NOTICE OF PROPOSED WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT
FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES
SMALL MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM
NPDES PERMIT NO. HI S000089
06-CW-PW-32
October 23, 2006
The State Department of Health (DOH), tentatively proposes to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge municipal storm water runoff and certain non-storm water discharges which are collected by the Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (Small MS4) and discharged into State Waters or into adjacent separately-owned storm drainage systems subject to special conditions to:
STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES
The proposed draft NPDES permit will expire on October 31, 2011.
The State of Hawaii, Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) owns and operates various Small MS4s which are a system of conveyances, including storm drains, catch basins, curbs, gutters, canals, and ditches, designed to collect and convey storm water runoff in the urbanized areas of the Island of Oahu. The volume of discharge is dependent upon rainfall-induced runoff and is highly variable.
The goal of this proposed draft NPDES permit, to reduce storm water runoff pollution to the maximum extent practicable, will be achieved through the implementation of the Permittees Storm Water Management Program, an enforceable component of the proposed draft NPDES permit.
The DAGS Small MS4s serve in the Honolulu and Wahiawa areas on the Island of Oahu. The receiving waters, therefore, include all classes of inland and marine State Waters. HAR, Chapter 11-54, Section 11-54-3(a) requires existing storm water runoff into inland and marine waters to meet the basic water quality standards specified in HAR, Chapter 11-54, Section 11-54-4(a). The DAGS Small MS4s may discharge into the State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation, Highways Division MS4, the City and County of Honolulu MS4, and/or other privately owned drainage system(s).
The receiving water uses stated in HAR, Chapter 11-54, Section 11-54-3(c)(2) are as follows: It is the objective of class A waters that their use for recreational purposes and aesthetic enjoyment be protected. Any other use shall be permitted as long as it is compatible with the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish and wildlife, and with recreation in and on these waters. These waters shall not act as receiving waters for any discharge which has not received the best degree of treatment or control compatible with the criteria established for this class.
Outfalls may discharge into receiving waters classified as Class AA, Marine Waters, and Class 1 and 2, Inland Waters. While the uses of Class AA and Class 1 are essentially identical to those described for Class A, they have the additional objective that they shall retain their natural and pristine state as nearly as possible, with an absolute minimum of pollution or alteration from any human-caused source of pollution.
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
State Department of Health State 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 be bought. The draft permit and rationale are also available on the internet at http://www.hawaii.gov/ health/environmental/water/cleanwater/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.
(SB05525487 10/23/06) Director of Health
