Susquehanna River Basin Commission: New Fee Incentives For Use Of Abandoned Mine Impacted Water

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission adopted a new policy in December to provide fee incentives for the withdrawal and consumptive use of abandoned mine drainage impacted water and treated wastewater.

This newly adopted policy offers fee reductions and prioritized timing of review incentives for using a subset of impacted waters; 1) Abandoned Mine Discharge-impacted, or 2) treated wastewater for recycling or reuse. 

Use of these waters as prescribed in the policy can offset local hydrology quantity and quality concerns, while at the same time preserving pristine waterways and aquifers that may otherwise be targeted for use.

Four incentives are provided for in the new policy. Three of the incentives offer partial or full waiver of application fees and consumptive use mitigation fees in the following scenarios--

-- Direct withdrawal or consumptive use from untreated AMD impacted source;

-- Construction of AMD treatment for a withdrawal or consumptive use of the treated discharge; or

-- Consumptive use of treated wastewater.

The fourth incentive offers prioritization of regulatory review for a project using lesser quality waters in any of the three scenarios above.

This newly adopted policy replaces one that encouraged the use of lesser quality waters but was largely unused by the regulated community.

The incentives in the policy are limited to fees and review priority. The withdrawal and consumptive use of these impaired waters are still held to Commission standards for adverse impact to the water resources of the Basin and will undergo full technical review in accordance with Commission regulations.

Click Here for a copy of the policy.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

[Posted: January 11, 2022]  PA Environment Digest