Community outreach

• The solar array racking system design was changed from single-axis trackers to fixed-tilt.
• Fixed-tilt systems have the advantage of being slope tolerant and can be installed in a more compact space compared to single-axis trackers. Due to the topography of the site, the use of fixed-tilt foundations allows for a reduced Project footprint; thereby allowing more flexibility on the micro-siting of the solar array.
• The Project layout has been designed to take into account the results of the archaeological and environmental studies (see attached figures).
• The solar panels will occupy about one-quarter of the approximately 200-acre study area.
• June 2020 Project Update Letter.

• The Project is planning to use a temporary access road outside of Maui Meadows during construction.
• Use of Piilani Highway during construction would be temporary and would try to avoid peak traffic hours.
• During operations the site requires only minimal access by light-duty vehicles.
• Best management practices will be used during construction and operation such as scheduling deliveries for non-peak hours of traffic, minimizing the number of vehicles on roadways.
• See Appendix L_Traffic Impact Analysis Report as part of the County Special Use Permit application. 

Setbacks Increased

• The initially-proposed setback to the solar panels was 200 feet, this revised project layout has now increased the setback to be a minimum of 300 feet away from the property line or equivalent to a football field away.
• Existing vegetation between the fence lines will be preserved which further reduces the visibility of the Project from the Maui Meadows homes adjacent to Ulupalakua Ranch.
• We remain committed to the solar array height being about 8-9 feet (reduced from about 16 feet) to keep them at the approximate height of the existing tree line.

Refer to the June 2020 Project Update – Revised Project Layout

View Planes Mitigated

• The Project will be partially visible from select locations.
• We developed visual (photo) simulations of the project through an experienced engineering firm to understand the potential views from the homes along the border of the ranch land and shared them with the community. Updated visual simulations are being prepared based on this design layout and we look forward to sharing them with the community this summer.
• We committed to adding additional vegetation to the existing vegetation buffer between the property line and the Project fence line where beneficial to mitigating view planes of the select homes directly adjacent to the ranch that may be affected.
• Homes that border the ranch will have potential views of the project. All the other homes within the neighborhood will have no view of the project as Maui Meadows is on a hillside and the combination of all the other houses being below the natural elevation of the ranch and the row of adjacent houses to the ranch block views.

Refer to the Visual (Photo) Simulations 

Noise

• Although noise related to the single-axis trackers was not expected to be audible from any neighboring residences, we took this concern into consideration and switched our design to fixed-tilt foundation. This change eliminates the potential for noise from the solar tracker motors.
• See Acoustic Assessment Report as part of the County Special Use Permit application.

• The solar panels will have an anti-reflection coating.
• With the fixed-tilt foundations, the potential glint and glare from the panels will be mitigated by the anti-reflective coating on the panels and by design and modifications of the array azimuth or direction in which the panels face (south-east).
• The Project design accounts for potential glint or glare and follows guidance developed by the Federal
• Aviation Administration (FAA).
• Preliminary analysis that simulated the perspective of nearby residences did NOT find any glint or glare issues.
• Detailed analysis will be conducted on the revised project layout and if any issues are identified then measures will be taken to mitigate them.
• See
• See  Appendix O_Glare Analysis Report  as part of the County Special Use Permit application. 

• Preliminary meeting was held with the Maui Fire Department to discuss fire protection and risk reduction in which the department noted the project would act as a firebreak to Maui Meadows.
• A fire safety plan will be implemented. We will work with the department to identify and mitigate safety risks to prevent incidents and protect employees, first responders, the public and the environment.
• A site visit with the Fire Department will be held to review procedures for different types of potential incidents
• See Appendix C_Fire Code_Vegetation Management Plan as part of the County Special Use Permit application. 

• The Project’s battery energy storage system has been designed to comply with national fire safety standards and best safety practices including proper training for operators and first responders.
• Battery storage to be used at the Project site has undergone stringent safety testing and are designed for commercial and outdoor use and will utilize liquid cooled lithium-ion batteries enclosed in multiple smaller steel cabinets to mitigate fire spread in the case of an external or internal fire event.
• Battery supplier has completed a full-scale hazard assessment of its battery system by the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that included both internal and external fire attack experiments.
• See Appendix C_Fire Code_Vegetation Management Plan as part of the County Special Use Permit application. 

• Required archaeological, biological, technical, and site-specific surveys and studies are underway to assess potential impacts, mitigation measure, design limitations, and meeting permitting criteria for the Project.
• Site-specific plans will be prepared to address potential impacts (e.g. spill and stormwater prevention, erosion and sediment control).
• Innergex is regularly consulting with the Aha Moku, environmental groups, and other stakeholders on to these surveys and studies.
• See County Special Use Permit application.

