HONOLULU -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced it has fined two neighbor island companies because they failed to close large cesspools.

The fines involve Kauai landowner Gay and Robinson Co. and Kula Lodge and Restaurant on Maui.

The EPA ordered Gay and Robinson Co. to pay $110,000 because it did not close 40 large cesspools on the Garden Isle. As part of the decision, the EPA is requiring Gay and Robinson Co. to close the cesspools at Kaumakani and Camp 6 by May and its cesspools at Pakala Village by September 2011.

The cesspools on Kauai serve a number of residences, including homes for company retirees.

The federal government began a ban of cesspools in April 2005. The ban does not apply to single-family homes connected to their own individual cesspools.

EPA officials said the agency issued Kula Lodge and Restaurant owner Fred Romanchak multiple warnings to close the cesspools. Romanchak agreed to pay $51,000 fine, officials said. The EPA said he recently installed an approved wastewater system.

"Cesspools are used more widely in Hawaii than in any other state," the EPA's David Albright said in a written statement. "While many cesspools are now closed, there are numerous large-capacity cesspools in use by restaurants, hotels, office complexes, and multiple dwellings, which still require attention."