Hawaii Revised Statutes 343. Environmental Impact Statements

  • 343-1 Findings and Purpose.
    The legislature finds that the quality of humanity's environment is critical to humanity's well being, that humanity's activities have broad and profound effects upon the...
  • 343-2 Definitions.
    As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires: "Acceptance" means a formal determination that the document required to be filed pursuant to...
  • 343-3 Public Records and Notice.
    (a) All statements, environmental assessments, and other documents prepared under this chapter shall be made available for inspection by the public during established office...
  • 343-4 Repealed.
    L 1983, c 140, ยง7.
  • 343-5 Applicability and Requirements.
    (a) Except as otherwise provided, an environmental assessment shall be required for actions that: (1) Propose the use of state or county lands or...
  • 343-5.5 Exception to Applicability of Chapter.
    (a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, for any primary action that requires a permit or approval that is not subject to a...
  • 343-6 Rules.
    (a) After consultation with the affected agencies, the council shall adopt, amend, or repeal necessary rules for the purposes of this chapter in accordance...
  • 343-6.5 Waiahole Water System; Exemption.
    The purchase of the assets of the Waiahole water system shall be specifically exempt from the requirements of chapter 343. [L 1998, c 111,
  • 343-7 Limitation of Actions.
    (a) Any judicial proceeding, the subject of which is the lack of assessment required under section 343-5, shall be initiated within one hundred twenty...
  • 343-8 Severability.
    If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other...

Note

Broadband services; exemption from certain permitting requirements through 2017. L 2011, c 151; L 2013, c 264, 3 (repealed June 30, 2018).

Department of transportation's bridge rehabilitation and replacement program; temporary exemption from certain construction requirements of this chapter through June 30, 2017 or until completion. L 2012, c 218.

Cross References

Environmental courts, jurisdiction over proceedings arising under this chapter, see 604A-2.

Law Journals and Reviews

Ke Ala Pono--The Path of Justice: The Moon Court's Native Hawaiian Rights Decisions. 33 UH L. Rev. 447 (2011).

The Moon Court's Environmental Review Jurisprudence: Throwing Open the Courthouse Doors to Beneficial Public Participation. 33 UH L. Rev. 581 (2011).

A Suggested Framework for Judicial Review of Challenges to the Adequacy of an Environmental Impact Statement Prepared under the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act. 18 UH L. Rev. 719.

Determining the Expiration Date of an Environmental Impact Statement: When to Supplement a Stale EIS in Hawai i. 35 UH L. Rev. 249 (2013).

Case Notes

Environmental impact statement addressed all statutory requirements of chapter, was compiled in good faith, and set forth sufficient information to enable decisionmaker to consider fully the environmental factors involved. 81 H. 171, 914 P.2d 1364.

Chapter does not conflict with Hawaiian homes commission act, has only incidental impact on Hawaiian home lands, and is not inconsistent with interests of the beneficiaries; thus, chapter applies to Hawaiian home lands. 87 H. 91, 952 P.2d 379.

HHCA 204 not violated by application of this chapter. 87 H. 91, 952 P.2d 379.

Where lease was executed in contravention of this chapter, power plant developers were not "existing Hawaiian homes commission act lessees"; trial court's decision that the lease was void did not deprive developers of any interest they were entitled to under the law. 106 H. 270, 103 P.3d 939.

Appellants established standing where they showed threatened injuries under the traditional injury-in-fact test and procedural injuries based on a procedural right test; the threatened injury in fact was due to defendant's decision to go forward with harbor improvements and allow the superferry project to operate at Kahului harbor without conducting an environmental assessment; the procedural injury was based on various interests appellants identified that were threatened due to the violation of their procedural rights under this chapter. 115 H. 299, 167 P.3d 292.

Where the record showed that the department of transportation did not consider whether its facilitation of the Hawaii superferry project would probably have minimal or no significant impacts, both primary and secondary, on the environment, its determination that the improvements to Kahului harbor were exempt from the requirements of this chapter was erroneous as a matter of law; the exemption thus being invalid, the environmental assessment of 343-5 was applicable. 115 H. 299, 167 P.3d 292.

Where nothing in 607-25 indicated that 607-25 should provide the exclusive means for awarding attorney's fees and costs against a party for a violation of this chapter, 607-25 was not the exclusive means for awarding attorney's fees and costs for violations of this chapter. 120 H. 181, 202 P.3d 1226.

There is nothing in this chapter to indicate that an archeological inventory survey is a "necessary study" for the completion of an environmental impact statement. 128 H. 53, 283 P.3d 60 (2012).

Last modified: October 27, 2016