Clean Water Branch

Notice of Public Comment Period for The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility Stormwater Management Plan

NPDES File No. HI22KG718

DOCKET NO. HI22KG718

May 19, 2023

      The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) is soliciting comments on the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY&IMF) Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP).

The Director of Health has selected the Two-Step General Permit approach to regulate Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Small MS4s) under the State’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. The first step of the Two-Step process was the adoption of Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) Title 11, Chapter 55, Appendix K. The public notice of the PHNSY&IMF SWMP is the second step. Both HAR 11-55, Appendix K and the PHNSY&IMF SWMP will be NPDES permit conditions for the PHNSY&IMF Small MS4 to regulate and impose water pollution control requirements on the discharge of stormwater and certain non-stormwater discharges to receiving State waters, to meet the MS4 permit standard, and to protect water quality.

PHNSY&IMF is Hawaii’s regional maintenance center for the United States Navy and the State’s largest industrial employer with over 6,000 civilian and military personnel. Their mission is to defend the nation. PHNSY &IMF employs dedicated professionals who repair, maintain, and modernize the United States Pacific Fleet.

PHNSY&IMF occupies more than 148 acres of land of which 108 acres is within the Controlled Industrial Area (CIA). Nearly all of area in the CIA is covered with impervious surfaces and drains to 16 outfalls. PHNSY&IMF’s Small MS4 area only covers areas within the CIA area and excludes the dry dock basin areas. Areas outside of the CIA are permitted for storm water flows through a NPDES Individual storm water permit for Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH), managed by Naval Facilities Systems Engineering Command Hawaii (NAVFACHI) for Navy Region Hawaii (NRH) (NPDES Permit No HIS000257). PHNSY&IMF is a tenant on JBPHH, a facility owned and managed by NRH on the island of Oahu.

The goal of PHNSY&IMF’s SWMP is to protect the water quality of surface waters of Pearl Harbor. PHNSY&IMF operates in a highly visible, historically significant, and ecologically sensitive harbor. Pearl Harbor, the largest estuary in the state, is a breeding ground for fish and birds, and because of its historical significance, attracts more than one million visitors each year from around the world. PHNSY&IMF’s goal in implementing this SWMP is to protect the water quality of Pearl Harbor. The SWMP is intended to facilitate implementation of PHNSY&IMF’s storm water management program and meet the Small MS4 Permit standard [i.e., to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the Maximum Extent Practicable (MEP), to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA)].

The receiving water, Pearl Harbor is classified as Class 2, Inland Water, Estuary. Under HAR 11-54-4, the objective of Class 2 waters is to protect their use for recreational purposes, the support and propagation of aquatic life, agricultural and industrial water supplies, shipping, and navigation. The uses to be protected in this class of waters are all uses compatible with the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and with recreation in and on these waters.

Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed SWMP or to request a public hearing, should submit their comments or requests in writing no later than 30 calendar days after the date of this notice, either through E-mail at [email protected] or by mail at P.O. BOX 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801‑3378.

Copies of the Notice of Intent (NOI), SWMP, and other information are available for public inspection, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 a.m. until 4:15 p.m., at the DOH Clean Water Branch office located at 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225, Pearl City, HI 96782.  Copies may be bought. The NOI and SWMP are also available on the internet at: https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/clean-water-branch-home-page/public-notices-and-updates/. For more information or if you have special needs due to disability that will aid you in inspecting and/or commenting on the public notice permit and related information, please contact Mr. Darryl Lum, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, CWB, at the above address or (808) 586-4309 (Voice) at least seven (7) calendar days before the comment deadline. For those who use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1‑711 or 1-877-447-5991.

All written comments and requests received on time will be considered.  If DOH determines that there is significant public interest, a public hearing may be held after at least 30 calendar days of public notice.

Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.

Darryl Lum, P.E.,

Acting Program Manager

Clean Water Branch