NOTICE OF PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMITS

June 19, 2015

The Department of Health (DOH) proposes to modify the following National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to discharge to receiving State waters:

(1) HI 0000329 – Chevron Products Company, Hawaii Refinery

(2) HI 0020117 – Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant

(3) HI 0020303 – East Honolulu Wastewater Treatment Plant

(4) HI 0020877 – Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant

(5) HI 0021113 – Papaikou Wastewater Treatment Plant

(6) HI 0021296 – Kailua Wastewater Treatment Plant

(7) HI 0021377 – Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant

(8) HI 0021644 – Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology

(9) HI 0110078 – Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay Reclamation Facility

The proposed modified permits for the existing discharges will expire on their respective expiration dates. These permits are being modified under allowance by Hawaii Administrative Rules, Section 11-55-16 and
Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR), Part 122.62(a)(15). 40 CFR 122.62(a)(15) allows modification of NPDES permits to correct technical mistakes, such as errors in calculation, or mistaken interpretations of law made in determining permit conditions.

The proposed modifications affect these permits’ conditions regarding whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing quality assurance, use of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Storage and Retrieval (STORET) Data Warehouse, and benthic infauna analyses.

The WET testing quality assurance condition regarding effluent dilution water and control water shall be revised in Permits (1), (2), (3), (4), and (8) and inserted into Permit (7). It shall read:

“Effluent dilution water and control water shall be receiving water or lab water, as described in the test methods manual Short-term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to West Coast Marine and Estuarine Organisms (EPA/600/R-95/136, 1995). If the dilution water is different from test organism culture water, then a second control using culture water shall also be used.”

The STORET condition shall be removed from Permits (3), (5), (6), (7), and (9).

The benthic infauna condition shall be revised in Permit (4). It shall read:

“All organisms retained on the sieve shall be counted and identified to the lowest taxon possible. Analyses of community parameters shall include, but not be limited to, the following: number of species, number of individuals per species, number of species per 0.1 square meter, total number of species per station, and total numerical abundance.”

Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed modified NPDES permits or to request a public hearing, should submit their comments or requests in writing no later than 30 calendar days after the date of this notice, either in person or by mail, to:

Clean Water Branch
Environmental Management Division
Department of Health
919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 301
Honolulu, HI 96814-4920

Copies of the proposed modified permits 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 and at the Hilo District Health Office, 1582 Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, and at the Kona District Health Office, Keakealani Building, 79 1020 Haukapila Street, Room 115, Kealakekua, HI 96750. Copies may be bought. The proposed modified permits and rationale are also available on the internet at: http://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/site-map/clean-water-branch-home-page/public-notices-and-updates/ . For more information or if you have special needs due to disability that will aid you in inspecting and/or commenting on the proposed modified permits and related information, please contact Mr. Darryl Lum, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, at the above address or (808) 586-4309 (Voice) at least seven (7) calendar days before the comment deadline. For those who use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1-711 or 1-877-447-5991.

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 calendar days of public notice.

If DOH’s position is substantially unchanged after considering all timely written comments, then the DOH will issue the modified NPDES permits and this action will be final.

Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.

VIRGINIA PRESSLER, M.D.
Director of Health
(HTH766682 6/19/15)~