FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1468

                         C 413 L 97

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Removing authority to modify reclamation permit fees.

Sponsors:  Representatives Buck, Chandler, Grant, Sump, Sheldon, Hatfield, Alexander, Delvin and Pennington.

House Committee on Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks

Background:  Surface mine reclamation permit holders pay an annual permit fee.  In 1993, the Legislature set the annual permit fee at $650.  The Legislature also gave the Department of Natural Resources the authority to modify the annual permit fee by rule.  The department has not done so.

Counties receive a special discount on these annual permit fees.  Annual fees paid by a county for mines used exclusively for public works projects and having less than seven acres of disturbed area per mine may not exceed $1,000.  Annual fees are waived entirely for all mines used primarily for public works projects if the mines are owned and primarily operated by counties with 1993 populations of less than 20,000 persons.  Twelve counties had 1993 populations of less than 20,000 persons.

Summary:  The Department of Natural Resources= authority to modify the annual surface mine reclamation permit fee by rule is removed.  The permit fee waiver for certain county mines is limited to mines with less than seven acres of disturbed area.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 46 2 (Senate amended)

House  90 1 (House concurred)

Effective:July 27,  1997