(BIVN) – Puna Geothermal Venture is one of seven companies recently cited by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health for air permit violations.

Puna Geothermal Venture, or PGV, is currently not in operation. The eruption on the lower East Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano forced the closure of the plant. The alleged violations occurred in the years prior.

The health department’s Clean Air Branch says PGV was cited “for operational, emission and notification violations. The violations were determined from inspections and a review of their incident reports. Puna Geothermal Venture was fined $11,100.”

According to the health department Notice and Finding of Violation, there were a handful of operational issues among the paperwork snafus. DOH alleges that:

• PGV “failed to maintain and ensure the Emergency Steam Release Facility (ESRF) was fully operational on September 29, 2016. The ESSRF became fully inoperable after a one-inch (1-inch) vent detached from production well KS-13 expansion loop.
• PGV “failed to prevent accumulated wellhead gas or any other geothermal fluid to be discharged into the atmosphere without first being directed through a hydrogen sulfide abatement system. Due to the failure of the ESRF on September 29, 2016. the pressure release valve (PRV) servicing production wells KS-S and KS-S released accumulated wellhead gas or geothermal fluid into the atmosphere without first being directed through a hydrogen sulfide abatement system.”
• PGV “failed to prevent accumulated wellhead gas or any other geothermal fluid to be discharged into the atmosphere without first being directed through a hydrogen sulfide abatement system. Due to the failure of a wellhead control valve on October 3, 2016, the PRV servicing production well KS-14 released accumulated wellhead gas or geothermal fluid into the atmosphere without first being directed through a hydrogen sulfide abatement system.”

The health department also says Puna Geothermal Venture “failed to notify DOH in writing within two (2) working days after the completion of drilling production well KS-16.”

The Hawai‘i Department of Health issued Notices and Finding of Violation and Orders to these other companies:

AES Hawaii, Inc. in Kapolei on O‘ahu was cited for exceeding their three-hour average hydrogen chloride (HCl) permit limit for Boiler B. The violation was determined from a review of their records and the company was fined $9,400.

Ala Imua, LLC. in Kapolei on O‘ahu was cited for operational and notification violations. The violations were determined from an inspection of their facility and the company was fined $9,500.

Esaki Surveying and Mapping, Inc. in Lihu‘e on Kaua‘i was cited for not submitting their annual fee and semi-annual monitoring reports. The violations were determined from a review of their records and the company was fined $6,000.

Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. was cited for exceeding the visible emission limits on their boilers at the Waiau generating station in Pearl City and the Kahe station in Nanakuli, both are located on O‘ahu. The violations were determined during a routine review of their records. Hawaiian Electric was fined $45,300.

Ludwig Construction, Inc. in Keaau on Hawai‘i Island did not conduct annual performance tests for 2015 and 2016 on their mobile crushing plant. They were also late in submitting their permit renewal application and semi-annual monitoring reports. Ludwig Construction was fined $8,600.

T.J. Gomes Trucking Company, Inc. in Wailuku on Maui was cited for operational and notification violations. The violations were determined from a review of their records and the company was fined $10,600.

All those responsible have or had the option to request a hearing to contest their alleged violations and penalties, the health department says.