FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 7, 2002
OLYMPIA-The public has until April 25 to comment on a proposal to increase annual permit fees for those who hold wastewater and stormwater discharge permits in the state of Washington. Two public hearings also will be held in April.
The proposal would increase the fees for facilities such as wastewater treatment plants, large industrial plants, dairies and others by 2.79 percent for fiscal year 2003 (July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003) and 3.29 percent for fiscal year 2004.
One hearing will take place in Lacey at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, at the Department of Ecology, 300 Desmond Dr.
The second hearing will take place in Moses Lake at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15, at Big Bend Community College, 7662 Chanute Street N.E., Bldg. 1400, auditorium.
This year, a new category of permit fees is being proposed for those who apply pesticides to waterways to kill mosquitos, control "burrowing shrimp" on oyster beds, and control weeds in wetlands, shorelines and irrigation ditches.
The state's water pollution law requires all permit holders to pay annual permit fees so Ecology can recover the costs of operating the wastewater-discharge permit program.
Fee increases must be in compliance with Initiative 601, which limits fee increases to no more than the fiscal growth factor determined by the Office of Financial Management.
Comments may be sent to Department of Ecology, Attn; Bev Poston, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504-7600. The fax number is 360-407-6426. The e-mail address for comments is bpos461@ecy.wa.gov.
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