BEFORE THE BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
In the matter of the amendment of ARM 17.38.106 pertaining to fees |
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT
(PUBLIC WATER AND SEWAGE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS) |
TO: All Concerned Persons
1. On January 13, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., the Board of Environmental Review will hold a public hearing in Room 35, Metcalf Building, 1520 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, Montana, to consider the proposed amendment of the above-stated rule.
2. The board will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this public hearing or need an alternative accessible format of this notice. If you require an accommodation, contact Elois Johnson, Paralegal, no later than 5:00 p.m., January 4, 2010, to advise us of the nature of the accommodation that you need. Please contact Elois Johnson at Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901; phone (406) 444-2630; fax (406) 444-4386; or e-mail [email protected].
3. The rule proposed to be amended provides as follows, stricken matter interlined, new matter underlined:
17.38.106 FEES (1) remains the same.
(2) Department review will not be initiated until fees calculated under (2)(a) through (e) and (5) have been received by the department. If applicable, the final approval will not be issued until the calculated fees under (3) and (4) have been paid in full. The total fee for the review of a set of plans and specifications is the sum of the fees for the applicable parts or sub-parts listed in these citations.
(a) The fee schedule for designs requiring review for compliance with department Circular DEQ-1 is set forth in Schedule I, as follows:
SCHEDULE I
Policies
ultra violet disinfection............................................................... $ 400 700
point-of-use/point-of-entry treatment........................................ $ 200 700
Section 1.0 Engineering Report........................................................... $ 200 280
Section 3.1 Surface water
quality and quantity..................................................................... $ 200 700
structures..................................................................................... $ 100 700
Section 3.2 Ground water..................................................................... $ 600 840
Section 4.1 Clarification
standard clarification................................................................. $ 500 700
solid contact units...................................................................... $ 1,000 1,400
Section 4.2 Filtration
rapid rate.................................................................................... $ 1,250 1,750
pressure filtration....................................................................... $ 950 1,400
diatomaceous earth................................................................... $ 950 1,400
slow sand.................................................................................... $ 950 1,400
direct filtration............................................................................. $ 950 1,400
biologically active filtration........................................................ $ 950 1,400
membrane filtration.................................................................... $ 600 1,400
micro and ultra filtration............................................................. $ 600 1,400
bag and cartridge filtration........................................................ $ 300 420
Section 4.3 Disinfection........................................................................ $ 400 700
Section 4.4 Softening............................................................................ $ 500 700
Section 4.5 Aeration
natural draft................................................................................. $ 200 280
forced draft.................................................................................. $ 200 280
spray/pressure............................................................................ $ 200 280
packed tower.............................................................................. $ 500 700
Section 4.6 Iron and manganese......................................................... $ 200 700
Section 4.7 Fluoridation........................................................................ $ 300 700
Section 4.8 Stabilization....................................................................... $ 300 420
Section 4.9 Taste and odor control...................................................... $ 400 560
Section 4.10 Microscreening................................................................ $ 200 280
Section 4.11 Ion exchange.................................................................... $ 500 700
Section 4.12 Adsorptive media............................................................ $ 500 700
Chapter 5 Chemical application........................................................... $ 700 980
Chapter 6 Pumping facilities................................................................ $ 700 980
Section 7.1 Plant storage...................................................................... $ 500 980
Section 7.2 Hydropneumatic tanks...................................................... $ 200 420
Section 7.3 Distribution storage........................................................... $ 500 980
Section 7.4 Cisterns.............................................................................. $ 200 420
Chapter 8 Distribution system
per lot fee..................................................................................... $ 30 70
non-standard specifications...................................................... $ 300 420
transmission distribution (per lineal foot)................................. $ 0.10 0.25
Chapter 9 Waste disposal.................................................................... $ 250 700
Appendix A
new systems............................................................................... $ 200 280
modifications.............................................................................. $ 100 140
(b) The fee schedule for designs requiring review for compliance with department Circular DEQ-2 is set forth in Schedule II, as follows:
SCHEDULE II
Chapter 10 Engineering reports and facility plans
engineering reports (minor)...................................................... $ 200 280
comprehensive facility plan (major)......................................... $ 1,000 1,400
Chapter 30 Design of sewers
per lot fee..................................................................................... $ 30 70
non-standard specifications...................................................... $ 300 420
collection system (per lineal foot)............................................. $ 0.10 0.25
Chapter 40 Sewage pumping station
force mains (per lineal foot)...................................................... $ 0.10 0.25
1000 gpm or less....................................................................... $ 400 700
greater than 1000 gpm.............................................................. $ 800 1,400
Chapter 60 Screening grit removal
screening devices and comminutors....................................... $ 300 420
grit removal................................................................................. $ 300 420
flow equalization......................................................................... $ 500 700
Chapter 70 Settling................................................................................ $ 800 1,120
Chapter 80 Sludge handling................................................................. $ 1,600 2,240
Chapter 90 Biological treatment.......................................................... $ 2,400 3,360
nonaerated treatment ponds.................................................... $ 800 1,120
aerated treatment ponds.......................................................... $ 1,400 1,960
Chapter 100 Disinfection...................................................................... $ 500 900
Appendices A, B, C, & D (per design)................................................ $ 700 980
(c) The fee schedule for designs requiring review for compliance with department Circular DEQ-3 is set forth in Schedule III, as follows:
SCHEDULE III
Section 3.2 Ground water................................................................................. $ 600 840
Chapter 6 Pump facilities.................................................................................. $ 250 420
Chapter 7 Finished storage/hydropneumatic tanks....................................... $ 200 420
Chapter 8 Distribution system.......................................................................... $ 300 420
(d) The fee schedule for designs requiring review for compliance with department Circular DEQ-4 is set forth in Schedule IV, as follows:
SCHEDULE IV
Chapter 7 Septic Tanks........................................................................ $ 100 280
Chapters 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 Absorption Trenches............................... $ 100 280
Chapter 9 Dosing System..................................................................... $ 100 280
Chapter 14 Elevated Sand Mounds..................................................... $ 100 280
Chapters 15, 16, 17 Filters................................................................... $ 200 280
Chapters 17, 18 ETA and ET Systems............................................... $ 200 700
Chapter 20 Aerobic Treatment............................................................. $ 200 700
Chapter 21 Chemical Nutrient-Reduction Systems............................ $ 50 700
Chapter 24, 25, 26, 27 Holding Tanks, Pit Privy, Seepage Pits...... $ 100 280
Appendix D............................................................................................. $ 200 280
Non-degradation Review...................................................................... $ 200 420
(e) The fee schedule for the review of plans and specifications not covered by a specific department design standard, but within one of the following categories, is set forth in Schedule V as follows:
SCHEDULE V
Spring box and collection lateral.......................................................... $ 250 350
(3) Fees for review of plans and specifications not covered under (2) are established by the department based on a charge of $60 105 per hour multiplied by the time required to review the plans and specifications. The review time applied to each set of plans and specifications will be determined by the review engineer and documented with time sheets.
