Environmental Quality Board Publishes Proposed $12.6 Million Air Quality Fee Increases For Comment

The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the April 13 PA Bulletin inviting comments on proposed increases in Air Quality Permit Review Fees.  (PA Bulletin, page 1777)

The Board is proposing a total increase of $12.6 million in Air Quality fees for the federal Title V-- $5.9 million-- and state non-Title V-- $6.7 million-- permit fees.

The proposal includes a new annual maintenance fee for both kinds of permits, a new fee for asbestos notifications and an increase in the existing operating permit fees.

There is no proposed increase of the Title V per ton emission fee, beyond the annual increase based on the Consumer Price Index.

These are the first general Air Quality fee increases since 2013.  DEP budget cuts have resulted in eliminating more than 30 percent of its staff or about 100 positions.

DEP is projecting a $4.359 million deficit in the non-Title V permit account in FY 2019-20 and a zero returning balance in the federal Title V account by FY 2022-23 with the current fee structure.

Without the proposed fee increases, DEP would have to cut its Air Quality staff by 30 percent or 80 positions.

Failure to adopt proposed fee increases for the federal Title V program will result in action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to penalize Pennsylvania for failure to maintain adequate funding for this federal program.

Copies of the proposed regulation are available in the PA Bulletin notice (PA Bulletin, page 1777). Additional background documents are available on the EQB’s December 18, 2018 meeting webpage.

Hearings

The EQB will hold 3 public hearings on the proposal at 1:00 p.m. on the following dates--

-- May 13: DEP Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh

-- May 15: DEP Southeast Regional Office, 2 East Main Street, Norristown

-- May 16: DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg

Persons wishing to present testimony at a hearing are requested to call (717) 783-8727 or contact the Environmental Quality Board, P.O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477, at least 1 week in advance of the hearing to reserve a time to present testimony.

Verbal testimony is limited to 5 minutes for each witness. Witnesses are requested to submit three written copies of their verbal testimony to the hearing chairperson at the hearing. Organizations are limited to designating one witness to present testimony on their behalf at each hearing.

Comments are due by June 17 and can be submitted through DEP’s eComment webpage, by email to: Regcomments@pa.gov. Written comments should be mailed to the Environmental Quality Board, P.O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477. Express mail should be sent to the Environmental Quality Board, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 16th Floor, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-2301.

Questions should be directed to Viren Trivedi, Chief, Division of Permits, Bureau of Air Quality, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, 717-783-9476; or Jennie Demjanick, Assistant Counsel, Bureau of Regulatory Counsel, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 8464, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8464, 717-787-7060.