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DIRECTOR’S QUARTERLY INFORMATIONAL REPORT
TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
August 2, 2024
Agenda item VII
1. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
1. County Council (Since last report posted on 4/18/24)
ITEM DESCRIPTION CURRENT STATUS
Completed items
Res. 516-24 Accepts $200,000 from the Department
of Health to DEM to fight the coconut
rhinoceros beetle.
FC: Pos rec. 5/14
Council: Adopted 6/5
Ord. 24-47
(Bill 162)
Appropriates $200,000 from the
Department of Health to DEM to fight
the coconut rhinoceros beetle.
FC: Pos rec. 5/14/24
Council: 6/5; 6/19
Res. 517-24,
Draft 3
Authorizes acquisition by eminent
domain of the land beneath Waiea
Transfer Station.
LAAC: Pos rec. 5/14
Council: Approved 6/5, 6/19
Res 534-24 Accepts $10,000 for tire recycling event Council: Adopted 6/5
Ord. 24-49
(Bill 171)
Accepts $10,000 for tire recycling event Council: Approved 6/5, 6/19
Comm. 938 Performance Audit 2024-02: DAV
Program
CRCOC: Filed 7/23
Current items
Bill 140
(Enactment
pending)
Requires all solid waste facilities used for
disposal, collection, and transfer of
household waste be operated and open
to the public at least two days per week.
PCIA: 3/19 Ref. to EMC and
DEM; Pos. rec. 6/4
Council: 6/19, 7/10
Future items
Bill - Adopts new Wastewater Management
Code
In development
2. Legislature
DEM has tracked bills throughout the 2024 regular session of the Legislature and reports one bill
surviving to passage:
• Act 217 (HB 2743 HD2 SD1 CD1)
Requires the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center and the Sea
Grant College Program to develop an overlay with the Hawaiʻi Cesspool
Prioritization Tool to identify specific priority areas in which the county sewer
system or other centralized treatment system may most feasibly be expanded or
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constructed to reduce or eliminate cesspools before 1/1/2050. Makes an
appropriation. (CD1)
2. SOLID WASTE DIVISION PROJECTS AND UPDATES
RELOAD FACILITY UPDATE (new data shaded in gray)
Arrival of new trailers for Solid Waste Division
Month/Year
Total Tons Taken
to Sort Station
July 2023 4,430.82
Aug 2023 4,091.16
Sep 2023 3,792.82
Oct 2023 4,125.99
Nov 2023 3,996.96
Dec 2023 4,427.42
Jan 2024 4,220.64
Feb 2024 3,642.65
Mar 2024 4,195.64
Apr 2024 4,084.12
May 2024 4,394.12
June 2024 4,510.37
Total 49,912.71
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WHSL MONTHLY LANDFILL TONNAGES
• Landfill tonnages increased beginning May 2024 due to the Hilo International Airport
runway rehabilitation project.
July 2023 16,597.59
Aug 2023 17,693.23
Sept 2023 16,143.91
Oct 2023 16,426.09
Nov 2023 16,825.36
Dec 2023 17,550.13
Jan 2024 17,638.46
Feb 2024 16,626.57
Mar 2024 17,451.76
Apr 2024 17,080.26
May 2024 24,172.41
Jun 2024 24,421.38
Total 218,627.15
0.00
5,000.00
10,000.00
15,000.00
20,000.00
25,000.00
30,000.00
July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June
WHSL tonnage
WHSL tonnage
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MONTHLY TRANSFER STATION TONNAGES
The above table includes data on the waste disposed in the landfill (not the greenwaste or
recycling data).
