PA Environment Digest

Proposals to increase fees for Dam Safety and Waterway Management Permits and permits related to noncoal mining were the subject of PA Bulletin notices on January 28.

The Environmental Quality Board published proposed increases in Dam Safety and Waterway Management Permit fees for public comment.

Revised estimates of income from the proposed increases by DEP show the new fees would generate about $4,267,612 a year more than the existing fees. DEP had estimated nearly $8 million in new fee income when the fees were originally proposed in December 2010. Revised permit fee income estimates for dam safety would increase to $1,390.850 from $28,000 and waterway management permit fees income would increase to $2,952,612 from $47,850.*

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice it is soliciting additional public comments on a proposed rulemaking published in August, 2010 increasing noncoal mining-related permit fees. The proposal would increase fees $2,475,000 (from $25,000 to $2,500,000 annually).

DEP in December took action to withdraw proposed Drinking Water permit fee increases adopted by the Environmental Quality Board which would have generated $8.1 million (from $250,000 to $8,385,000 annually).

Other pending permit fee increases include:

-- Coal Surface Mining Permits: $350,000 (from $50,000 to $400,000 annually); and

-- Air Quality Permits: $7.8 million (from $19,570,000 to $27,408,000 annually).

*Update: The original income estimate of nearly $8 million published here was from the Fee Report Form published with the proposed regulation in December 2010.

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