Original Notice.

     Exempt from preproposal statement of inquiry under RCW 34.05.310(4).

     Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Amend Regulation I, Section 8.05 (Agricultural Burning Permits).

     Hearing Location(s): Tacoma Municipal Building, 728 St. Helens Avenue, Room 16, Tacoma, WA 98402, on September 27, 2012, at 8:45 a.m.

     Date of Intended Adoption: September 27, 2012.

     Submit Written Comments to: Rob Switalski, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, 1904 3rd Avenue, Suite 105, Seattle, WA 98101, e-mail robs@pscleanair.org, fax (206) 343-7522, by September 26, 2012.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact agency

receptionist, (206) 689-4010, by September 20, 2012, TTY (800) 833-6388 or (800) 833-6385 (Braille).

     Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Update the agency's fees for agricultural burning permits to reflect 2012 statewide fee increases made by ecology and the agricultural burning practices and research task force. Our proposed amendments are also deleting the specific language regarding the fee distribution with ecology. It is duplicative of the ecology rule and not relevant to our permitting work with applicants.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: The benefit of these amendments is solely to ensure our agricultural burning permit fees are consistent with those being adopted by ecology, which we must implement. The costs associated with these permit fee increases have been addressed by ecology previously in their small business and cost-benefit analysis documents for their last amendments to chapter 173-430 WAC.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 70.94 RCW.

     Statute Being Implemented: RCW 70.94.141.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Name of Proponent: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, governmental.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Steve Van Slyke, 1904 3rd Avenue, Suite 105, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 689-4052; Implementation and Enforcement: Laurie Halvorson, 1904 3rd Avenue, Suite 105, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 689-4030.

     No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. This agency is not subject to the small business economic impact provision of the Administrative Procedure Act, and the agency is not a school district.

     A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. RCW 34.05.328 does not apply to local air agencies, per RCW 70.94.141.

August 21, 2012

Craig Kenworthy

Executive Director

REGULATION I, SECTION 8.05 AGRICULTURAL BURNING PERMITS

     (a) Applicability. This section applies to burning permits related to agricultural operations. The definitions and requirements contained in chapter 173-430 WAC also apply to this section; provided that if there is a conflict between this section and chapter 173-430 WAC, this section governs.

     (b) General Requirements. Agricultural burning will be permitted if the following requirements are met:

     (1) The natural vegetation being burned is generated from the property of the commercial agricultural operation; and

     (2) Burning is necessary for crop propagation or rotation, disease or pest control; and

     (3) Burning is a best management practice as established by the Agricultural Burning Practices and Research Task Force (established in RCW 70.94.6528 as referenced in chapter 173-430 WAC); or the burning practice is approved in writing by the Washington State Cooperative Extension Service or the Washington State Department of Agriculture; or the burning is conducted by a governmental entity with specific agricultural burning needs, such as irrigation districts, drainage districts, and weed control boards; and

     (4) The proposed burning will not cause a violation of any Agency regulation.

     (c) Permit Applications. Agricultural burning permits shall be approved by the Agency prior to burning.

     (1) The permit application shall be submitted on forms provided by the Agency and shall include:

     (A) A copy of the applicant's most recent year's Schedule F (as filed with the Internal Revenue Service);

     (B) A written review by the local fire district or fire marshal indicating their endorsement that local requirements have been met; and

     (C) A permit fee as required below:

Burn Type	Minimal Fee	Variable Fee
(i) Field Burning of vegetative residue on an area of land used in an agricultural operation. (does not include pile burning)	(($30)) $37.50 for the first 10 acres. ((($15 each for the Agency and Ecology administration.)))	(($3)) $3.75 for each additional acre. ((($1.25 each per acre for the Agency and Ecology administration, and $.50 per acre for the research fund.)))
(ii) Spot Burning of an unforeseen and unpredicted small area where burning is reasonably necessary and no practical alternative to burning exists.	(($30)) $37.50 for 10 acres or less. ((($15 each for the Agency and Ecology administration.)))	None.
(iii) Pile Burning of stacked vegetative resi-due from an agricultural operation.	$80 for the first ((100)) 80 tons. ((($16 each for the Agency administration and the research fund, and $48 for Ecology administration.)))	(($.50)) $1.00 for each additional ton. ((($.10 each per ton for the Agency administration and the research fund, and $.30 per ton for Ecology administration.)))

     (2) Any refunds of the variable fee portion of a permit fee are issued in accordance with chapter 173-430 WAC.

     (d) Permit Action and Content.

     (1) The Agency will act on a complete application within 7 days of receipt.

     (2) All agricultural burning permits shall contain conditions that are necessary to minimize emissions.

     (3) All permits shall expire 12 months from date of issuance.

     (e) Permit Denial. All denials shall become final within 15 days unless the applicant petitions the Control Officer for reconsideration, stating the reasons for reconsideration. The Control Officer shall then consider the petition and shall within 30 days issue a permit or notify the applicant in writing of the reason(s) for denial. (For more information on the appeal process, see Section 3.17 of this regulation.)