1. Recycling, Greenwaste, and Landfill Diversion updates
August Events
• August 3: Household Hazardous Waste Event in Hilo
• August 17: Household Hazardous Waste Event in Kona
• August 24: Hawai‘i Energy Rid-A-Fridge event in Kea‘au
Month/Year EHRSS WHSL
July 2023 3,555.25 3,867.92
Aug 2023 3,180.37 3,753.74
Sep 2023 2,981.49 3,506.66
Oct 2023 3,286.29 3,632.70
Nov 2023 3,148.48 3,608.37
Dec 2023 3,556.53 3,938.45
Jan 2024 3,920.43 3,924.51
Feb 2024 2,797.54 3,564.28
Mar 2024 3,292.98 3,829.17
Apr 2024 3,193.07 3,718.34
May 2024 3,478.43 3,808.48
June 2024 3,635.16 3,824.64
Total 40,026.02 44,977.26
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WEST HAWAII ORGANICS FACILILTY (WHOF)
DATE GW From Residential To
WHOF (Tons)
GW From Commerical to
WHOF (Tons)
GW From Transfer
Stations To WHOF
(Tons)
Total GW At WHOF
(Tons)
JULY 2023 782.51 1,211.74 557.96 2,552.21
AUGUST 2023 789.98 1,793.21 565.15 3,148.34
SEPTEMBER 2023 761.87 1,937.83 537.79 3,237.49
OCTOBER 2023 704.75 1,623.14 525.26 2,853.15
NOVEMBER 2023 612.06 1,670.34 452.54 2,734.94
DECEMBER 2023 655.85 1,254.68 436.23 2,346.76
JANUARY 2024 725.95 1,526.58 542.57 2,795.10
FEBRUARY 2024 293.18 1,594.47 457.13 2,344.78
MARCH 2024 576.42 1,382.13 486.41 2,444.96
APRIL 2024 504.30 1,603.26 389.86 2,497.42
MAY 2024 497.00 1,408.00 371.56 2,276.56
JUNE 2024 644.00 1,444.00 483.96 2,571.96
TOTAL 31,803.67
DATE KEEI (Tons)KONA (Tons)WAIMEA (Tons)TOTAL TO WHOF
(Tons)
JULY 2023 56.04 370.69 131.23 557.96
AUGUST 2023 44.57 391.26 129.32 565.15
SEPTEMBER 2023 70.96 330.77 136.06 537.79
OCTOBER 2023 60.23 323.21 141.82 525.26
NOVEMBER 2023 27.62 301.20 123.72 452.54
DECEMBER 2023 27.16 331.50 77.57 436.23
JANUARY 2024 109.87 348.49 114.67 573.03
FEBRUARY 2024 50.03 305.44 101.66 457.13
MARCH 2024 34.39 353.55 98.47 486.41
APRIL 2024 43.17 253.19 93.5 389.86
MAY 2024 71.08 221.93 78.55 371.56
JUNE 2024 11.00 364.94 108.02 483.96
5,836.88
TRANSFER STATION GREEN WASTE
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DATE WHOF Mulch Delivered
To Kealakehe (Tons)
WHOF Mulch Delivered
To EHOF (Tons)
Total Mulch Delivered
(Tons)
JULY 2023 274.58 7.83 282.41
AUGUST 2023 310.30 89.18 399.48
SEPTEMBER 2023 208.43 31.86 240.29
OCTOBER 2023 134.47 76.37 210.84
NOVEMBER 2023 150.73 291.61 442.34
DECEMBER 2023 221.81 387.65 609.46
JANUARY 2024 267.56 121.30 388.86
FEBRUARY 2024 150.83 154.57 305.40
MARCH 2024 171.54 163.87 335.41
APRIL 2024 0.00 0.00 0.00
MAY 2024 1,112.53 219.05 1,331.58
JUNE 2024 242.22 250.90 493.12
TOTAL 5,039.19
DATE Kealakehe Mulch to
Public (yards)
EHOF Mulch to Public
(yards)
EHOF Mulch to
Commercial (yards)
WHOF Mulch to Public
(yards)
WHOF Mulch to
Commercial (yards)
Total Mulch Given Out
(Yards)
JULY 2023 653 892 2,051 222 996 3,269
AUGUST 2023 731 850 2,257 225 1,686 4,168
SEPTEMBER 2023 673 893 1,988 273 2,208 4,469
OCTOBER 2023 657 810 1,737 264 1,002 3,003
NOVEMBER 2023 662 786 1,954 312 666 2,932
DECEMBER 2023 752 642 1,757 270 618 2,645
JANUARY 2024 614 775 1,711 207 624 2,542
FEBRUARY 2024 757 725 2,413 366 2,028 4,807
MARCH 2024 1,004 800 2,174 366 1,724 4,264
APRIL 2024 936 744 1,570 183 1,119 2,872
MAY 2024 876 800 1,849 315 1,290 3,454
JUNE 2024 864 700 2,122 90 2,976 5,188
5,499 7,917 19,612 2,688 12,671 38,425
WHOF Mulch Backhauled
Mulch to Public and Commercial
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2. Solid Waste Operational Study update
The consultant reports that data gathering and review is complete. The process of documenting
current facility activities, programs, and interviews is near completion. Data analysis,
recommendations, and writing the draft report are currently in progress. Overall project remains
on schedule.
