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AHALUU, Hawaii – The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) has levied a $2.4 million penalty on real‑estate firm Wailehua I, LLC for illegally dumping soil and construction debris into the wetlands surrounding Wailehua Road. The Clean Water Branch issued a Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) on Oct. 6 2025 after aerial surveys by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) confirmed pollutant entry into state waters as early as June 13 2025, with onsite delineation on Oct. 27 2015. DOH determined that from Oct. 27 2015 to Feb. 23 2016 the company violated 120 counts of Hawaii Revised Statutes §342D‑50(a), which forbids discharges into state waters without a permit, certification, or variance. Wailehua I, LLC acquired the 2.46‑acre subdivision in March 2015 and began the unauthorized fill that year. The company must request a hearing within 20 days, remove all illicit material, and pay the fine within 30 days or face civil action by Director Kenneth S. Fink. “Wetlands are vital to Hawaii’s ecology,” said Deputy Director Kathleen Ho, stressing that owners and contractors must adhere to environmental regulations to protect water quality.