: Entities that Received the Draft EIS/OEIS Notification Letters Table 8.3-2: Newspaper Announcements of Draft EIS/OEIS Public Meetings Table 8.3-3: Public Meetings Locations Table 8.4-1: Information Repositories with a Hard Copy and CD/DVD of the Draft EIS/OEIS ii Table of Contents

5 8 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION This chapter describes the efforts to involve the public in preparing the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (OEIS), including distribution of the Draft EIS/OEIS. 8.1 PROJECT WEBSITE A public website was established for this project: This website address was published in the Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings (Appendix G, Federal Register Notices). It was subsequently reprinted in newspaper advertisements, agency letters, and postcards for the Notice of Intent. The scoping meeting fact sheets, public meeting notifications, technical reports, and various other materials are available on the project website and will be made available throughout the course of the project. 8.2 SCOPING PERIOD The public scoping period began with issuance of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on November 12, A corrected Notice of Intent was released in the Federal Register on December 1, This notice included a project description, scoping meeting dates, and locations. Comments were provided by mail and through the EIS/OEIS website at: The United States (U.S.) Department of the Navy (Navy) also conducted public scoping meetings to obtain comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS and to identify specific environmental concerns or topics for consideration in the document. The scoping period lasted 60 days, concluding on January 12, The scoping period provided a variety of opportunities for the public to comment on the scope of the EIS/OEIS PUBLIC SCOPING NOTIFICATION The Navy made significant efforts to notify the public to ensure maximum public participation during the scoping process. A summary of these efforts follows Notification Letters Notice of Intent and Notice of Scoping Meeting letters were distributed on November 13, 2015, to federally recognized tribes; state-elected officials; and federal, regional, and state agencies. Entities that received the scoping notification letter can be found in Table and an example of the letter can be found in Figure

6 Table 8.2-1: Entities that Received the Scoping Notification Letter California Federally Recognized Tribes Barona Band of Mission Indians Campo Kumeyaay Nation (Formerly Campo Band of Mission Indians) Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel Inaja-Cosmit Band of Mission Indians Jamul Indian Village La Jolla Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the La Jolla Reservation La Posta Band of Mission Indians Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians Manzanita Band of Mission Indians Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pauma & Yuima Reservation Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Indians Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Viejas Band of Mission Indians California Non-Federally Recognized Tribes Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians Gabrielino-Tongva Tribal Council of San Gabriel Gabrielino-Tongva of the Los Angeles Basin Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe Hawaii State Elected Officials and State Agencies Office of the Governor State Senators (all) State Representatives (all) Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program State Land Use Commission Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Office of the Chairman Department of Health Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Division of Forestry and Wildlife Division of State Parks Historic Preservation Division Island Burial Councils (Hawaii, Kauai/Niihau, Maui/Lanai, Molokai, and Oahu) Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands Department of Transportation Airports Division Harbors Division Office of Hawaiian Affairs Local City and County of Honolulu County of Hawaii County of Kauai County of Maui 8-2

7 California State Elected Officials and State Agencies Office of the Governor Office of Planning and Research, Military Affairs State Senators (Districts 27, 33, 35, 38, and 39) State Assembly members (Districts 54, 55, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, and 79) California Coastal Commission Department of Conservation Division of Land Resource Protection Department of Fish and Game Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force Marine Region 7 South Coast Region 5 Wildlife Branch Department of Parks and Recreation Department of Public Health Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics, Office of Airports Department of Toxic Substance Control Region 4 Department of Veterans Affairs Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Office of the Secretary Natural Resources Agency Office of Historic Preservation State Lands Commission State Water Resources Control Board Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board Wildlife Conservation Board Local City of Avalon City of Coronado City of Dana Point City of Huntington Beach City of Imperial Beach City of Laguna Beach City of Long Beach City of Los Angeles City of Malibu City of Newport Beach City of Oceanside City of San Diego County of Los Angeles County of Orange County of San Diego Port of Long Beach Port of Los Angeles San Diego Unified Port District 8-3

