NOTICE OF CLEAN WATER BRANCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT FOR KEAHOLE POINT FISH, LLC NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0021825 DOCKET NO. HI 0021825 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD JANUARY 08, 2026 FEBRUARY 07, 2026 The State of Hawaii, Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) tentatively recommends to the Director of Health (Director) to renew a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit to regulate and impose water pollution control requirements on aquaculture-related discharges to receiving State waters, subject to special conditions, to: KEAHOLE POINT FISH, LLC (Permittee) A Permit for such discharge would expire five (5) years from the effective date of the Permit. The Facility is located at: 74-429 Kealakehe Parkway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The Permittee owns and operates an aquatic animal production operation located in Kailua-Kona on the Island of Hawaii. The Permittee currently cultivates Kahala (Seriola rivoliana), marketed under the trademark name Hawaiian Kampachi, and Moi (threadfin). The Facility consists of a hatchery located within the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, a baseyard at Honokohau Harbor, and an open ocean fish farm situated southwest of Unualoha Point. The Permittee collects wild specimen and allows them to spawn naturally in broodstock tanks at the hatchery. Juvenile fish are reared to a size of approximately 20 to 30 grams before being transferred to the open ocean fish farm, which consists of up to eight (8) submerged net pens anchored to the ocean floor by a system of buoys and weights to prevent marine animal entanglement. The farm occupies a 90-acre area leased from the State of Hawaii, measuring approximately 600 yards by 667 yards, and is located about 2,600 feet offshore in waters 200 to 220 feet deep. The Facility lies just inside the southern boundary of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and outside of a designated dolphin resting area. A feed/security vessel is semi-permanently moored onsite. The vessel is equipped with detachable hoses that connect to each net pen, video cameras for remote monitoring, and compressed air systems used to raise the submerged net pens when necessary. The Permittee used approximately 258 metric tons of feed during the calendar month of maximum feeding. The Permittee cleans the submersible net pens as needed without the use of chemicals. The receiving waters, the Pacific Ocean, is classified by the DOH as Kona Coast/Class AA Wet Open Coastal Waters under Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Section 11-54-6. It is the objective of Class AA Waters that these waters remain in their natural pristine state as nearly as possible with an absolute minimum of pollution or alteration of water quality from any human-caused source or actions. To the extent practicable, the wilderness character of these areas shall be protected. Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed NPDES Permit or to request a Public Hearing, should submit their comments or requests in writing no later than 30 calendar days after the date of this notice, either through E-mail at cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov or by mail at P.O. BOX 3378, Honolulu, Hawaii 96801-3378. Copies of the Public Notice Permit recommended by CWB and other information are available for public inspection, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 a.m. until 4:15 p.m., at the DOH Clean Water Branch office located at 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782, and at the Hilo and Kona District Health Offices, located at 1582 Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 and 79-1015 Haukapila Street, Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750, respectively. Copies may be bought. Electronic copies of the proposed Public Notice Permit and other information are also available online at https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/clean-water-branch-homepage/public-notices-and-updates/. For more information or if you have special needs due to a disability and require aid in inspecting and/or commenting on the Public Notice Permit and related information, please contact Mr. Reef Migita, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, CWB, at the above address or (808) 586-4309 (Voice) as soon as possible before the end of the comment period. For those who use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1 711 or 1-877-447-5991. If a request for assistance is made after the end of the comment period, the CWB will try to fulfill the request. However, fulfillment prior to a final determination cannot be guaranteed. Requests submitted as early as possible are more likely to be fulfilled. All written comments and requests received on time will be considered. If the Director determines that there is significant public interest, a Public Hearing may be held after at least 30 calendar days of Public Notice. If CWB believes, after considering all timely written comments at any Public Hearing that may be held, that no substantive changes to the conditions of the Public Notice Permit are necessary or warranted, then CWB may recommend to the Director that the NPDES Permit be issued. Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter. DARRYL LUM, P.E. Clean Water Branch Chief (WHT1515857 1/08/26)