Excerpts from the Final Environmental Assessment prepared by Oceanit and published by the Department of Design and Construction in January 2005

Support Park for the North Shore Surfing Community

“Laniakea Beach Support Park is expected to provide beach-oriented recreation and support facilities to the existing North Shore community, in particular the growing surfing community in the area.” Project Summery: Potential Impacts (Page 4 of PDF)

“… the City and County of Honolulu purchased a 3-acre parcel makai of Kamehameha Highway and designated it a support park for the beach and ocean activities across the Highway….” Section 1: Purpose and Need for Action (Page 8 of PDF)

Ocean Safety

“Laniakea is not a particularly good swimming beach. Most of the shoreline fronts a low reef and the offshore bottom is rocky. The only sandy swimming area is near the Lauhulu Bridge. This area is not always safe for swimming because the alongshore currents are often strong, even on calm days.” Section 2: Project Description - 2.2 Site History (Page 10 of PDF)

Erosion and the Sea Turtle Habitat

“… Erosion, shoreline hardening, and drifting of sand are impacting the roadway as well as preventing the natural movement of the beach. A sea turtle habitat is located on the shore contiguous to Kamehameha Highway on the Waimea side across from the project site. Moving the roadway inland will allow the beach to undulate naturally, reduce the amount of hardened shoreline, reduce impacts to the sea turtle habitat and prevent sand from accumulating/blowing across road.” Section 2: Project Description - 2.5.6 Proposed Alternative Transportation Route (Page 16 of PDF)

Removal of the Rock Armoring to Restore Beach

“The existing highway is regularly threatened by seasonal high surf and warrants closures of the makai lanes on an annual basis. Clearly, the existing highway is too close to the shoreline and is impacting the coastal process of the beach and nearshore waters. The OCCL supports relocating the highway in conjunction with the development of the proposed beach park. This may offer multiple benefits including: 1. The removal of the rock armoring protecting the highway would allow the beach to respond naturally to seasonal erosion and would likely form a wider sandy beach fronting the beach park as the beach is able to migrate landward naturally….” Appendix: Comments and Responses - September 16, 2004 DLNR OCCL (Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands) letter to the city (Page 49 of PDF)