EPA issues 49 citations
within Pacific regionThe Transportation Department
is cited for water violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has nearly doubled the number of citations it issued in Hawaii and other Pacific islands this year compared with 2002.
The agency said it issued 49 citations this year against governments and companies in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas this year, up from 26 citations last year.
Nationally, EPA citations increased 131 percent over 2002 efforts, the agency said.
Some of the EPA's enforcement highlights in the Pacific include:
>> A settlement with Parker Ranch Foundation and Kau Kau Corp. to pay $66,300 in fines for alleged asbestos removal violations at the Parker Ranch Grill in Kamuela on the Big Island.>> An order to the Hawaii Department of Transportation to immediately comply with Clean Water Act requirements and stop a project on Kauai where unauthorized storm water discharges ran off a construction site.
>> The U.S. Army, as part of a settlement with the EPA, paid $91,125 in penalties for the release of a small amount of VX nerve agent and agreed to spend $182,500 to vegetate portions of Johnston Atoll.
>> Guam Waterworks Authority and the government of Guam agreed to take specific measures to improve drinking water and waste-water systems that serve 150,000 people.