County Fined by the E.P.A, and pay’s fines late…

Over the last three years the county has be in & out of trouble with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health (DOH).

The alleged incidents involve the Central Maui Landfill failing to install a federally mandated gas control system to collect emissions, and the country allowing polluted storm water to run off the Molokai & Lanai dumps.  Allegations also pointed to an incidents at the Hana landfill which saw the dump mishandling auto waste.  The March 2007 DOH Press release stated:

DOH has cited the County for the failure to maintain drainage swales, detention basins, and secondary containments, which allowed polluted storm water to be discharged into state waters from the Moloka‘i and Lana‘i facilities in 2006. DOH also cited the county for failing to maintain secondary adequate containment for oil, and failing to sample and analyze storm water at all three facilities as required by the permits.

Molokai Landfill- allegedly allowed polluted storm water into state waters

All three allegations combined have landed the county with a total of  $62,300 in fines, but in lieu of paying fines agrements with the state have been underway seeing to it that a “supplemental environmental project at the molokai landfill… this means the county can spend the same amount of money it would pay in fines on a project that would contribute an environmental benefit to people in this area.

A few weeks ago, the Maui County Council gave approval to Mayor Tavares to enter a settlement with the Department of Health & EPA.  Settlements are expected to finalized following a public comment period.  Stay tuned for an update on this settlement agreement…..

Click here to read about Maui’s Watersheds on the EPA website