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 and the adoption of New Rule I pertaining to significant deficiency |
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND ADOPTION
(PUBLIC WATER AND SEWAGE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS) |
TO: All Concerned Persons
1. On November 13, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., or upon the conclusion of the public hearing for MAR Notice No. 17-339, the Board of Environmental Review will hold a public hearing in Room 111, Metcalf Building, 1520 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, Montana, to consider the proposed amendment and adoption of the above-stated rules.
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., October 29, 2012, 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 subparts 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.......................................................................$ 700
point-of-use/point-of-entry treatment............................................... $ 700
Section 1.0 Engineering Report...................................................................$ 280
Section 3.1 Surface water
quality and quantity.............................................................................$ 700
structures.............................................................................................$ 700
Section 3.2 Ground water..............................................................................$ 840
Section 4.1 Clarification
standard clarification..........................................................................$ 700
solid contact units...............................................................................$ 1,400
Section 4.2 Filtration
rapid rate.............................................................................................$ 1,750
pressure filtration................................................................................$ 1,400
diatomaceous earth...........................................................................$ 1,400
slow sand............................................................................................$ 1,400
direct filtration.....................................................................................$ 1,400
biologically active filtration................................................................$ 1,400
membrane filtration............................................................................$ 1,400
micro and ultra filtration.................................................................... $ 1,400
bag and cartridge filtration................................................................$ 420
Section 4.3 Disinfection................................................................................$ 700
Section 4.4 Softening....................................................................................$ 700
Section 4.5 Aeration
natural draft.........................................................................................$ 280
forced draft..........................................................................................$ 280
spray/pressure....................................................................................$ 280
packed tower......................................................................................$ 700
Section 4.6 Iron and manganese..................................................................$ 700
Section 4.7 Fluoridation.................................................................................$ 700
Section 4.8 Stabilization................................................................................$ 420
Section 4.9 Taste and odor control...............................................................$ 560
Section 4.10 Microscreening.........................................................................$ 280
Section 4.11 Ion exchange.............................................................................$ 700
Section 4.12 Adsorptive media.....................................................................$ 700
Chapter 5 Chemical application....................................................................$ 980
Chapter 6 Pumping facilities..........................................................................$ 980
Section 7.1 Plant storage...............................................................................$ 980
Section 7.2 Hydropneumatic tanks............................................................... $ 420
Section 7.3 Distribution storage.....................................................................$ 980
Section 7.4 Cisterns........................................................................................$ 420
Chapter 8 Distribution system
per lot fee..............................................................................................$ 70
non-standard specifications............................................................... $ 420
transmission distribution (per lineal foot)......................................... $ 0.25
rural distribution system (per lineal foot).......................................... $ 0.03
sliplining existing mains (per lineal foot)......................................... $ 0.15
Chapter 9 Waste disposal..............................................................................$ 700
Appendix A
new systems.........................................................................................$ 280
modifications........................................................................................$ 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)..............................................................$ 280
comprehensive facility plan (major).................................................$ 1,400
Chapter 30 Design of sewers
per lot fee............................................................................................$ 70
non-standard specifications..............................................................$ 420
collection system (per lineal foot).....................................................$ 0.25
sliplining existing mains (per lineal foot)........................................ $ 0.15
Chapter 40 Sewage pumping station
force mains (per lineal foot)..............................................................$ 0.25
1000 gpm or less...............................................................................$ 700
greater than 1000 gpm......................................................................$ 1,400
Chapter 60 Screening grit removal
screening devices and comminutors...............................................$ 420
grit removal.........................................................................................$ 420
flow equalization.................................................................................$ 700
Chapter 70 Settling........................................................................................$ 1,120
Chapter 80 Sludge handling.........................................................................$ 2,240
Chapter 90 Biological treatment..................................................................$ 3,360
nonaerated treatment ponds............................................................$ 1,120
aerated treatment ponds..................................................................$ 1,960
Chapter 100 Disinfection.............................................................................$ 900
Appendices A, B, C, & D (per design).......................................................$ 980
(c) through (7) remain the same.
