A draft environmental assessment published Wednesday says a new rock quarry that would be located near the Hilo landfill would create no significant impacts.
Yamada and Sons seeks a license to develop the quarry on 37 acres of state land.
The site is near existing quarries and is covered mostly with large invasive trees that grew after surface disturbance from work in the 1960s, according to the draft EA.
The quarry would allow the manufacture of “base course and components of hot mix asphalt and concrete” necessary for the a wide variety of public and private projects. Rock would be excavated with heavy equipment, with some drilling and blasting.
Rock would be stockpiled on site or trucked off site to Yamada and Sons’ quarry baseyard on Railroad Avenue for crushing, processing and sale.
About 25,000 tons of material would be extracted per month, with the excavation reaching a maximum depth of about 80 feet and a lifetime of 20 to 30 years.
No archaeological sites, cultural practices, sensitive waters, or rare species would be affected, the EA said.
Yamada and Sons needs a new quarry “because its existing quarry has nearly exhausted its supply of adequate quality material,” the EA said.
Yamada and Sons will prepare and implement a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan to contain sediment and storm water runoff from leaving the project site. Furthermore, construction equipment would be kept in good working condition to minimize the risk of fluid leaks that could enter runoff and groundwater.
Although the surveys have determined that no significant biological, historic or cultural resources are present, “if archaeological resources or burials are encountered during land-altering activities associated with construction, work in the immediate area of the discovery will be halted and the State Historic Preservation Division would be contacted,” according to the EA.
A portion of the proposed license area is currently part of a larger area under a revocable permit to Hawaii County for use as a skeet range, but within an area not used or needed by the county as part of range operations.
A 30-day public review and comment period has begun. Comments should sent to the Department of Land and Natural Resources by Nov. 22.