8 Federal Agencies U.S. Senators (Hawaii, California) U.S. Representatives (California Districts 35, 36, 37, 44, 46, 48, 49, 50, 52, and Hawaii Districts 1 and 2) Federal Aviation Administration Washington, D.C., Headquarters Western Pacific Region U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division Honolulu District South Pacific Division Los Angeles District U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Washington, D.C., Headquarters Southwest Regional Offices Southwest Fisheries Science Center Pacific Islands Regional Office Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Office of Habitat Conservation Southwest Regional Office Pacific Islands Regional Habitat Conservation Division Office of Protected Resources Headquarters and Pacific Islands Region Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard District 11 District 14 Office of Operating and Environmental Standards U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Pacific Regional Office Southern California Agency Bureau of Land Management California Coastal National Monument Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement National Offshore Office Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region Channel Islands National Park National Park Service Pacific West Region Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance Oakland Region U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Environmental Policy Act Compliance Division Region IX (San Francisco) Washington, D.C., Headquarters U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Carlsbad Office 8-4

9 Pacific Regional Office Pacific Southwest Regional Office Ventura Office San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge Huleia National Wildlife Refuge James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge Marine Mammal Commission U.S. Geological Survey Western Region Offices California Water Science Center Pacific Islands Water Science Center Western Fisheries Research Center 8-5

10 Figure 8.2-1: Stakeholder Scoping Notification Letter 8-6

11 Figure 8.2-1: Stakeholder Scoping Notification Letter (continued) 8-7

12 Figure 8.2-1: Stakeholder Scoping Notification Letter (continued) 8-8

13 Figure 8.2-1: Stakeholder Scoping Notification Letter (continued) 8-9

14 Postcard Mailers On November 12, 2015, postcards were mailed to 1,051 recipients on the project mailing list, including individuals, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations. The postcards included the dates, locations, and times for the scoping meetings, as well as the website address for more information. An example of the postcard is shown in Figure and Figure

15 Figure 8.2-2: Postcard Mailer for Scoping (Front) 8-11

16 Figure 8.2-3: Postcard Mailer for Scoping (Back) 8-12

17 Newspaper Advertisements To announce the scoping period, advertisements were placed in the listed newspapers in the following cities on the dates indicated in Table The advertisements included a description of the Proposed Action, the address of the project website, the duration of the comment period, and information on how to provide comments. An example of the advertisement is shown in Figure Table 8.2-2: Newspaper Announcements of Scoping Meetings San Diego Union-Tribune November 13, 2015 November 14, 2015 November 15, 2015 Honolulu/Oahu Honolulu Star-Advertiser November 13, 2015 November 14, 2015 November 15, 2015 Hilo/Big Island Hawaii Tribune-Herald November 13, 2015 November 14, 2015 November 15, 2015 Maui Maui News November 13, 2015 November 14, 2015 November 15, 2015 Lihue/Kauai The Garden Island November 13, 2015 November 15, 2015 November 16, 2015 Figure 8.2-4: Newspaper Announcement of Scoping 8-13

18 Press Releases Press releases to announce the scoping meetings were distributed on November 12, The press releases provided a description of the Proposed Action, address of the project website, duration of the comment period, and information on the public meetings. The press releases also provided information on the availability of the Navy Environmental Media Officer to meet with the media in advance of the meetings. One of the press releases from Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific is shown in Figure A separate press release was issued by Navy Region Southwest and is shown in Figure

19 Figure 8.2-5: Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific Press Release 8-15

20 Figure 8.2-5: Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific Press Release (continued) 8-16

21 Figure 8.2-6: Navy Region Southwest Press Release 8-17

22 8.2.2 PROJECT VIDEO Figure 8.2-6: Navy Region Southwest Press Release (continued) Two project videos were developed to support the scoping process and provide information to the public on the types of training and testing the Navy conducts and its importance, and on the Navy s marine species mitigation and monitoring efforts. The project videos were uploaded to the project website. Topics for the project video included general project overview Navy s mission 8-18