AUTH: 75-6-108, MCA
IMP: 75-6-108, MCA
REASON: The proposed amendments to ARM 17.38.106 would create a new line item and a corresponding fee rate. The proposed new line item and fee are necessary to collect fees commensurate with the costs associated with conducting certain engineering reviews required under 75-6-108, MCA. Specifically, sliplining existing mains are currently included in the transmission distribution or collection system categories. The proposed amendment adds a new fee category for sliplining. Systems that would submit plans under this new definition and fee schedule would see a significant reduction in their review fees, from 25 cents/lineal foot to fifteen cents/lineal foot. The new rate will reduce fees for those reviews by approximately 40 percent. The new lower fee rate is necessary in order for the review fee to reflect actual review costs to the department, as required under 75-6-108(3), MCA. The department does not have sufficient information to estimate the number of fee payers nor the lineal feet of distribution or wastewater collection systems that may be affected by the reduced fee.
4. The proposed new rule provides as follows:
NEW RULE I SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY (1) For the purposes of this rule, "significant deficiency" means any defect in design, operation, or maintenance of a public water supply system or public sewage system, or a failure or malfunction of the system, that the department determines causes, or has the potential to cause, the introduction of contamination into a drinking water supply or a source of ice. The term also includes fecal contamination in water used by a public water supply system.
(2) If the department determines that a significant deficiency exists with a public water supply system or a public sewage system, the department shall provide written notice to the system owner. The system owner shall correct the deficiency in accordance with a plan and timeframe approved by the department.
(3) If the department has reason to believe that a significant deficiency may exist with a public water supply system or a public sewage system, the department may request the system owner to provide additional information to assist the department in making a final determination. The system owner shall provide the department with the requested information. If the system owner fails to supply the requested information, the department may make a determination based on available information about the potential risk of contamination from the system to drinking water or a source of ice, and the department may require the system owner to take measures that the department determines are appropriate to prevent contamination.
AUTH: 75-6-103, 75-6-112, MCA
IMP: 75-6-103, 75-6-112, MCA
REASON: Proposed New Rule I is the second board rulemaking to implement statutory changes enacted during the 2009 Legislature. Sec. 1, Ch. 85, L. 2009 (SB 102). SB 102 directed the board to adopt rules requiring public water supply systems and public sewage systems to remedy certain deficiencies. The deficiencies listed in SB 102 include defects in design, operation, or maintenance of the system, and system failures or malfunctions, that could contaminate a drinking water supply or a source of ice. SB 102 also listed the presence of fecal contamination in the water used by a public water supply system. The board first implemented SB 102 in 2009 by incorporating by reference the federal drinking water rule for ground water sources. The board had earlier incorporated by reference federal drinking water rules for surface water sources. The federal ground water and surface water rules contain corrective action requirements for public water supply systems.
Proposed New Rule I is necessary to clarify the conditions that constitute a deficiency that requires corrective action. Based on SB 102, New Rule I defines "significant deficiency" as a defect in the design, operation, or maintenance of a public water supply or public sewage system, or a failure or malfunction of the system that causes, or has the potential to cause, the introduction of contamination into a drinking water supply or a source of ice. The rule clarifies that these significant deficiencies may arise based on the potential to contaminate any drinking water supply or source of ice, whether public or private. Based on SB 102, the definition of "significant deficiency" also includes fecal contamination in water used by a public water supply system.
New Rule I clarifies that the requirement to correct significant deficiencies applies to both public water supply systems and public sewage systems. The rule requires the owner of the public system to correct identified significant deficiencies in accordance with a timeframe and plan approved by the department. New Rule I allows the department to obtain additional information from the system owner related to the potential for the system to cause contamination. If the system owner fails to provide the requested information, the rule allows the department to require the system owner to take measures to prevent contamination. New Rule I is necessary to implement SB 102 and to provide guidance to public water supply systems and public sewage systems about how the department will implement SB 102.
5. 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., November 16, 2012. To be guaranteed consideration, mailed comments must be postmarked on or before that date.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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, October 1, 2012.