NOTICE OF PROPOSED WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT
FOR KAHUKU SHRIMP COMPANY
NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0021059
06-CW-PW-08
February 17, 2006
The State Department of Health (DOH) tentatively proposes to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge aquacultural wastewater from the Kahuku Shrimp Company (Facility) to the Pacific Ocean, subject to special conditions to:
KAHUKU SHRIMP COMPANY, INC.
The proposed permit will expire on October 31, 2010.
The facility is an aquaculture farm located near Kahuku Point, Kahuku, Oahu, Hawaii. The facility consists of 52 enclosed raceway and 8 ponds. The facility harvests an annual maximum of 650,000 pounds of shrimp (Penaeus vannami, P. Stylirostris) and 300,000 pounds of fish (Tilapia aurea, T. Mozambica). Saline groundwater wells provide the water to the facility and a maximum of 130,000 pounds of food is used monthly. Aquacultural wastewater enters the Pacific Ocean near the abandoned Kahuku Airfield through Outfall Serial No. 001 at coordinates: Latitude 21°4207N and Longitude 157°5733W.
A Zone of Mixing has been requested for the assimilation of aquaculture wastewater. The proposed Zone of Mixing is a rectangularly shaped area which extends 2,000 feet northwest, 3,000 feet southeast, and to the 40-foot depth contour approximately 3,000 feet offshore of Outfall Serial No. 001. The proposed Zone of Mixing shall extend vertically from the surface to the ocean floor.
The Pacific Ocean is classified by the Department of Health as Class A Wet Open Coastal Waters under Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Section 11-54-06(b)(2)(B). The uses to be protected are all uses compatible with the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and with recreation in and on these waters. This class of water shall not act as receiving waters for any discharges which have not received the best degree of treatment or control compatible with the criteria established for this class.
Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed NPDES permit, or to request a public hearing, should submit their comments or requests in writing no later than 30 days after the date of this notice, either in person or by mail, to:
Office Address: Mailing Address:
Clean Water Branch Clean Water Branch
Environmental Management Division Environmental Management Division
Department of Health Department of Health
919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 301 P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96814-4920 Honolulu, HI 96801-3378
Copies of the proposed draft permit and other information are available for public inspection, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 a.m. until 4:15 p.m., at the DOH office address shown above. Copies may also be bought. The draft permit and rationale are also available on the internet at http://www.state.hi.us/doh/ch/ cwb/pubntcs/index.html. For more information or if you have special needs due to disability that will aid you in inspecting and/or commenting on the draft permit and related information, please contact Mr. Alec Wong, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, Clean Water Branch, at the above address or (808) 586-4309 (Voice) at least seven (7) days before the comment deadline. For those who use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1-711 or (808) 447-5991.
All comments and requests received on time will be considered. If DOH determines that there is significant public interest, a public hearing may be held after at least 30 days of public notice.
If DOHs position is substantially unchanged after considering all timely written comments and all oral comments at any public hearing that may be held, then the DOH will issue the NPDES permit and this action will be final.
Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.
Chiyome Leinaala Fukino, M. D.
(SB05521462 2/17/06) Director of Health
