DEP Air Quality Advisory Committee To Discuss Proposed Fee Increases June 14

DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on June 14 to consider a comprehensive package of proposed increases in Air Quality Permit fees, new fees for certain air quality assessments and new annual permit administration fees.  Click Here for the agenda.

DEP has two accounts into which it places air quality fees, one covering federal Title V permits (for purposes under federal law) and another covering non-Title V or state-only air permits.

DEP projects a deficit of $4.359 million in the non-Title V permit account in FY 2019-20.  If no action is taken that deficit will grow to $17.398 million in FY 2021-22.

Currently the federal Title V account is projected to have a steadily shrinking balance down to $5.4 million by the end of FY 2022-23.  [Note: it normally takes about 2 to 3 years to finalize a regulation adopting fee changes.]

As examples of some of the proposed non-Title V fee increases, a basic plan approval fee would go from $1,000 to $2,500 in 2021 with planned increases every four years after that, the fee for new applications for operating permits would increase from $375 to $2,500, a minor modification from increase from $300 to $1,500 and a new fee of $9,000 is proposed for a significant modification ambient impact analysis.

Similar fee increases are proposed for the Title V air quality permits and approvals, along with a new annual operating permit maintenance fee.  There is no change proposed to the per ton emission fee for Title V facilities.

New fees are also proposed for certain other kinds of analysis required by DEP, including risk assessment analysis for inhalation and multi-pathway and asbestos notifications.

Click Here for a presentation covering the proposed changes.

DEP regulates about 569 Title V facilities and about 2,100 non-Title V facilities as well as covering about 7,000 asbestos projects a year.

The Committee discussed the Air Quality Program budget and proposed fee concepts at its meeting in December.  Click Here for a 39-page Air Quality Program funding cost and revenue analysis, which also assumes federal grants to support the program continue at the same level.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building starting at 9:15.

For more information and available handouts, visit DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee webpage.  Questions should be directed to Kirit Dalal at 717-772-3436 or send email to: kdalal@pa.gov.