|
September 12, 2003
HONOLULU – The State Department of Health (DOH), Clean Air
Branch, has issued Notices and Findings of Violations (NFVO) to
Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company and Maui Electric Company, Ltd.,
for violations of state and federal air pollution control rules and
regulations.
The NFVO for the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company’s
(HC&S) Puunene Mill alleges that the company operated a biomass
boiler, since June 1975, without complying with the applicable federal
New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), Subpart D. The noncompliance
issue was identified and voluntarily reported to the DOH by HC&S
after they reexamined the federal requirements for biomass boilers. The
NFVO includes an order for compliance and a penalty of $1,977,700.
"The penalty in this case reflects primarily the economic benefit
that the company realized over the years it burned cheaper fuel in the
biomass boiler," said Laurence K. Lau, Deputy Director of Environmental
Health. "The department must meet its enforcement obligations, but we
considered the fact that HC&S brought the violation to our
attention and promptly corrected the problem, before we set the
penalty."
The NFVO for Maui Electric Company (MECO) alleges that the diesel
engine generators, M12 and M13, at the Maalaea Electrical Generating
Plant exceeded the visible emission permit limits many times during
startup and shutdown operations from February 1999 to June 2000. The
NFVO includes an order for compliance and a penalty of $1,563,000.
"The penalty in the MECO-Maalaea case is based on the number of
violations and the length of time involved," said Lau. "While MECO is
doing the right thing by keeping the department informed, working on
the problem and reducing the number and extent of the visible
emissions, the problem remains unresolved."
# # #
For more information, contact:
Janice Okubo
Communications Director
Phone: (808) 586-4442
E-mail: jsokubo@health.state.hi.us
Laura M. Lott
Information Specialist
Phone: (808) 586-4418
E-mail: lmlott@health.state.hi.us
|