23 importance of training and testing in the HSTT Study Area importance of training and testing with sonar and explosives existing marine mitigation measures and monitoring efforts environmental stewardship programs PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS Scoping meetings were held on December 1, 3, and 5, 2015, in the cities of San Diego, California; Lihue, Hawaii; and Honolulu, Hawaii, respectively. The meetings were structured in an open-house format, presenting informational posters and written information, with Navy staff and project experts available to answer participants questions. There were 11 attendees at the San Diego meeting, including a representative of Congressman Scott Peters, U.S. Representative of California's 52nd District; along with nongovernmental organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, San Diego Audubon Society, Port of San Diego, University of San Diego, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Lihue meeting had 20 attendees and two written comments. There were representatives from the Kauai Community Radio, KKCR Hanalei KAQA Kilauea, The Garden Island Media; a representative of Governor David Ige, Governor of the State of Hawaii; and nongovernmental organizations, including Luluku Farmer s Association, the University of Hawaii, the Surfrider Foundation, and the Kauai Westside Watershed Council. The Honolulu meeting had eight attendees and one written comment. Elected official representation included a representative of Senator Gil Riviere, Senator of Hawaii s 23rd District; a representative of Congressman Mark Takai, U.S. Representative from Hawaii s 1st Congressional District; and nongovernmental organizations, including Cultural Surveys Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, and Ke ehi Memorial Organization PUBLIC SCOPING COMMENTS Scoping participants submitted comments in four ways: Oral statements at the public meetings (as recorded by the tape recorder) Written comments at the public meetings Written letters (received any time during the public comment period) Comments submitted directly on the project website (received any time during the public comment period) The Navy received oral, written, and electronic comments from federal agencies, state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, individuals, and community groups. A total of 534 website comments were submitted using the electronic comment form on the project website. A total of 24 written comments were also mailed or submitted at the public scoping meetings. Additionally, the Navy received a form letter comment with 73,529 signatures. The comments requested the Navy to analyze environmental issues from physical and biological resources, such as sonar impacts on marine mammals, to human resources, such as public health and safety. A sampling of some of the specific concerns follows. 8-19

24 A True No Action Alternative Analysis Comments stated that the EIS/OEIS should have a true No Action Alternative in which the National Marine Fisheries Service did not issue a permit for training and testing activities, and Naval Training and Testing activities would cease to occur in the HSTT Study Area. Comments stated that the analysis should include these true No Action Alternative impacts on marine biota, air quality, water quality, socioeconomics, cultural resources, and human health and safety Time-Area Management and Mitigation Areas Comments stated that the EIS/OEIS should have reasonable alternatives that incorporate mitigation measures such as time-area management, which would mitigate impacts of noise and other disturbances to marine mammals and sea turtles as activities would happen selectively to allow for areas to sometimes be closed for conservation. Areas of concern include areas identified by the National Marine Fisheries Service as important to marine species, the Cross Seamount in Hawaii, and the Southern California Bight Cumulative Impacts Analysis Comments suggested that the cumulative impacts should be assessed in respect to trend data. A suggested methodology that was developed by the Federal Highways Administration and Caltrans with the assistance of the Environmental Protection Agency for assessing cumulative impacts follows an eight-step process (California Department of Transportation, 2005). The eight steps in the suggested process are summarized as (1) identify the resources to consider in the cumulative impact analysis, (2) define the geographic boundary or Resource Study Area for each resource to be addressed, (3) describe the current health and historical context of each resource, (4) identify the direct and indirect impacts of the proposed project that might contribute to a cumulative impact on the identified resources, (5) Identify the set of other current and reasonably foreseeable future actions or projects and their associated environmental impacts, (6) assess the potential cumulative impacts, (7) report the results of the cumulative impact analysis, and (8) assess the need for mitigation and/or recommendations for actions by other agencies to address a cumulative impact (California Department of Transportation, 2005) Water Quality and Hazardous Materials Comments requested that water quality and hazardous materials be evaluated in regard to the fate and transport of toxins from ammunition/explosives and sinking exercise vessel use, and their cumulative impacts on ocean water quality Air Quality and Air Traffic Patterns Comments suggested that the EIS/OEIS should quantify carbon pollution contribution from military activities to air quality, and the impacts on air traffic patterns Human Health and Socioeconomic Impacts Comments requested that human health and socioeconomic changes be evaluated to assess whether activities will bring new personnel stationed in the Study Area, and if there will be impacts on traffic. 8-20

