The Environmental Protection Agency fined Hawaii County $105,000 for illegal cesspools at the Hilo Drag Strip and Hilo Trap and Skeet Range. ADVERTISING The Environmental Protection Agency fined Hawaii County $105,000 for illegal cesspools at the Hilo Drag Strip and
The Environmental Protection Agency fined Hawaii County $105,000 for illegal cesspools at the Hilo Drag Strip and Hilo Trap and Skeet Range.
The large-capacity cesspools have been banned since 2005.
EPA spokesman Dean Higuchi said the cesspools were closed in April and May 2015 following an investigation.
The federal agency issued the fines Monday after reaching an agreement with the county.
EPA also fined Maui County $33,000 for illegal cesspools at Maui Raceway Track and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources $50,000 for a cesspool at Wainapanapa State Park on Maui, the agency also announced Monday. DLNR will convert small cesspools at seven state park facilities on Maui, Oahu and the Big Island.
EPA said Hawaii County has plans to replace the cesspools with individual wastewater systems, such as septic tanks.
Bobby Jean Leithead Todd, county environmental management director, said the park facilities are too far away from the sewer system for them to be connected.
She said the county previously closed 105 large-capacity cesspools as a result of the ban.
James Komata, deputy parks and recreation director, didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Under EPA’s rules, nonresidential cesspools are considered “large capacity” if they serve 20 or more people a day.
Noncompliance usually is a result of an agency not knowing if the cesspool qualifies, Higuchi said.
EPA fined the U.S. Army $100,000 earlier this year for illegal large-capacity cesspools at Pohakuloa Training Area, Kilauea Military Camp and Schofield Barracks.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
