Big Island Dairy Fined for Water Pollution Violations.
The Hawai‘i Department of Health has issued a Notice of Violation and Order to Big Island Dairy LLC for the unlawful discharge of wastewater from the dairy’s Concentrated Animal Feedlot Operations (CAFO), located in O‘okala to Kaohaoha Gulch.
The DOH has ordered the dairy to immediately cease discharging wastewater to state waters, pay a penalty of $25,000 to the state and take corrective actions to prevent future unlawful discharges from the dairy to state waters.
Further, the dairy is required to apply to DOH for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit required under the Federal Clean Water Act and State of Hawai‘i water pollution laws.
Additional DOH oversight of other past and current dairy issues is continuing.
Requirement for an NPDES Permit Authorizing the Discharge to State waters Under the federal Clean Water Act and state water pollution laws, a dairy with 700 or more mature milking cows which operates as a CAFO and discharges is required to obtain and comply with an NPDES permit.
NPDES permits regulate the discharges from the dairy to state and federal waters by requiring implementation of pollution-reducing practices and compliance reporting.
The CNMP will be an enforceable provision of the NPDES permit.
The dairy must develop corrective action plans if the dairy finds any evidence of waste or wastewater within state waters due to dairy operations.
The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Clean Water Branch protects the health of residents and visitors who enjoy Hawai‘i’s coastal and inland water resources.