25 Simulation Comments stated that simulated activities should be considered for military training and testing rather than using sonar and explosives Look-out Effectiveness Comments questioned the effectiveness of lookouts in marine mammal monitoring and suggested that they should be reevaluated during poor visibility conditions. Thermal imaging should be incorporated to lookout for not only marine mammals but also seabirds and other species of concern Impacts of Training and Testing on Marine Mammals Comments stated that impacts of training and testing on marine mammals are of great concern and need to be addressed in the EIS/OEIS. Ship strikes to fin whales and other species in the HSTT Study Area could be mitigated by a reduction in ship speed at times or in areas that have a high density of species present. The Navy Acoustic Effects Model is too general and should do more to reduce takes on focal species. Impacts of dipping sonar should be more extensively studied and analyzed for marine mammals. Signal modification should be considered to reduce the takes of marine mammals. Areas of concern for beaked whales include the Southern California Bight, San Nicholas Basin, Santa Catalina Basin, the southernmost edge of the California current west of Tanner and Cortez Banks, and the Northern Catalina Basin and San Clemente Basin. The Proposed Action should comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Vessel noise should be added to acoustic impacts in the Marine Mammal Analysis Impacts on Focal Species and Essential Fish Habitat Comments stated that impacts on focal species and habitats, such as Essential Fish Habitat, should be analyzed in greater detail. These focal species include Endangered Species Act species, Marine Mammal Protection Act species, coral reefs, marine mammals (specifically beaked whales), fin whales, green sea turtles, and protected seabirds. 8.3 NOTIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/OVERSEAS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT The Draft EIS/OEIS public review and comment period began with issuance of the Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meetings in the Federal Register on October 13, The Federal Register notices included notification of the availability of the Draft EIS/OEIS and where it can be accessed; an overview of the Proposed Action and its purpose and need; public commenting information; and the locations, dates, and times of public meetings. The purpose of the public meetings is to inform the public about the Proposed Action and to solicit public comments on the environmental issues addressed and analyzed in the Draft EIS/OEIS. The Draft EIS/OEIS public review and comment period will last 60 days, concluding on December 12, Comments will be accepted by mail, through the EIS/OEIS website at: and at the public meetings NOTIFICATION OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/OVERSEAS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND PUBLIC MEETINGS The Navy has made significant efforts to facilitate maximum public participation during the Draft EIS/OEIS public review and comment period. A summary of these efforts follows. 8-21

