Big Island dairy that spilled millions of gallons of raw sewage faces big fines
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state is seeking $91,000 in fines against embattled Big Island Dairy for massive wastewater spills this spring.
The state said the Ookala dairy farm — whose owners announced they were selling off operations and leaving the state — spilled more than 2.1 million gallons of sewage from their cow manure ponds between April 13 and May 7.
Since the May spill, the dairy had an even larger spill — more than 5.8 million gallons — in August. But the state said the company probably won’t be fined for that spill because it happened during Hurricane Lane.
“There was a tremendous amount of pollution. ... It went straight into the gulches and out into the ocean,” said Charlie Tebbutt, an attorney for several Ookala residents who sued.
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“It will kill just about everything in its reach for some period of time.”
The fine comes after the Health Department ordered the company to pay $25,000 last year for dumping animal waste into its fields.
Company officials could not be reached for comment.
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