DOH CITES HAWAIIAN DREDGING CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC., FOR WATER POLLUTION VIOLATIONS ON KAUAʻI

HONOLULU - The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) Clean Water Branch (CWB) has issued a Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) to Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc. for discharges of soil and vegetation to two gulches, as well as conducting earth-disturbing activities without a required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit in Hanapēpē, Kauaʻi.

Hawaiian Dredging is ordered to pay a monetary penalty of $390,000 and perform corrective actions. These actions include implementing erosion and sediment controls to prevent sediment-laden storm water discharges from areas it graded and disturbed, as well as obtaining NPDES permit coverage for the discharge of storm water associated with construction activities. The respondent has 20 days to contest the NOVO and request a hearing.

Construction sites disturbing one acre of land or more are subject to regulation under the NPDES program and are required to have permit coverage prior to initiating earth-disturbing activities. Failure to implement erosion and sediment control measures can lead to polluted discharges to Hawaiʻi's waters. Further, the failure to obtain required permit coverage and comply with permit conditions creates an unfair advantage over other construction sites that dedicate resources toward environmental protection. Noncompliance may subject violators to monetary penalties of up to $60,000 per day, per violation.

Hawaiʻi's water pollution control laws protect public health and the environment by prohibiting discharges that harm water quality. The DOH CWB enforces water pollution control laws that are in place to protect the public and Hawaiʻi's fragile ecosystem. Failure to abide by environmental regulations may result in legal action by the state, federal partners and/or private citizens.

A copy of the NOVO can be found at this link: https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/announcements/novo-issued-to-hawaiian-dredging-construction-company-inc/

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