26 Notification Letters A tribal notification letter was distributed on the day of the release of the Draft EIS/OEIS to appropriate federally recognized tribes and non-federally recognized tribes. A total of 22 tribal letters were mailed. A stakeholder notification letter was distributed on the day of the release of the Draft EIS/OEIS to appropriate and interested federal, state, and local government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and persons expressing an interest in the Proposed Action and Draft EIS/OEIS. A total of 551 stakeholder notification letters were mailed. Entities that received the notification letters can be found in Table Table 8.3-1: Entities that Received the Draft EIS/OEIS Notification Letters California Federally Recognized Tribes Barona Band of Mission Indians Campo Kumeyaay Nation (Formerly Campo Band of Mission Indians) Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel Inaja-Cosmit Band of Mission Indians Jamul Indian Village La Jolla Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the La Jolla Reservation La Posta Band of Mission Indians Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians Manzanita Band of Mission Indians Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pauma & Yuima Reservation Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Indians Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Viejas Band of Mission Indians California Non-Federally Recognized Tribes Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe Hawaii State Elected Officials and State Agencies Office of the Governor Office of Lieutenant Governor State Senators (all) State Representatives (all) House Committee on Veterans, Military, and International Affairs, and Culture and the Arts Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program State Land Use Commission Department of Defense Army National Guard Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Office of the Chairman Department of Health Clean Water Branch Environmental Management Division Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement Division of Forestry and Wildlife Division of State Parks Historic Preservation Division 8-22

27 Island Burial Councils (Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu) Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands Department of Transportation Airports Division Harbors Division Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office Office of Environmental Quality Control Office of Hawaiian Affairs Office of Planning Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Local City and County of Honolulu County of Hawaii County of Kauai County of Maui California State Elected Officials and State Agencies Office of the Governor Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Military Affairs State Senators (Districts 27, 33, 35, 37, 38, and 39) State Assembly members (Districts 54, 55, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, and 79) California Coastal Commission Department of Boating and Waterways Department of Conservation Department of Fish and Wildlife Air Services Unit Habitat Conservation Planning Branch Marine Region 7 Marine Region Habitat Conservation Program Marine Region San Diego Field Office South Coast Region 5 Wildlife Branch Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board Fish and Game Commission Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Natural Resources Agency Department of Conservation Silver Strand State Beach State Clearinghouse State Ocean Protection Council State Water Resources Control Board Ocean Unit, Division of Water Quality Wildlife Conservation Board Local City of Avalon City of Chula Vista City of Coronado City of Dana Point City of Huntington Beach City of Imperial Beach 8-23

28 City of Laguna Beach City of Long Beach City of Los Angeles City of Malibu City of National City City of Newport Beach City of Oceanside City of San Diego County of Los Angeles County of Orange County of San Diego Port of Long Beach Port of Los Angeles Port of San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board Los Angeles Region San Diego Air Pollution Control District San Diego Unified Port District South Coast Air Quality Management District Federal Agencies U.S. Senators (Hawaii, California) U.S. Representatives (California Districts 35, 36, 37, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, and Hawaii Districts 1 and 2) Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Council on Environmental Quality Federal Aviation Administration Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center Washington, D.C., Headquarters Western Pacific Region International Boundary and Water Commission Marine Mammal Commission National Marine Protected Areas Center National Science Foundation Pacific Fishery Management Council Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service Office for Coastal Management Office of National Marine Sanctuaries National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office Protected Resources Division West Coast Region Pacific Islands Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument U.S. Department of State 8-24

29 Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Southern California Agency Bureau of Land Management California Coastal National Monument Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Bureau of Ocean Energy Management National Offshore Office Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region Channel Islands National Park National Park Service Pacific West Region Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Carlsbad Office Division of Refuges Pacific Regional Office Pacific Southwest Regional Office Sacramento Office Ventura Office San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge Kakahaia National Wildlife Refuge Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office U.S. Geological Survey Western Region Offices California Water Science Center Marine Coastal Group Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Pacific Islands Water Science Center Western Fisheries Research Center Postcards On October 12, 2017, postcards were mailed to over 800 recipients on the project mailing list, including individuals; nongovernmental organizations; community and business groups; fishing, aviation, and recreation groups, and private companies. The postcards included the dates, locations, and times for the public meetings, as well as the website address for more information, commenting information, and a brief summary of the Proposed Action Press Releases and Public Service Announcements A press release to announce the availability of the Draft EIS/OEIS and public meetings was distributed on October 13, The press releases provided a description of the Proposed Action, project website, duration of the comment period and commenting methods, information repositories, and location, dates, and times of the public meetings. The press releases also provided information on the availability of the Navy to meet with the media in advance of the meetings. A Public Service Announcement was distributed on October 13, 2017 to announce the public meetings. The Public Service Announcement provided the public meeting locations and project website. 8-25

