Comments sought on wastewater and stormwater fees

OLYMPIA - Anyone with an interest in cleaning and protecting Washington's waterways is encouraged to comment on proposed changes to the state's wastewater and stormwater permit fees.

Wastewater and stormwater permits require local governments, large construction sites and certain industries—from photofinishers to large dairies to petroleum refineries—to properly control storm water and safely release treated water into lakes, rivers, and marine and ground waters.

A 1988 citizens' initiative required state wastewater-discharge permits to be completely supported by permit fees. Every two years, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) amends the permit fee rule to continue funding the program.

Ecology uses the permit fees to provide information to permit holders, review their engineering plans, and inspect businesses and treatment facilities to make sure they are complying with their permits.

Under the proposed rule, most fees would be raised by no more than the fiscal growth factor established by the Office of Financial Management, or about three percent for next year. The fiscal growth factor is a three-year moving average of population growth and inflation.

However, in 2004, the legislature directed Ecology to restructure stormwater permit fees for industrial and construction permit-holders as part of new legislation (Senate Bill 6415) that established guidelines for controlling stormwater runoff.

In passing SB 6415, the legislature resolved stormwater issues that had been the subject of legal dispute for years. Ecology's proposed rules incorporate the new law.

"This law gets all parties out of the courts and lets us move forward to address the state's stormwater problems," said Dave Peeler, who manages Ecology's water quality program.

According to Grant Nelson, governmental affairs director for the Association of Washington Business, the restructured fees are reasonable.

"Ecology is balancing the financial resources of businesses, especially small businesses, with the need to improve the state's ability to control storm water," Nelson said.

For the coming biennium, Ecology is proposing to make the following changes to its permit fee rule.

Wastewater and waste-discharge permits

1. Increase permit fees by the fiscal growth factor: 3.03 percent for fiscal year (FY) 2005 (July 2004 through June 2005) and 2.62 percent for FY 2006.

2. Change the definition of "animal unit" for concentrated animal feeding operations to include feedlot beef, horses, sheep, swine, poultry and other animals.

3. Change the definition of "non-contact cooling water with additives."

4. Add an "in-vessel water maintenance" subcategory to the shipyard fee category.

Stormwater permits

1. Increase the annual permit fees for construction and industrial stormwater individual permit-holders by the fiscal growth factor.

2. Restructure the permit fee schedule for industrial and construction general permit-holders, as required by SB 6415.

3. Establish permit fees for certain additional municipal stormwater systems.

Workshops about the proposed permit fee changes, followed by public hearings, will be held in the following locations:

* Longview, May 12, Cowlitz Co. Public Utility District, 961 12th Ave.

* Mount Vernon, May 13, Department of Social & Health Services, Skagit Room, 900 E. College Way.

* Kennewick, May 17, Mid-Columbia Library, 1620 South Union.

* Spokane May 18, Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley.

* Ellensburg, May 19, Hal Holmes Center, 201 N. Ruby Street.

* Tacoma, May 20, Pierce Co. Library, Administrative Services Center,

3005 112th St. E.

All workshops will begin at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on May 26. Send comments to:

Department of Ecology

Attn: Bev Poston

P.O. Box 47600

Olympia, WA 98504-7600

FAX: (360) 407-6426

E-mail: bpos461@ecy.wa.gov