Waste Discharge Permit Fee Task Force

Background

In 1988, passage of Initiative 97 mandated that Ecology establish an annual fee program to collect expenses for issuing and administering each class of wastewater discharge permit. Ecology established the program through Chapter 173-224 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Ecology has updated the chapter every two years to increase fees by the fiscal growth factor since passage of Initiative 601 in 1993.

For a number of reasons, revenues from the fee program have not kept pace with the costs. Ecology can no longer to meet its mandate under the Clean Water Act, the State Water Pollution Control Act and Model Toxics Control Act to implement a waste discharge permit program fully funded by permit fees and that meets state and federal obligations.

Ecology is establishing a task force to help us identify ideas and solutions to this problem. The purpose of the task force is to advise Ecology on potential options and alternatives to address the problems identified above.

Waste Permit Fee Task Force Work Plan

Task Force Members