NOTICE OF PROPOSED WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT
FOR SUNRISE CAPITAL, INC.
KEKAHA, ISLAND OF KAUAI
NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0021654
DOCKET NO. HI 0021654
September 29, 2021
The State Department of Health (DOH) tentatively proposes to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge shrimp pond circulation wastewater and treated shrimp farm production process wastewater from its shrimp farm facility, to receiving State waters, subject to special conditions to:
SUNRISE CAPITAL, INC.
The proposed NPDES permit for the existing discharge will expire five (5) years from the date of issuance.
Sunrise Capital, Inc. owns and operates a shrimp farm located at 6526 Kaumualii Highway, Kekaha, Island of Kauai, Hawaii and produces 730,000 pounds of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) annually. The facility consists of 40 one-acre production ponds, 8 1/2-acre nursery ponds and 24 raceways supplied by four brackish land-based wells. Each pond at the facility is lined and includes a bottom drain system to periodically remove settled matter and a skimmer system to remove floating material. Each shrimp production pond has a volume of 1.3 million gallons, and a turnover rate of 25-40% per day, amounting to a continuous flow rate of 230 – 360 gallons per minute (gpm) per pond. When all ponds are operating, the average cumulative discharge rate from the ponds is under 20 million gallons per day (MGD), although for the past five years, the average discharge rate is under 5.0 MGD. The shrimp pond circulation water and the pond drainage system water are sent to one of two sedimentation/conveyance canals running the length of the facility prior to exiting the facility into agriculture drainage ditches (Kawaiele and Kinikini Ditches), which ultimately discharge to the Pacific Ocean at coordinates: Latitude 22°01 ’01"N, Longitude 159°47’20"W.
The Pacific Ocean surrounding Kinikini Ditch, is classified by the DOH as a Class A, Wet Open Coastal Waters under HAR §11-54-6(b). It is the objective of Class A waters that their use for recreational purposes and aesthetic enjoyment be protected. Any other use shall be permitted as long as it is 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 draft modified NPDES permit 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: cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov or by mail at 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782.
Copies of the draft modified permit 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 (CWB) office located at the 2827 Waimano Home Road 225, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782, or at the Kauai District Health Office located at 3040 Umi Street, Lihue, Hawaii 96766. Copies may be bought. The public notice permit and fact sheet are also available on the internet at:
https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/clean-water-branch-home-page/public-notices-andupdates/. For more information or if you require aid 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.
If DOH’s position is substantially unchanged after considering all timely written comments and all oral comments at any public hearing that may be held, then the DOH will issue the NPDES permit and this action will be final.
Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.
ELIZABETH A. CHAR, M.D.
Director of Health
(TGI1342546 9/29/21)
