Senate committee adopts amendment and advances bill removing caps on water permit fees

A Senate committee voted to adopt an amendment to House Bill 3030 and reported the measure to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.

Committee counsel told members the bill would remove statutory caps on permit fees under the state's Water Pollution Control Act, allowing the Department of Environmental Protection to change fee levels. "The strike and insert committee amendment makes only technical non substantive changes," counsel said, and added that the DEP has authority to establish a water-quality management fund, charge permit-application and annual permit fees, and set fee schedules.

The counsel told the committee that funding for the permit program comes solely from special revenue paid through permit fees and enforcement penalties and that permit fees "have not increased in 30 years," producing a widening gap between revenue and expenditures. Counsel also noted the DEP is running a concurrent rules bundle that would update permit-fee schedules if the statutory caps are removed.

The vice chair moved adoption of the strike-and-insert amendment; the committee adopted the amendment by voice vote. The vice chair then moved that House Bill 3030 as amended be reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass; the motion carried by voice vote.

No substantive amendments to the bill were recorded during committee discussion. The committee record shows the amendment was described as technical and non-substantive; counsel answered questions and said, "Happy to answer any questions."