The Garden Island
Notice #: 0001130355-01
Public Notices

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SECTION 401 WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION
BY THE HAWAII STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
File No. WQC0971 / DOCKET NO. WQC0971
September 6, 2018

The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) proposes to issue a Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC), which includes conditions and requirements, to the State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for its Ala Wai Canal Dredging and Improvements project for the application of the Department of the Army (DA), Standard Permit (IP) under File No. POH-2018-00104 to be authorized under Clean Water Act (CWA, 33 U.S.C. 1344), Section 404.

The Owner information is as follows:

Owner: State of Hawaii
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Contact: Ms. Suzanne D. Case, Director
Phone: (808) 587-0230
Email: suzanne.case@hawaii.gov

DLNR is proposing maintenance dredging of the Ala Wai Canal and a portion of the Manoa-Palolo Drainage Canal, collection and disposal of dredged spoils, repair of the Ala Wai Canal walls, assessment of the stairs along the Ala Wai Canal for appropriate treatment, and coordination with Hawaiian Electric Company’s cable relocation project for the removal of up to four existing cables and twelve concrete slabs. The Ala Wai Canal is located in Waikiki, Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Hawaii. The receiving State waters, Ala Wai Canal and Manoa-Palolo Drainage Canal, are classified by the DOH as Class 2, Inland Waters. The receiving State water, Ala Wai Canal Boat Harbor, is classified by the DOH as Class A, Marine Waters.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) measures are proposed to ensure that the proposed construction activities associated with this project will not adversely impact the water quality of the Ala Wai Canal, Manoa-Palolo Drainage Canal, and Ala Wai Canal Boat Harbor. An Applicable Monitoring and Assessment Plan (AMAP) is also prepared to verify/ensure the adequacy of the BMPs measures implemented.
Based on an evaluation of the Section 401 WQC Application, the supporting information, which are relevant to water quality considerations, and when all requirements and conditions contained in this proposed Section 401 WQC are fully complied with, there is a reasonable assurance that the discharges resulting from the proposed construction activities will be conducted in a manner which will not violate the applicable water quality standards and will comply with the applicable provisions of CWA, Sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307.
This proposed Section 401 WQC shall expire midnight, October 3, 2020, or when the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation Plan for the Ala Wai Canal is established by the DOH and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or until the applicable WQS are revised or modified, or DA IP (File No. POH-2018-00104) is modified, revoked, suspended, or expired, or when the project related construction activities are completed, whichever is earlier. If the applicable WQS is revised or modified, before the proposed expiration date, and such that the activity complies with the revisions or modifications to the WQS, this Section 401 WQC shall continue to be valid midnight, October 2, 2020.
The Director may, upon receipt of written request from DLNR administratively extend the expiration date of the issued Section 401 WQC. The request shall be submitted at least 30 calendar days before the Section 401 WQC expires and shall include appropriate color photographs demonstrating that the project is in fact under physical construction or submit a document that demonstrates the project is under the contract to construct and the purpose of extending the expiration date is to allow the contractor to complete the project construction.
Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed determinations or request a public hearing should submit their comments or request in writing no later than 30 calendar days from the date of this notice either in person or by mail, to:

State of Hawaii
Clean Water Branch
2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225
Pearl City, Oahu, Hawaii 96782

Copies of the application, proposed Section 401 WQC and other information on file 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 application and proposed Section 401 WQC are also available on the Internet at: http://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/site-map/home/public-notices-and-updates and on the WPC Viewer located at: http://eha-web.doh.hawaii.gov/wpc-viewer. For more information or if you have special needs due to disability that will aid you in inspecting and/or commenting on the public notice permit 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 written comments and requests received on time will be considered. If the DOH determines that there is significant public interest, a public hearing may be held after at least 30 calendar days of public notice.
If the DOH’s position is substantially unchanged, after considering all timely written comments and all oral comments at any public hearing that may be held, the DOH will issue or deny the Section 401 WQC, as appropriate, and this action will be final.
Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.
BRUCE S. ANDERSON, Ph.D.
Director of Health

(SA1130355 9/6/18)