Hawaii fines US Navy for unauthorized sewage release

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Division of Well being stated Tuesday it has fined the U.S. Navy $8.8 million for repeatedly discharging untreated or partially handled sewage into state waters from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

The division stated in a information launch that it recorded 766 counts of the Navy discharging pollution in extra of limits established by a allow.

The pollution have been launched between January 2020 and July 2022 from the Hawaii Wastewater Therapy Pant operated by the Naval Amenities Engineering Command, the division stated.

The company additionally discovered 212 counts of operation and upkeep failures.

“The Navy’s failure to correctly function and preserve this wastewater remedy plant led to the air pollution of state waters,” stated Kathleen Ho, the division’s deputy director of environmental well being, in an announcement. “We’re taking motion to guard our state’s water assets and to carry the Navy accountable to make important repairs and stop a possible catastrophic failure of the ability.”

Navy Area Hawaii stated the Navy and the U.S. Environmental Safety Company agreed in June 2021 to deal with deficiencies with the remedy plant. The Navy is on monitor to fulfill these obligations, which can additionally tackle a number of the points identified by Hawaii’s Division of Well being, it stated.

The Navy continues to enhance operations on the plant and it stays operational, it stated.

Individually, the division earlier this yr ordered the Navy to close down its Pink Hill Bulk Gasoline Storage Facility after jet gasoline leaked from a pipe into the Navy’s ingesting water at Pearl Harbor. The army has arrange a job pressure to empty gasoline from Pink Hill’s huge storage tanks by July 2024.