FINAL BILL REPORT
SB
6467
C 29 L 96
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Concerning the collection of pollution program fees.
Sponsors: Senators Spanel, Swecker, Sutherland, Morton, Bauer, A. Anderson, Fraser, Roach and Haugen.
Senate Committee on Ecology & Parks
House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology
Background: New sources of air pollution must file a "notice of construction" application, and pay a fee to cover the cost of processing the application. Cost-based fees are also collected from some facilities or sources for special, case-by-case RACT reviews. (RACT is Reasonably Available Control Technology, an emission limit that takes into account economic and technological limits.) Currently, new source review fees and RACT determination fees may be deposited in one of two separate state accounts: those from small non-permitted sources go into the air pollution control account, and those from major permitted sources go into the air operating permit account. There is currently about $4.5 million in the air operating permit account, of which $650,000 is from new source fees and RACT fees, and the remainder from air operating source fees.
This system was created so that all the fees paid by the major permitted facilities, whether for new source review, RACT determination or air operating permits, would go into one account. However, new source review and RACT determinations are infrequent or one-time charges, while air operating permits are an ongoing expense. Continuing to mix new source review fees and RACT determination fees into the air operating permit account makes it more difficult to track the expenditures for air operating permits.
Summary: All new source review fees and RACT determination fees collected by Ecology are deposited into the air pollution control fund. The language that distinguishes between funds from permit program sources and non-permit program sources is deleted.
Votes on Final Passage:
Senate 48 0
House 95 0
Effective: June 6, 1996