HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) Clean Air Branch has issued Notices of Violations and Orders against Covanta Honolulu Resource Recovery Venture, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.,  American Hauling, LLC, Maui Electric Company, Ltd., and B.J. Ree’s Enterprise for air permit violations.  The violations were either self-reported or discovered during an annual inspection. 

The DOH Clean Air Branch (CAB) protects the people and environment of Hawaii by monitoring air quality and regulating businesses that release pollutants into the air.  The CAB reviews and approves air permits, evaluates and enforces state and federal air standards, conducts inspections, and investigates reported incidents related to outdoor air quality.  Through the air permit process, the DOH ensures companies comply with state and federal emission standards to minimize air pollution impacts on the public. 

Three of the companies cited have already paid monetary fines for their violations. Fine payment is pending with two other companies.  In general, penalties are assessed on violators to remove any economic benefit they may have gained from their noncompliance and put them in a worse situation than those who comply with the law. All fines are paid into a revolving special fund used to prevent or minimize damage to the environment.  Parties have the right to request a hearing to contest DOH orders.

The following companies were cited:

1.  Covanta Honolulu Resource Recovery Venture (H-Power) for boiler #1 exceeding their 20% or 60% opacity limit on October 23 and 24, 2010.  H-Power also exceeded its total dissolved solid (TDS) limit on July 7 and August 13, 2010 and failed to report within five working days the TDS deviations.  H-Power is a municipal waste combustor facility located at 91-174 Hanua Street, Kapolei, Oahu.  The violations were self-reported and a penalty of $15,700 has been paid for the violations.  The company is working with the DOH on permit modifications.

2.  Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. for exceeding their 40% or 60% opacity limit on October 19, 2010 and January 2, 2011 for Waiau Units 5 and 7, respectfully.  The Waiau Generating Station is an electric utility located at 475 Kamehameha Highway in Pearl City, Oahu.  The violations were self-reported and a penalty of $8,100 has been paid for the violations. 

3.  American Hauling, LLC for failing to submit semi-annual records, and maintain fuel, water and other required records.  The violations were discovered during an annual in-depth inspection at their crushing and screening plants located in Waialua, Oahu and a penalty of $4,300 has been imposed for the violations. 

4.  Maui Electric Company, Ltd., for exceeding their 20% or 60% opacity limit during various times from June 2010 to January 2011 from Maalaea Combustion Turbine Generator units M14, M16, M17 and M19.  The Maalaea Generating Station is an electric utility located at North Kihei Road, Maalaea, Maui.  The violations were self-reported and a penalty of $22,500.00 has been imposed for the violations.

5.  B.J. Rees’s Enterprise, for not conducting an initial source performance test on its 925 TPH stone processing plant within 180 days of initial start-up of the plant. B.J. Rees’s Enterprise operates the stone processing plant at various sites in the state and a penalty of $3,100.00 has been paid for the violation.