HONOLULU — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public hearing on a requested permit renewal for the Lahaina underground injection control wastewater permit.

The hearing has been scheduled for 6:15 to 9 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Lahaina Civic Center Social Hall Meeting Area, 1840 Honoapiilani Highway.

Both written and verbal comments on the proposed permit will be accepted at the meeting as the comment period has been extended through Nov. 6. The EPA will consider all public comments before making a final decision on the proposed permit.

The proposed permit renewal is for the County of Maui to operate four injection wells at its Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility. The county owns and operates the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility that provides secondary treatment to domestic wastewater.

The facility recycles approximately 1 million gallons per day of treated wastewater and sends it for reuse by a nearby golf course, pineapple company, and construction contractors. The facility disposes of most of the treated wastewater on-site in four gravity fed injection wells with a total injection volume into the four wells that currently averages between 3 and 5 million gallons per day.

The injection wells range in depth from 180 to 255 feet and are located approximately 1,500 to 1,900 feet from the shoreline of West Maui at an elevation of about 30 feet. There are public and private drinking water wells located on the mountain slopes above the plant, with the nearest well about 2.4 miles away at elevations of around 900 feet.

Interested persons are invited to make comments and recommendations on the draft permit renewal and the County of Maui's permit renewal application. All comments must be received or postmarked by Nov. 6 and must be in writing (e-mail is acceptable) to be considered. Comments already submitted to EPA on this proposed action are available on EPA's Region 9 web site at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/water/groundwater/uic-permits.html#cur

Mail comments to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ground Water Office (WTR-9), 75 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA 94105, Attn: Nancy Rumrill; phone 415-972-3293; fax 415-947-3549; or e-mail rumrill.nancy@epa.gov.