The Department of Environmental Protection reported to the Environmental Quality Board Wednesday current permit and administrative fee collection revenue in both the coal and noncoal mining program has dropped significantly and should be increased.

By FY 2017-18 the deficit in revenue for the noncoal mining fees will equal about 26 percent of program costs-- about $900,000.

In a written report to the EQB, DEP said fees were last increased in October of 2012, but almost immediately revenue from the fee increases did not meet projections, down about $600,000 in FY 2013-14 with deficits increasing in later years.

The fees were increased in 2012 to offset cuts in DEP’s budget.

As a result, DEP was recommending an increase in the noncoal permit and administrative fees, with the addition of a new fee for permit renewals.

The coal mining permit fees were designed to meet about 37 percent of the permit program cost or about $400,000 annually, according to a report reviewed at the EQB meeting.  The current fees were last raised in November 2012.

 Since 2012, permit review fees have been consistently about $75,000 below expected revenue which means about 14 percent of the permitting program costs are covered, not 37 percent.

DEP said it would work with the Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board to develop a fee increase package for consideration by the EQB.

For more information, visit the Environmental Quality Board Meeting webpage.

5/25/2015