(4) The fee for review of plans and specifications previously denied, for staff time over two hours, is $60 105 per hour, assessed in half-hour increments, multiplied by the time required to review the plans and specifications. The review time applied to each set of plans and specifications must be determined by the review engineer and documented with time sheets.
(5) through (7) remain the same.
AUTH: 75-6-108, MCA
IMP: 75-6-108, MCA
REASON: The Legislature requires the department to collect fees commensurate with the cost of reviewing plans and specifications for public water supply and public sewer systems. Section 75-6-108(3), MCA, states: "The board shall by rule prescribe fees to be assessed by the department on persons who submit plans and specifications for construction, alteration, or extension of a public water supply system or public sewage system. The fees must be commensurate with the cost to the department for reviewing the plans and specifications." Past legislative audits identified that the department was not recovering the costs for engineering review. In 2005, at the request of the department, the board revised its engineering review fees. In an effort to minimize impact to the regulated community, the department proposed, and the board adopted, the fees with the understanding that additional fee increases may be required in the future to ensure that the fees would be commensurate with the costs of review. In 2007, the department again proposed, and the board adopted, fee increases to accommodate funding shortages. However, those increases did not take into account overhead costs, such as utilities and rent, attributable to engineering reviews, and other increased program costs, including inflation. When overhead and other costs attributable to engineering reviews are considered, the department projects, based on fiscal year 2009 revenues, a minimum budget shortage of $254,000 for fiscal year 2010. The department anticipates that the fee increases proposed in this rule amendment would provide additional fee revenue in the amount of $254,000 to remedy this funding shortage in fiscal year 2011 and in the immediately succeeding fiscal years. There are approximately 2,100 public water supplies and approximately the same number of wastewater treatment facilities that would be affected by the fee increase. They would not be affected on a yearly basis, however. The increased fees would affect them only in years in which they submit design plans and specifications to the department's Public Water Supply and Subdivisions Bureau for approval.
4. Concerned persons may submit their data, views, or arguments, either orally or in writing, at the hearing. Written data, views, or arguments may also be submitted to Elois Johnson, Paralegal, Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 E. Sixth Avenue, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901; faxed to (406) 444-4386; or e-mailed to [email protected], no later than 5:00 p.m., January 21, 2010. To be guaranteed consideration, mailed comments must be postmarked on or before that date.
5. Katherine Orr, attorney for the board, or another attorney for the Agency Legal Services Bureau, has been designated to preside over and conduct the hearing.
6. The board maintains a list of interested persons who wish to receive notices of rulemaking actions proposed by this agency. Persons who wish to have their name added to the list shall make a written request that includes the name, e-mail, and mailing address of the person to receive notices and specifies that the person wishes to receive notices regarding: air quality; hazardous waste/waste oil; asbestos control; water/wastewater treatment plant operator certification; solid waste; junk vehicles; infectious waste; public water supply; public sewage systems regulation; hard rock (metal) mine reclamation; major facility siting; opencut mine reclamation; strip mine reclamation; subdivisions; renewable energy grants/loans; wastewater treatment or safe drinking water revolving grants and loans; water quality; CECRA; underground/above ground storage tanks; MEPA; or general procedural rules other than MEPA. Notices will be sent by e-mail unless a mailing preference is noted in the request. Such written request may be mailed or delivered to Elois Johnson, Paralegal, Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 E. Sixth Ave., P.O. Box 200901, Helena, Montana 59620-0901, faxed to the office at (406) 444-4386, e-mailed to Elois Johnson at [email protected], or may be made by completing a request form at any rules hearing held by the board.
7. The bill sponsor contact requirements of 2-4-302, MCA, do not apply.
Reviewed by: BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
/s/ James M. Madden BY: /s/ Joseph W. Russell
JAMES M. MADDEN JOSEPH W. RUSSELL, M.P.H.,
Rule Reviewer Chairman
Certified to the Secretary of State, December 14, 2009.