Hawaii Administrative Rules
Title 11 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Subtitle 1 - GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 60.1 - AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
Subchapter 1 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Section 11-60.1-17 - Prevention of air pollution emergency episodes
Current through February, 2024
(a) This section is designed to prevent the excessive buildup of air contaminants during air pollution episodes, thereby preventing the occurrence of any emergency due to the effects of these contaminants on the public health.
(b) Conditions justifying the proclamation of an air pollution alert, air pollution warning, or air pollution emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever the director determines that the accumulation of air contaminants in any place is attaining or has attained levels which could, if such levels are sustained or exceeded, lead to a threat to the health of the public. In making this determination, the director shall be guided by the criteria set forth in subsections (c) to (g).
(c) If the national weather service issues an atmospheric stagnation advisory or if an equivalent local forecast of stagnant atmospheric conditions is issued, the department shall survey its monitoring stations to determine whether alert, warning, or emergency levels have occurred or are likely to occur.
(d) The alert level is that concentration of pollutants at which first stage control action is to begin. An alert shall be declared, health advisories issued, and source activities curtailed as ordered by the director when any one of the following levels is reached:
(e) The warning level indicates that air quality is continuing to degrade and that additional abatement actions are necessary. A warning shall be declared, health advisories issued, and source activities curtailed or terminated as ordered by the director when any one of the following levels is reached:
(f) The emergency level indicates that air quality may have an impact on public health. An emergency shall be declared, health advisories issued, source activities terminated as ordered by the director, and the public evacuated from the affected area if so recommended by the director, civil defense, or the police department when the warning level for a pollutant has been exceeded and:
(g) Once declared, any episode level reached by application of these criteria shall remain in effect until the criteria for that level are no longer met. At that time, the next lower episode level shall be assumed.