MAYOR CARLISLE ANNOUNCES GOVERNOR’S ACCEPTANCE OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

FOR HONOLULU RAIL TRANSIT PROJECT

(Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010)−Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle today announced the acceptance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, clearing the way for the project to move forward.

With the governor’s acceptance of the project’s Final EIS on the state level, the City anticipates that the Federal Transit Administration will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) that would allow the City to break ground on the rail transit system.

“Moving forward with rail transit creates much-needed jobs for our communities, provides long-term traffic relief and offers a dependable transportation alternative that starts us on the right path toward our preferred future,” said Carlisle.

The EIS, which had been submitted to the State Office of Environmental Quality Control, identifies environmental, community and economic benefits and impacts of the rail system as well as mitigation procedures for addressing these issues.

“The rail project EIS has been done prudently and is in compliance with state environmental law,” Carlisle added.

The Honolulu Rail Transit Project is a 20-mile elevated rail system connecting East Kapolei with Ala Moana Center. There are 21 stations in communities including Waipahu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kalihi, Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu and Kakaako. There will also be stations at activity centers such as UH-West Oahu, Leeward Community College, Pearl Highlands, Pearlridge, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu International Airport and Honolulu Community College.

The City has already awarded two construction contracts for the project: one for the first phase of the elevated rail guideway from East Kapolei to Pearl City; and the other for the train storage and maintenance facility in Waipahu. The city is scheduled to award two more contracts next year for the second phase of the rail route from Pearl City to Aloha Stadium and for the “core systems,” which consists of the train vehicles and the control center for the rail system.

“Many people contributed to this important journey,” Carlisle said. “I want to thank Gov. Abercrombie for accepting the project’s EIS, the former mayor, the City Council, Hawaii’s Congressional delegation, the state Legislature, labor and business organizations, the Federal Transit Administration and other federal partners who have helped us and pledged funding.”

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