Clean Water Branch

STATE OF HAWAII

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND PUBLIC HEARING ON

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO

HAR CHAPTER 11-55 AND HAR CHAPTER 11-55 APPENDICES B, E, F, G, K

DOCKET NO. CWB-1-26

April 10, 2026

The Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) is scheduling a public comment period from the date of this notice until May 11, 2026, to solicit written input from the public and other stakeholders about the proposed amendments to Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) Chapter 11‑55 entitled “Water Pollution Control,” and readopted National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permits which are specified in Appendices B, E, F, G, and K of HAR Chapter 11-55.

• HAR Chapter 11-55, Water Pollution Control
• HAR Chapter 11-55 Appendix B, NPDES Multi-Sector General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity
• HAR Chapter 11-55 Appendix E, NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Once Through Cooling Water Less Than One (1) Million Gallons per Day
• HAR Chapter 11-55 Appendix F, NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Hydrotesting Waters
• HAR Chapter 11-55 Appendix G, NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Dewatering
• HAR Chapter 11-55 Appendix K, NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water and Certain Non-Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems

The above five (5) NPDES general permits cover authorized discharges to all receiving State waters except for discharges into natural freshwater lakes, saline lakes, or anchialine pools, or discharges occurring within lands of exclusive federal jurisdiction.

The CWB will hold a public hearing pursuant to HAR 11-55-13 with in-person and virtual options.  Individuals wishing to attend the public hearing virtually are encouraged to register in advance.

Click here to go to the registration page for this public hearing.

Date: Monday, May 11, 2026

Time: 10:00 AM (Hawaii Standard Time)

In-Person at: DOH Environmental Health Administration Conference Room

Street Address: 2827 Waimano Home Road #100, Pearl City, HI 96782

Microsoft Teams Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25010574171690?p=5gOXsn2w3q18xkKibw

Hearing Dial-In Phone Number: 808-829-4853 (Conference ID 626 875 909#)

Click here to access a guide on how to use the Microsoft Teams platform to participate in the public hearing virtually.

Persons wishing to comment upon the proposed amendments may submit written comments no later than 4:30 pm on the date of the public hearing.  Oral testimony may be given at the public hearing, provided that persons offering oral testimony also submit a written copy of their testimony by 4:30 p.m. on the date of the public hearing.  Submitted comments should address only the proposed amendments and not the existing NPDES rules.  All written comments, including written copies of oral testimony must be received either through E-mail at [email protected] or by mail at P.O. BOX 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801-3378.

NPDES Permits serve as enforceable tools for implementing the State Water Quality Standards, which are designed to safeguard all designated and existing uses of State Waters including, but not limited to, Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices.  The DOH does not anticipate that the proposed amendments to the NDPES rules and general permits will affect or impair these rights.  Nevertheless, the DOH welcomes input from stakeholders who may hold a different view.

Copies of the proposed rules and their fact sheet are accessible below. On the Ramseyer formats and fact sheets, proposed additions are shown as underlined text and proposed deletions as [bracketed and strikethrough text].

• HAR 11-55 and Fact Sheet
• HAR 11-55 Appendix B – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activity and Fact Sheet
• HAR 11-55 Appendix E – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Once Through Cooling Water Less Than One (1) Million Gallons per Day and Fact Sheet
• HAR 11-55 Appendix F – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Hydrotesting Water and Fact Sheet
• HAR 11-55 Appendix G – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Dewatering and Fact Sheet
• HAR 11-55 Appendix K – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water and Certain Non-Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems and Fact Sheet

Copies of the proposed amendments and fact sheets are also available for public inspection, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 AM until 4:15 PM, at the following locations.  Photocopies of the proposed amendments and fact sheets may be bought.

• Clean Water Branch at 2827 Waimano Home Road #225, Pearl City, HI 96782,
• Hilo District Health Office at 75 Aupuni Street #201, Hilo, HI 96720,
• Kona District Health Office at 79-1015 Haukapila Street, Kealakekua, HI 96750,
• Waimea District Health Office at 67-5189 Kamamalu Street, Kamuela, HI 96743,
• Kauai District Health Office at 3040 Umi Street, Lihue, HI 96766, and
• Maui District Health Office at 54 South High Street #301, Wailuku, HI 96793.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to disability, please contact Mr. Reef Migita, Supervisor of the CWB Engineering Section, at 808-586-4309 or [email protected] as soon as possible.  If you use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1-711 or 1‑877-447-5991.  Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

KENNETH S. FINK, MD, MGA, MPH

Director of Health