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HRS §342H-8

Emergency orders to stop waste disposal

If the governor or the director decides that waste disposal or discharge is an immediate danger to public health and safety, they can order the responsible person to reduce or stop it right away, without a public hearing first. A hearing must be held within 24 hours. This does not limit other emergency powers.

everyone

The statute, as written — Emergency powers; procedures

(a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, if the governor or the director determines that an imminent peril to the public health and safety is or will be caused by the disposal of solid waste or any combination of discharges of other waste that requires immediate action, the governor or the director, without a public hearing, may order any person causing or contributing to the disposal of solid waste or discharge of other waste to immediately reduce or stop the disposal or discharge, and may take any and all other actions as may be necessary. The order shall fix a place and time, not later than twenty-four hours thereafter, for a hearing to be held before the director. (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit any power which the governor or any other officer may have to declare an emergency and act on the basis of such declaration, if such power is conferred by statute or constitutional provision, or inheres in the office.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.