The SRCAA Board of Directors adopted revisions to the Consolidated Fee Schedule at a public hearing on October 6, 2022. The hearing followed a 40-day public comment period.
Adopted Consolidated Fee Schedule – (redlined version until it goes into effect on November 7, 2022. )
The following revisions are effective November 7, 2022:
• Annual Registration Program, Section 10.06(B). Revised fee adjustment of 15% as follows:
| Registration Fee Categories | Former Fee | Revised Fee | Applicability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facility Fee | $264 | $304 | Per Source |
| Emissions Fee | $83 | $96 | Per Ton |
| Emissions Point Fee | $83 | $96 | Per Stack/Point |
| Synthetic Minor (SM) Fee | $1,988 | $2,285 | Per Source (SM sources only) |
• Annual Air Operating Permit (AOP) fees, Section 10.06(C). The AOP program is a federal program administered by SRCAA in Spokane County. There are currently seven industrial facilities in the program. The program operates at full cost-recovery per federal mandate. The AOP fees have three main components: base fee, emissions fee ($/ton), and time fee (based on number of staff hours spent on facility during most recent fiscal year). The goal of the AOP fee structure is to align the emissions fee and the time fee charged to facilities. The AOP emission fee was revised in 2013, to $58/ton. To align the emission fee and time fee components, SRCAA increased the emission fee from $58/ton to $75/ton. This will not result in an increase in the total fees charged to the AOP facilities; rather the fee distribution will be more heavily weighted on the emissions fee.
Notice of Construction (NOC) and Portable Source Permit (PSP):
• Section 10.07 – These permit programs are near full cost recovery. SRCAA is proactively addressing the projected program cost increases and proposing to adjust the permit fees accordingly. The NOC/PSP fees were last revised in 2018, effective in 2019. The fee increases of 10% should enable the programs to operate at full cost recovery.
• Section 10.07(A)(1)(c) – The hourly rate fee for additional NOC/PSP review hours increased from $98 to $108/hour. These are for hours that exceed the number of hours covered by the permit fee.
• Section 10.07(A)(2) – The minimum fee for permit revision increased from $294 to $324, which includes three hours of review time. Staff time spent on revision review beyond three hours increased from $98 to $108/hour.
Miscellaneous Fees, Section 10.08(A):
• Emission Reduction Credit: Hourly fee rate increased from $98/hour to $108/hour.
• Variance Request: Adjusted to three times the hourly rate, from a flat $250 to $324, and to add a descriptor that the filing fee includes three hours staff review time. For review time that exceeds three hours, the hourly rate increased from $91/hour to $108/hour.
• Alternative Opacity: Hourly fee rate increased from $98/hour to $108/hour.
• Other: Hourly fee rate increased from $98/hour to $108/hour.
Outdoor Burning Permit fee, Section 10.13(C). The “Other Outdoor Burning Permit” fee increased from $91 to $108 and includes one hour of review time. Staff time spent beyond one hour increased from $91/hour to $108/hour.
Response to Comment: SRCAA received one public comment during the public comment period. Comment and agency response.