• The Project will not change the local climate or affect the natural flow of air across Maui Meadows or southern Maui. The up- and down-slope winds off Haleakala would overwhelm any heat creation from the solar farm. The Project area is simply too small in relation to the area of the southwestern slope of Haleakala to have a significant impact on the natural air movement across Maui Meadows and the larger Wailea area.
• The Tetra Tech Memorandum RE Heat Island Effect in Context to the Proposed Paeahu Solar Project, Maui County, Hawaii dated July 2020.
• See Appendix R_Heat Island Memorandum as part of the County Special Use Permit application. 

• EMF levels in the local area will not change as a result of the Project. Electric facilities produce EMF, as do household appliances and electrical lights. The Project will produce low levels of DC EMF from panels and collector lines, and AC EMF from inverters, battery energy storage system, transformers, and power lines.
• Levels of DC EMF produced are significantly less than the Earth’s magnetic field. Levels of AC EMF also decrease rapidly with distance and point sources will be 625 – 3,000 ft from the Maui Meadows neighborhood. As a result, no electric or magnetic fields created by the project will be measurable at any residences.
• The term “dirty” power is used to describe electricity containing high radio frequency noise. “Dirty” power is commonly produced by household electronics such as computers. Utility-scale power generators such as solar farms must meet national power quality standards and include high frequency voltage filtering. Project equipment must meet federal radio frequency standards and any low levels produced dissipate near the source, leaving no measurable levels at the project boundary.
• Innergex followed-up with the two companies put forward by Dr. Debra Greene: Cratus Canada on December 12, 2018 and Satic Inc. on December 13, 2018. Satic agreed that the proposed project at these distances are far enough away to not have an impact on the neighboring residences. Innergex requested that they provide additional information for review and consideration.
• Refer to the Tetra Tech Memorandum RE EMF and ‘Dirty Power’ in Context to the Proposed Paeahu Solar Project, Maui County, Hawaii dated July 2020.
• See Appendix Q_Electro Magnetic Frequency Memorandum as part of the County Special Use Permit application.

• Two property impact analyses have concluded that the Project is not expected to have an adverse effect on nearby property values.
• An analysis was conducted by CohnReznick to quantify changes in adjacent property values upon the construction, operation, and overall presence of a solar facility in various locations in the United States. The study locations represent California, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, and New York in a variety of market conditions to ensure an unbiased and distinct sample size.
  • Property values for parcels adjacent to an existing facility were analyzed (as well as in various phases of construction where possible) as a test group and compared with properties outside of the vicinity of any solar project as the control group using indicators. In order to take into account market fluctuations due to time and location of sales, a regression model was used to scale price and demand for properties and ensure comparability. Impact to property value was measured in differences in range of sale prices, unit sale prices, conditions of sale, and overall marketability between the control group and the test group.
  • In all areas studied, it was conclusive that proximity to an existing solar facility did not have an impact on property values.  This conclusion was reaffirmed by property assessment and sales professionals.
  • See Appendix P – Property Value Impact Study as part of County SUP application.
• Colliers International analyzed tax assessment and property sale values for properties adjacent to two
  recent utility-scale solar projects in Hawaii (Waianae and Waihonu). Residential properties adjacent or
  in close proximity to the solar farms increased in value over 3-4 years between 8% to 35%.
  • Refer to the Colliers International Memorandum RE Market Pricing Study: Property Tax Assessment & Price Changes to Land Adjacent to Solar Farms dated November 22, 2018.

At present, Innergex anticipates that upon completion of construction and during normal operations of the Project there will only be security lighting in use for the Project. The Project is expected to include a security fence with gates. A security light will be installed at the gate(s). Depending on the location along the fence line, the light will be at least 250 feet away from the nearest residence.

The light will have a motion sensor which will activate for the safety of authorized personnel, in those rare circumstances, that they may need to access the site at night. In addition, light from the security light will be shielded and directed downward to prevent upward radiation, and fitted with non-white light bulbs to the extent possible. Lighting should be situated so that light does not shine on and reflect off the solar panels. Thus, even assuming light from the security light can be seen from Maui Meadows residential development, it is not expected to have a significant impact on recreational stargazing or other similar activities by nearby residences. Apart from the security light at the gate(s), no other security lights, or any other types of lights or lighting, will be used after completion and during regular operation of the Project unless otherwise directed by Maui Electric Company or code compliance.