CAO Home

Compliance Assistance Office Small Business Assistance Home Page

Helping small businesses overcome hurdles in environmental regulations.

Section 507 of the 1990 Clean Air Act requires each state to establish a Small Business Environmental Compliance Assistance Program.

The Compliance Assistance Office (CAO) was established within the Department of Health (DOH) in 1998 to help small businesses overcome the hurdles they face in their efforts to succeed in business while following environmental regulations. Our free and confidential services help support our mission to:

  • promote communication between the DOH and small businesses, and help distribute materials explaining regulations to small businesses;
  • intercede in disputes between small businesses and DOH;
  • promote the inclusion of small business perspectives in rule-making; and
  • work with DOH staff to increase their understanding of small businesses.

The CAO is staffed by an Environmental Ombudsman and a secretary. With such a small staff, we rely heavily on a team of staff from the various regulatory offices who have expertise in the full range of environmental topics.

Have you recently applied for or received an environmental permit?

  • Fill in and submit your permit survey. The survey can also be accessed and submitted on the Environmental Health Administration’s e-Permitting Portal here.

State Links for further information:

Other State Link for further information:

  • Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection offers a Hazardous Waste Management online course to assist businesses in meeting the initial and annual training requirements for hazardous waste generators under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).  It is designed as a general overview of the regulatory requirements for handling hazardous waste and IS NOT intended to satisfy all of your RCRA training requirements.  The link is https://moodle.ctdlc.org/dep.
  • The Garment Care and Dry Cleaning Fact Sheets outline basic regulatory requirements and best management practices for the garment care industry.  Connecticut has a web page with links to specific guidance and fact sheets.  This is the link.
  • Building Industry Association of Hawaii link.
  • National Compliance Assistance Centers – The Centers provide access to information in a way that helps make sense of the different regulations that you and/or your business may need in order to be in environmental compliance.  Visit the Centers’ website for more information : https://www.assistancecenters.net/

The Environmental Warehouse:

  • The Environmental Warehouse provide information on underground storage tank sites, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits, etc.  This site can be assessed from the Environmental Health Administration site.

Federal Links for further information:

Learn more about CAO services by viewing the brochure and powerpoint.

The National Small Business Environmental Assistance Program is another way to learn more of our services and the link is https://nationalsbeap.org.


Contact Us

Address:

Environmental Ombudsman, Compliance Assistance Office

Hawaii State Department of Health

2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 119

Pearl City, Hawaii  96782

Phone: (808) 586-4528
Fax: (808) 586-7236
E-mail: [email protected]