Kona Contractor Cited For Clean Air Violations

A Kona contracting firm is among nine Hawaii companies cited recently by the state Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch for air permit and pollution violations.

E.M. Rivera and Sons Inc. was cited for various air-permit violations discovered during health department inspections, the agency said in a press release issued today.

The department did not provide details on the violations for which it is preparing a consent order.

The company which specializes in excavation and site preparation for subdivisions, roadways and other infrastructure operates four mobile rock-crushing plants with capacities ranging from 505 to 1,005 tons per hour, the DOH said.

E.M. Rivera and Sons was also cited in 2012 for late submittal of compliance certification, annual fees, annual emission and semi-annual monitoring reports.  A penalty of $1,500 was assessed for those violations.

Of the nine companies cited recently, E.M. Rivera and Sons was the only one located on the Big Island and the only one for which a consent order has yet to be prepared.

Fines assessed against the others ranged from $1,400 to $9,300.

The others cited were:

• Frank Coluccio Construction Company, Kapolei, Oahu, for failing to conduct a test for a mobile rock crusher
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc., Moanalua, Oahu, for late submitting of semi-annual and annual emission reports
• Maui Landscape Specialty, Inc., dba Hawaiian Charcoal Company, located in the old Waikapu landfill, Maui, for late submitting of semi-annual reports on charcoal kilns
• Lili Laundry, Inc. dba Alii Linen Services, Kahului, Maui, for late submitting of a semi-annual report on a boiler
• Grace Pacific Corporation, Barber’s Point Harbor, Oahu, for exceeding its rolling 12-month limit on two diesel generators
• Monsanto Company, Kaunakai, Molokai, for fugitive dust violations. The company has requested a hearing on the case
• Hawaii Commercial & Sugar Company, Puunene, Maui, for fugitive dust violations
• Island Topsoil, LLC, Waianae, Oahu, for late submittals of 2010 and 2011 annual emission reports