The Hamakua Soil and Water Conservation District voted Tuesday to rescind the conservation plan for Big Island Dairy and others that weren’t signed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. ADVERTISING The Hamakua Soil and Water Conservation
The Hamakua Soil and Water Conservation District voted Tuesday to rescind the conservation plan for Big Island Dairy and others that weren’t signed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The move prevents the Ookala dairy from grubbing and grading, and other actions covered by the document, on its 2,500-acre farm until the district’s board approves a revised version. That new plan is under review by the state Historic Preservation Division, and that process could take one to three months, said board chairman Doug Beaton.
“As far as grubbing and grading goes, they have to stop,” said board member Troy Keolanui.
Board members said they couldn’t go into other specifics of the conservation plan or didn’t have the information. Keolanui said other actions covered by the document may already have been implemented.
Brian Duff, dairy manager, didn’t return a request for comment by deadline Tuesday afternoon.
NRCS staff declined to provide a copy of the plan, citing privacy concerns. A records request is pending.
The plans are intended to help farmers or other land owners manage their resources and prevent soil erosion from impacting nearby properties.
Since the dairy had a conservation plan, it was exempted from receiving a grubbing and grading permit from Hawaii County.
The dairy’s farming practices have been a major issue for Ookala residents after mud and manure from the dairy flooded their homes last September during a storm. Residents also have complained of manure-laden water in nearby streams. A lawsuit filed by some of the dairy’s neighbors is pending.
The state Department of Health fined the dairy $25,000 in May for discharging wastewater into a stream.
But it’s not the only one impacted by the soil and water conservation district’s decision. At least seven, but possibly as many as 20, plans that are several years old might not have been signed by NRCS staff and face cancellation, staff said at the meeting.
Board members noted that the issues occurred under a previous board and former NRCS staff members, who assist the volunteer board.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
