Bill > HB1258

This bill requires owners or operators of waste combustion facilities to develop comprehensive monitoring plans for 20 specific air contaminants, including toxic substances like dioxins, heavy metals, and particulate matter. These facilities must use either continuous emissions monitoring systems or continuous automated sampling systems to track these contaminants, with measurements taken as frequently as once per minute but no less than every two hours. The bill mandates the creation of a publicly accessible website hosted by the Department of Health that will display real-time emissions data in an easily understandable format, including line charts, violation alerts, and summaries of emissions levels. The data will be archived and available for download, with violations highlighted in red text. Initially, the monitoring data will not be used for enforcement purposes; instead, the director will assess data reliability annually and develop enforcement rules within 12 months of determining the data is reliable. The legislation aims to improve air pollution monitoring at waste combustion facilities, with a particular focus on addressing potential underestimation of toxic emissions and protecting public health, especially for Native Hawaiian residents. Waste combustion facilities processing at least five tons of waste per day will be required to implement these monitoring plans by October 1, 2025, with the Department of Health setting annual fees to cover website development and enforcement costs.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1258&year=2026