The Environmental Quality Board published notice December 17 that it is withdrawing from consideration a package of Drinking Water Fee Increases adopted as proposed rule making in November 2010.
The rulemaking proposed new and revised fees for community water systems, bottled, vended, retail and bulk water systems and public water systems which would have raised an estimated $8.1 million to supplement State costs for administering the Commonwealth's Drinking Water Program.
The EQB notice said as a result of a subsequent review of the rulemaking it was determined that there is no compelling justification for an increase in fees that would most likely be passed on to the customers of public water systems.
There are four other DEP fee packages pending in the regulatory process--
-- Air Quality Permits: $7.8 million (from $19,570,000 to $27,408,000 annually);
-- Chapter 105 Dams & Encroachments: $5.8 million (from $452,450 to $6.2 million);
-- Non-Coal Mining Permits: $2,475,000 (from $25,000 to $2,500,000 annually); and
-- Coal Surface Mining Permits: $350,000 (from $50,000 to $400,000 annually).
Click Here for a status of DEP regulatory proposals.