MAY 2006 - FEBRUARY 2008 UPDATES FOR TRADEWINDS' CLEAN AIR PERMIT APPLICATION HERE

PLEASE SEE NEW POST ABOVE FOR INFORMATION ON PHASE TWO OF TRADEWINDS' AIR PERMIT APPLICATION.

NOVEMBER 2007-FEBRUARY 2008 UPDATE--Hawai'i State Department of Health is working on its response to public comments.

OCTOBER 2007 UPDATE--

Oct. 30: Public hearing is held.

Oct. 23: A supplemental communication document sent from Tradewinds to the DOH, dated 9-12, entitled "Hydrogen Chloride Emission Rate," has been posted below.

We also received notice today from Catherine Lopez at the DOH Clean Air Branch that the 45-day EPA review has commenced. Please note that if the current public comment phase results in any "major" changes to the permit application, the 45-day EPA review is retriggered and starts all over again.

Oct. 1: An email to Protect O'okaka from Catherine Lopez of the state Department of Health's Clean Air Branch states that the 45-day EPA review period of the draft permit has not yet started. DOH will submit their draft permit and review to the EPA Region 9 offices in San Francisco in two to three weeks, which, according to Ms. Lopez, triggers the start of the 45-day EPA review.

SEPTEMBER 2007 UPDATE--

Sept. 28: State Department of Health issues Tradewinds' Draft Permit. The Public Hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30, 2007, 6:00 p.m., at Laupahoehoe School Cafeteria. The DOH Draft Permit Review, Draft Permit, and Public Hearing Notice are posted below as attachments.

Also in September, the point person at DOH for Tradewinds' air permit application has changed from civil engineer April Matsumura to Catherine Lopez. Ms. Matsumura has left the Clean Air Branch.

AUGUST 2007 UPDATE (SEE ATTACHMENTS BELOW)--

Aug. 8: According to state Dept. of Health correspondence, Tradewinds will be submitting "another addendum that will supersede the one dated July 11, 2007." Further, the DOH states that "some parts of the November 2006 application will remain valid while other parts will not." In anticipation of written public comments during the public comment phase (not yet scheduled), the DOH is asking Tradewinds for "suggestions" on how "we can minimize confusion in what parts of the Nov. application still apply and in referencing parts of either the Nov. application or the new addendum."

Aug. 22: Tradewinds submits its Second Addendum (attached below). The July 2007 Addendum (the first addendum) is now invalidated. It's still not been made totally clear what parts of the Nov. 2006 application remain valid.

JULY 2007 UPDATE (SEE ATTACHMENTS BELOW)-- Tradewinds submits an Addendum to the Application, it is later invalidated.

JUNE 2007 UPDATE (SEE ATTACHMENTS BELOW)-- The Department of Health determines that Tradewinds' proposed smokestack emissions contain an unacceptable ambient air concentration.

MAY 2007 UPDATE (SEE ATTACHMENTS BELOW)-- Tradewinds Forest Products’ "air permit" application to the State Department of Health (DOH) Clean Air Branch to build a power plant in O‘okala’s residential community is now in process. We’ve consolidated all documents related to the permit application for ease of viewing—see attachments immediately below.

The air permit application was deemed complete on Jan 10, 2007, and is now being reviewed by the State Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch. Please note that the Nov. 17, 2006 REVISED application replaces the original May 30, 2006 application (and note the changes!). State environmental engineers have asked Don Bryan, president and CEO of Tradewinds, several questions to clarify different aspects of the project—that correspondence, including Tradewinds’ responses, is below in dated attachments.

Some of the names you will see in the correspondence in addition to Mr. Bryan include April Matsumura, environmental engineer at the DOH Clean Air Branch and point person on the application; Nolan Hirai, supervisor of the engineering section at the Clean Air Branch; and John Lague and Karen Beattie of URS Corporation (San Diego, CA and Portland, OR, respectively), consultants to Tradewinds.

If you are tracking Tradewinds’ clean air permit application, please check back frequently for updates. Correspondence between Tradewinds’ representatives and the DOH will be posted within days, if not on the day, of being generated.
The 30-day public comment phase, public hearing, and 45-day EPA review have not yet been scheduled. DOH officials tell us we will have at least a two-week notice before these phases commence. The Protect O‘okala Ad Hoc Steering Committee will notify members of the community when the dates are scheduled and confirmed.
Please note that public comments to the Department of Health will not be entered into the official record unless they are received during the 30-day public comment period.

JANUARY 2007 UPDATE-- Tradewinds Forest Products "Air Permit" Application is deemed Complete by the Hawai'i State Department of Health Clean Air Branch.

NOVEMBER 2006 UPDATE-- Tradewinds Forest Products submits a Revised "Air Permit" Application to the Hawai'i State Department of Health Clean Air Branch.

MAY 2006 UPDATE-- Tradewinds Forest Products submits a Covered Source Permit Application ("Air Permit" Application)--it is later deemed Incomplete by Hawai'i State Department of Health Clean Air Branch.

Posted by the Protect O‘okala Ad Hoc Steering Committee