Hawai‘i State Department of Health
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Office of Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response

The mission of the Office of Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (HEER) is to protect human health, public welfare, and the environment and provide state leadership, support and partnership in preventing, planning for, responding to, and enforcing environmental laws relating to releases or threats of releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants.

What's New

August 2008 - Kea'au Arsenic Assessment
The following reports document work conducted since 2004 and include information on produce testing (Apr and Aug 2005), additional evidence supporting the use of soil arsenic bioavailability in the Kea‘au area (2006 and 2007), HEER Office guidance relating to use and interpretation of soil arsenic bioaccessibility testing results (Aug 2006) and Kea‘au area arsenic urine testing results (Aug 2008).

HEALTH CONSULTATION Exposure Investigation Kea‘au 8.5 and 9.5 Mile Camps Kea‘au, Hawai‘i County, Hawai‘i (Aug 2008)
Kea‘au Arsenic Urine Testing Fact Sheet (Aug 2008)
Kea‘au Soil Arsenic Assessment Study (Dec 2007)

July 2008 - Sections of the newly drafted Technical Guidance Manual (TGM) are available for public review online!

We've created a web site for the new TGM. As of 07/31/2008, the draft sections that are available for public review are:
  Section 1-HEER Responsibilities, And Organization     Section 3-Site Investigation Design And Implementation
  Section 2-Site Discovery, Investigation, and Cleanup   Section 4-Soil Sample Collection Approaches

We are soliciting comments from the consulting community and the general public. Here's the access information.
URL: www.hawaiidoh.org | Login: dohtgm | Password: Guest
Once you're into the TGM site, you then need to register. Registration is required so that if you leave a review comment, we can tell who the comment was from.

Sections 3 & 4 contain new materials on multi-increment sampling, systematic planning, decision unit strategies, etc. Lots more to come!

February 2008 - HEPCRA
Notice of Intent of Proposed Rulemaking The Department of Health is preparing administrative rules to better implement and improve compliance with requirements of the Hawaii Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (HEPCRA), Chapter 128E, Hawai'i Revised Statues (HRS).

November 2007 - Information Management Recruitment Activities
EHA is seeking a candidate to fill the Senior Information Technology Specialist position. Please follow the link to view the Position Description.

August 2006 - Final Response Action Memorandum (Final RAM) issued for proposed hotel site in Kea'au, Hawai'i.


Press Releases relating to HEER and other DOH Activities

HEPCRA Compliance Information
Instructions and forms for compliance with the Hawai‘i Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (HRS 128E).

Voluntary Response Program
The Voluntary Response Program began in October 1997 and is designed to encourage participants to address environmental contamination on a voluntary basis, as well as to facilitate the productive economic use of contaminated properties. The program allows prospective owners and tenants to avoid environmental liabilities which they have not caused if they voluntarily clean up contaminated properties.

Pesticide and Heavy Metal Poisoning
In order to better assess the prevalence and impact of pesticide and heavy metal poisoning cases in Hawai‘i, physicians and laboratory directors must report all such cases to DOH.

Public Records
HEER maintains records on the storage of hazardous substances, releases of hazardous substances to the environment, and site cleanup actions.

Annual Report
HEER reports annually to the State Legislature on its activities for the past year.

Statutes, Administrative Rules, Policy and Guidance Documents
HEER is responsible for implementing the Hawai‘i Environmental Response Law (HRS 128D) and the State Contingency Plan (HAR 11-451), as well as the Hawai‘i Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (HRS 128E).


Office of Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response
Hawai‘i State Department of Health
919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 206
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96814

Telephone:   (808) 586-4249
From Maui (toll-free):   984-2400 ext 64249
From Hawai‘i (toll-free):   974-4000 ext 64249
From Kaua‘i (toll-free):   274-3141 ext 64249
From Moloka‘i or Lāna‘i (toll-free):   (800) 468-4644 ext 64249
Fax:   (808) 586-7537
E-mail:   heer@doh.hawaii.gov
24-hour Hotline:   (808) 247-2191

Web page maintained by Marsha Mealey
Last updated 27 Aug 2008