3. WASTEWATER DIVISION PROJECTS AND UPDATES.
1. Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu Large Capacity Cesspool Closure AOC
Both communities
The County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management held its semi-annual
community informational meeting in Pāhala on February 29 to give an update regarding the
closures of the large capacity cesspools in Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu. DEM discussed the County’s
tentative identification of the preferred option of a wastewater treatment plant for Pāhala with
a new collection system and encouraged public input. An update was also provided for the
large capacity cesspool closure project in Nā‘ālehu. The next semi-annual community
informational meeting will be scheduled for 6 p.m. August 22, 2024, at the Nā‘ālehu
Community Center.
March 2024: private haulers and SWD taking mulch to KRTS and EHOF.
May 2024: private haulers, SWD and DPW taking mulch to KRTS and EHOF.
June 2024: private haulers and SWD taking mulch to KRTS and EHOF.
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Pāhala
In compliance with the federal consent order, the County has released the Final Environmental
Information Document. The Final EID explores and compares environmental impacts for each of
the four feasible options, and discusses the County’s selection of a wastewater treatment plant
with a new collection system (also known as Alternative 1). The Final EID will be available at
the Pāhala Public and School Library.
The County is overseeing the design and engineering, and the acquisition of necessary land and
easements, for the collection system, treatment plant, and disposal system.
Under the 2024 Revised AOC, the next step, the Implementation Plan, is due to EPA within 30
days of EPA’s acceptance of the Final EID. The final deadline for the County to close the large
capacity cesspools is January 22, 2027.
Nā‘ālehu
In compliance with the federal consent order, the County is engaging with the public to solicit
feedback on the options explored in the Preliminary Engineering Report in preparation for the
Draft Environmental Information Document. In late October 2023, public preference surveys to
gather input on the four feasible options were mailed out to 194 lot owners in the LCC closure
area. A public meeting was held November 16, at the Nā‘ālehu Community Center to engage
with the public to solicit feedback on the options explored in the PER, and to provide a general
overview of the EID being prepared. A second round of surveys was mailed out to owners of
affected lots in February 2024. The survey collection period remains open.
In late May 2024 the County began sending right-of-entry agreements to property owners in
Nā‘ālehu. This agreement, when signed, allows entry by the County and its consultants onto
properties to design a sewer collection system. This agreement expires at the end of 2024.
Due to an error in the mailout, a second version of the agreement was sent out shortly after.
The Draft EID remains under development and will be released later this summer, at which time
the County will solicit public comment. The Final Environmental Information Document is due
to EPA on October 22, 2024. The final deadline for the County to close the large capacity
cesspools is December 31, 2027.
(Verbal reports on the following:)
2. Countywide Wastewater AOC
3. Hilo WWTP upgrades
Bids on this project will be unsealed August 15. Phase 2 remains in design.
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4. County’s application for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System for the
Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant.
5. Wastewater Plans
1. Integrated Wastewater Management Plan and Public Engagements 1
4. STATUS OF EXISTING STAFF VACANCIES AND RECENT HIRES
1. Recycling Coordinator, others
2. Other vacancies
5. QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS
1. What is the impact to Department of Environmental Management operations and finances of
opening Kalapana Transfer Station two days a week? (Adams)
Sea Engineers Inc. used a dive boat to inspect the ocean outfall at Puhi Bay, July 11, 2024.
1 VII.4.1: IWWMP - https://www.dem.hawaiicounty.gov/projects/integrated-wastewater-management-plan
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