NOTICE OF PROPOSED WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT
FOR HC&D, LLC KAPAA QUARRY FACILITY
NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0020796
DOCKET NO. HI 0020796
October 7, 2021
The State Department of Health (DOH) tentatively proposes, subject to public comments, to reissue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge process generated wastewaters and storm water from the facility’s settling and containment ponds to receiving State waters, subject to special conditions, to:
HC&D, LLC
P.O. Box 29968
Honolulu, Hawaii 96820
The proposed NPDES permit for the existing discharge will expire five (5) years from the date of issuance.
HC&D, LLC operates a rock quarry (surface mining), a tertiary coarse aggregate processing plant, a Wet Sand plant, and a concrete batching operation. The facility is located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, between the towns of Kailua and Kaneohe. The Quarry property is comprised of about 378 acres of leased land. It is adjacent to the City and County of Honolulu’s Kapaa and Kalaheo Sanitary Landfills, and the Kawainui Marsh. Part of the H-3 freeway divides the property into two parts. Phase I and Phase II. Kapaa stream runs through the property along the access road to the quarry off Kapaa Quarry Road. Kapaa stream connects to the Kawainui Marsh.
Process wastewaters, storm water, and mine dewatering water from the quarry property is collected in a series of ponds. During a rainfall event, storm water is routed to ponds which fill over the rainy season and slowly empty via evaporation and reuse during the drier summer period. Reuse storm water is used for dust control. If a discharge occurs, the discharge will enter Kapaa Stream through Outfall Serial No. 002 located at coordinates: Latitude 21 23’24.7"N and Longitude 157 46’31.6"W or Outfall Serial No. 003 located at coordinates: Latitude 21 23’19"N and Longitude 157 46’39.9"W. At this time, Outfall Serial No. 002 is not being utilized. Water is pumped from Phase II to Phase I for settling out of solids and eventually may be discharged through Outfall Serial No. 003, currently functioning as the sole outfall for the entire quarry. When Phase II is developed sufficiently with a pond system to adequately contain and treat the water from Phase II (anticipated five to ten years), Outfall Serial No. 002 will serve Phase II and Outfall Serial No. 003 will serve Phase I. There has not been a reported discharge from the facility since December 2006.
Kapaa Stream is designated as a “Class 2 Inland Water” under Section HAR 11-54-5.1(a). The objective of Class 2 waters is to protect their use for recreational purposes, the support and propagation of aquatic life, agricultural and industrial water supplies, shipping, and navigation. Protected beneficial uses include uses compatible with the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and with recreation in and on these waters. These waters shall not act as receiving waters for any discharge which has not received the best degree of treatment or control compatible with the criteria established for this class. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for total suspended solids, nitrogen, and phosphorus were established for Kapaa Stream in May 2007. The TMDLs for HC&D Kapaa Quarry are incorporated into the proposed permit.
Persons wishing to comment on or object to the proposed NPDES permit 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 through e-mail at cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov or by mail to:
Department of Health, Clean Water Branch
P.O. BOX 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801 3378.
Copies of the proposed public notice permit and other information are available for public inspection at the DOH Clean Water Branch office located at 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Copies may be bought. The public notice permit and rationale are also available on the internet at:
https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/clean-water-branch-home-page/public-notices-and-updates/
For more information, or if you require assistance inspecting and/or commenting on the public notice permit and related information, please contact Mr. Darryl Lum, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, Clean Water Branch, at the above address or (808) 586-4309 (Voice) at least 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 within the submission deadline will be considered. Any request for a hearing must indicate the interest of the party submitting the request and the reason(s) why a hearing is warranted. 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 and all oral comments at any public hearing that may be held, then DOH will issue the NPDES permit and this action will be final.
Please notify anyone you know who may be interested in this matter.
ELIZABETH A. CHAR, M.D.
Director of Health
(SA1344109 10/7/21)