30 Newspaper Advertisements To announce the availability of the Draft EIS/OEIS and public meetings, advertisements were placed in area newspapers in the following cities on the dates indicated in Table The advertisements included a description of the Proposed Action, the project website, the duration of the comment period, and information on how to provide comments. Table 8.3-2: Newspaper Announcements of Draft EIS/OEIS Public Meetings Honolulu/Oahu Honolulu Star-Advertiser October 13, 2017 November 4, 2017 November 5, 2017 November 6, 2017 Lihue/Kauai The Garden Island October 13, 2017 November 5, 2017 November 7, 2017 November 8, 2017 Maui Maui News October 13, 2017 November 5, 2017 November 6, 2017 November 7, 2017 Hilo/Big Island Hawaii Tribune-Herald October 13, 2017 November 5, 2017 November 8, 2017 November 9, 2017 San Diego The San Diego Union-Tribune October 13, 2017 November 11, 2017 November 12, 2017 November 13, PUBLIC MEETINGS The Navy will hold public meetings to inform the public about the Proposed Action and to solicit public comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS. The public meetings will include informational poster stations staffed by Navy representatives, a brief presentation by the Navy, and a public oral comment session. Members of the public can arrive at any time during the public meetings. The public meetings in Hawaii will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. The public meeting in San Diego will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The public meetings dates and locations are shown in Table

31 Table 8.3-3: Public Meetings Locations LOCATION DATE ADDRESS Honolulu, HI November 6, 2017 Kahului, Maui November 7, 2017 Lihue, Kauai November 8, 2017 Hilo, Big Island November 9, 2017 San Diego, CA November 13, 2017 Oahu Veterans Center, Fred Ballard Hall 1298 Kukila St. Maui High School, Cafeteria 660 S. Lono Ave. Kauai Veterans Center, Main Ballroom 3215 Kapule Highway Waiakea High School, Cafeteria 155 W. Kawili St. Portuguese Hall, Main Hall 2818 Avenida de Portugal 8.4 DISTRIBUTION OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/OVERSEAS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT All of the parties that were notified of the availability of the Draft EIS/OEIS were directed to access the document electronically on the project website ( or to access hard copies as available at the information repositories discussed in Section (Repositories) FEDERAL AGENCIES The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency received an electronic version of the Draft EIS/OEIS on October 6, Regional offices of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency received electronic versions of the EIS/OEIS. The National Marine Fisheries Service headquarters along with National Marine Fisheries Service Hawaii and Southwest Regional Offices received hard copies and electronic copies of the Draft EIS/OEIS REPOSITORIES The Draft EIS/OEIS was mailed in hard copy form along with an electronic CD/DVD to the information repository locations shown in Table 8.4-1, and should be made available to the public for a minimum of one year. 8-27

32 Table 8.4-1: Information Repositories with a Hard Copy and CD/DVD of the Draft EIS/OEIS Oahu Hawaii State Library 478 S. King St. Honolulu, HI Kauai Lihue Public Library 4344 Hardy St. Lihue, HI Maui Kahului Public Library 90 School St. Kahului, HI Big Island Hilo Public Library 300 Waianuenue Ave. Hilo, HI The Big Island Kailua-Kona Public Library Hualalai Road Kailua-Kona, HI San Diego City of San Diego Central Library 330 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA Coronado Coronado Public Library 640 Orange Ave. Coronado, CA Long Beach Long Beach Main Library 101 Pacific Ave. Long Beach, CA

33 REFERENCES California Department of Transportation. (2005). Guidance for Preparers of Cumulative Impact Analysis Approach and Guidance. 8-29

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