Subject of Possible Rule Making: Rule amendment for chapter 173-224 WAC, Wastewater discharge permit fees. This amendment will increase fees for some wastewater permit fee categories (dairies, concentrated animal feeding operations, boatyards, aquatic pest control, and private and government-owned domestic wastewater treatment facilities) and all stormwater permit fee categories for FY 2014 by 4.65 percent (the fiscal growth factor projection) and for FY 2015, by 4.72 percent (the tentative fiscal growth factor projection) in anticipation of receiving approval from the 2013 legislature.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 90.48.465 Water pollution control.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: RCW 90.48.465 Water pollution control, requires ecology to establish by rule, annual fees that will fund the wastewater/stormwater permit program. This rule amendment allows continued recovery of ecology's expenses in operating and managing the permit programs. Wastewater and stormwater permits are tools used by ecology to ensure that man-made activities that discharge into the various water bodies of the state are discharged at a level where they will not impair the water.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

     Process for Developing New Rule: Amend an existing rule. Hold public hearings simultaneously from three different locations around the state. Notify all permit holders and interested parties by direct mailings of the potential fee increases. Information will be posted on ecology's listserv and on the permit fee web page http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/permit_fees/index.html.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Bev Poston, Fee Administrator, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, bev.poston@ecy.wa.gov, phone (360) 407-6425, or fax (360) 407-7151.

May 20, 2013

Kelly Susewind, P.E., P.G.

Water Quality Program Manager