HILO, Hawai'i — Building tent-like structures to house inmates on the Big Island won't significantly affect the environment, according to a final environmental assessment.

The conclusion by the Office of Environmental Quality Control on Monday brings the state one step closer to housing inmates in "prefabricated temporary housing structures" at existing correctional facilities.

The Department of Public Safety wants to use the new structures "to address the current backlog of inmates awaiting program opportunities, and to relieve overcrowding and open up bed space in higher-security facilities," according to the environmental assessment.

One of the buildings would house up to 64 female inmates at the Hawai'i Community Correctional Center in Hilo.

The Kulani Correctional Facility would receive two of the structures, each capable of housing 128 male inmates.

Both the Kulani and Hale Nani Annex would receive one structure each for drug abuse treatment programs.

Most of their $3.8 million cost would be paid by the U.S. Department of Justice through grants to purchase the tents.

To make room for the tents, the state proposes demolishing the 103-year-old yellow Hilo Jail building and a dilapidated metal building at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo.