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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, May 18, 2003

Health Department settles five storage-tank violations

Advertiser Staff

The state Department of Health has agreed to settlements in five cases involving potential environmental problems associated with underground storage tanks, resulting in penalties totaling more than $83,000.

State health officials said the alleged violations were resolved by consent agreements completed between March 2002 and May 2003.

Since the state program began in May 2000, it has issued 206 field citations with smaller fines for a total penalty assessment of $186,400, according to Laurence K. Lau, deputy director of environmental health.

Lau said inspectors check records and maintenance to prevent fuel spills or to quickly detect and stop them. "That helps protect our drinking water and the environment," he said.

In the five consent agreements:

• Commercial Enterprises Ltd. has agreed to pay $45,528 to resolve a notice of violation for alleged failure to inform the department of the existence of two tanks at 935 Queen St., failure to upgrade or close the tanks by Jan. 28, 2000, and failure to obtain financial responsibility.

• Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. paid a penalty of $17,800 to resolve a notice of violation for alleged installation and operation of four tanks without obtaining a permit.

• Maui Prince Hotel LLC paid a penalty of $10,000 to resolve a notice of violation for alleged failure to inform the department of the existence of a regulated tank, as well as failure to upgrade or close the substandard tank by Jan. 28, 2000.

• Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital paid $5,400 to resolve a notice of violation for alleged failure to upgrade an emergency generator tank with corrosion protection and failure to immediately stop operating the substandard tank as directed.

• The Honolulu city government paid a civil penalty of $4,895 to resolve a notice of violation for alleged failure to obtain a permit to install and operate a 2,500-gallon tank containing diesel for use in an emergency generator at the Kailua Heights Wastewater Pump Station.

There are 2,035 regulated underground storage tanks in use at 1,032 facilities statewide.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has authorized the Hawai'i Department of Health to administer state underground storage tank rules in lieu of the federal tank regulations in Hawai'i. Additional information about the state's underground storage tank program is available at www.state.hi.us/doh/eh/shwb.