Environmental Quality Board Meets Sept. 10 On Proposed Stream Redesignations, Laboratory Fee Review

The Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to meet on September 10 on proposed stream redesignations and a laboratory fee review report.

Stream Redesignations

The proposed stream redesignations included in the regulatory package to be considered by the Board are the result of data submitted by the Fish and Boat Commission and stream evaluations conducted by DEP.

There are 95 streams or stream segments included from Berks, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Dauphin, Elk, Forest, Franklin, Indiana, Jefferson, Lehigh, Luzerne, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Northampton, Perry, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Tioga, Venango and York counties.

Click Here for a summary of the rulemaking.

Visit DEP’s Stream Resdesignation webpage to learn more about these evaluations.

Laboratory Fee Report

DEP periodically evaluates the adequacy of permit and administration fees to support its environmental protection programs.

Laboratory accreditation fees were last evaluated and changed in 2016.

DEP’s Laboratory Fee Report includes a summary of fee revenue and costs from 2017 to 2023 and makes projections for the next five years.

The report concludes: “This analysis indicates that in FY 2024-2025, program costs are expected to exceed projected LAP fee revenue. The Department recommends proposing a rulemaking to increase fees to ensure they cover the costs of the program and to address the projected $300,000 annual shortfall by FY 2026-2027.”

Attending The Meeting

The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 9:00 a.m. 

The meeting will also be available remotely through Microsoft Teams [Meeting ID: 213 860 394 596, Passcode: SfyTqu ] and by telephone: +1 267-332-8737, Conference ID: 777 218 328# .

For available handouts and more information, visit the Environmental Quality Board webpage.  Questions should be directed to: Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277.

Related Articles:

-- DEP Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board Meets Sept. 5 On Strategies To Prevent Well Abandonments; Injection Well Primacy; Tracking Water Contamination; Other Topics  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Quality Board Meets Sept. 10 On Proposed Stream Redesignations, Laboratory Fee Review  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Sept. 10 On Hydrogen, Food Processing Residuals  [PaEN]

[Posted: August 30, 2024]  PA Environment Digest