(1) General requirements.

(a) The fees in this section apply to:

(i) Permit applications received on or after July 1, 2011.

(ii) Requests for ecology review of other actions covered by this section received by ecology on or after July 1, 2011.

(b) Components of permitting fees. Permit fees include initial fees and may include an hourly fee. The initial fee covers up to the number of review hours specified in each fee in this section.

(c) A project may be subject to multiple fees. For example, a project may be subject to both minor and major new source review permit fees and second or third tier review.

(d) An applicant must submit initial fees with an application, notice, or request. An application, notice or request is incomplete until initial fees have been paid.

(i) For purposes of WAC 173-400-111(1), initial fees are considered application fees.

(ii) If ecology determines a project is complex after an applicant submitted the basic project initial fee, then the application is incomplete until the applicant pays the initial complex project fee.

(iii) If ecology determines that a higher initial fee is due after an applicant submitted an application or request, the application or request is considered incomplete until the applicant pays the new initial fee.

(e) If the initial fee paid by an applicant does not cover the cost of processing the application, notice or request, then ecology shall assess a fee based on the actual costs for review in excess of the hours specified in each fee. The assessed fee must be a rate of ninety-five dollars per hour of ecology staff time expended.

(f) Ecology cannot finalize an action covered under this section until all fees are paid. (WAC 173-400-111(3).)

(g) An applicant must pay fees that are due by invoice from ecology within thirty days from the date of the invoice. Ecology will cease processing all applications for which the required fees have not been received within thirty days of an invoice.

(h) At the time of filing, an applicant must pay all delinquent air quality fees associated with the facility. This is in addition to the fees required by this section. Delinquent fees may include, but are not limited to, registration fees, civil penalties awarded to ecology, or other outstanding fees due under this section.

(i) All fees collected under this rule must be made payable to the department of ecology.

(j) Fees assessed under this section apply without regard to whether ecology approves or denies a request.

(2) Review of new source or modification of an existing source with an emissions increase. (WAC 173-400-110 and 173-400-110(3).)

(a) Basic project: One thousand five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after sixteen hours.

This fee covers up to sixteen hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above sixteen hours.

(b) Complex project: Ten thousand dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after one hundred six hours.

(i) This fee covers up to one hundred six hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above one hundred six hours.

(ii) An application is considered complex if the emissions associated with the application include at least one pollutant for which emissions increases are greater than the levels in the following table:

(iii) Ecology may determine that a project is complex based on consideration of factors that include, but are not limited to:

(A) Number and complexity of emission units;

(B) Volume of emissions, including toxicity of emissions;

(C) Amount and complexity of modeling; or

(D) Number and kind of applicable state and federal requirements.

(3) Change to an existing order of approval. (WAC 173-400-111(8).)

(a) Ecology will not charge a fee for correcting a mistake by ecology in a permit.

(b) Administrative or simple change: Two hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after three hours.

(i) This fee covers up to three hours of staff time to review the request and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the request above three hours.

(ii) An administrative or simple change means:

(A) An action not subject to a mandatory public comment period in WAC 173-400-171; and

(B) The reissued approval order requires one hour or less of engineering evaluation and no physical modification of equipment; and

(C) Changes in permit conditions are based on actual operating conditions and the operating conditions require one hour or less of engineering evaluation and the change does not cause a change in allowable emissions.

(c) Complex changes: Eight hundred seventy-five dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after ten hours.

(i) This fee covers up to ten hours of staff time to review the request and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the request above ten hours.

(ii) This fee excludes an administrative or simple change and changes to an existing permit that result in an emissions increase.

(iii) Examples of complex changes include, but are not limited to:

(A) Changes requiring more than one hour of engineering review;

(B) Consolidation of permits not allowed under simple change;

(C) Request for review of a permit action that is exempt under WAC 173-400-110(5) (Table 110(5) emission-based exemption levels); or

(D) Changes requiring mandatory public comment under WAC 173-400-171.

(d) The fee for a permit modification (as defined in WAC 173-400-030) is located in subsection (2)(a) or (b) of this section.

(4) Request to extend approval to construct or modify a stationary source issued under minor new source review that is set to expire (WAC 173-400-111(7)): One hundred dollars.

An applicant may request an eighteen-month extension of an approval to construct.

(5) Review of general order of approval (WAC 173-400-560).

(a) Category A general order.

(i) SEPA review complete: Five hundred dollars.

(ii) SEPA review required: Seven hundred eighty-five dollars.

(iii) Category A consists of the following general order of approval, including any subsequent updating or replacement:

(A) Concrete batch plants (No. 08-AQG-002);

(B) Rich burn, spark ignition, gaseous fossil fuel-powered emergency electrical generators (No. 06-AQG-005);

(C) Perchloroethylene dry cleaners using less than 2100 gallons per year (No. 06-AQG-003);

(D) Stationary and portable rock crushers (No. 11AQ-GO-001);

(E) Small water heaters and steam generating boilers (No. 08-AQ-G003); and

(F) Automobile body repair and refinishing shops (No. 08-AQG-001).

(b) Category B general order.

(i) SEPA review complete: Eight hundred seventy-five dollars.

(ii) SEPA review required: One thousand one hundred sixty dollars.

(iii) Category B includes a general order of approval developed on or after January 1, 2011. Category B covers, but is not limited to, the following general order of approval, including any subsequent updating or replacement:

(A) Portable and stationary asphalt plants (No. 10AQ-G0-01 [10AQ-GO-01 ]); and

(B) Dairy manure anaerobic digesters (No. 12AQ-GO-01).

(6) Review of relocation of portable source under WAC 173-400-036, 173-400-110 or 173-400-560.

(a) This fee applies to a portable source who intends to relocate in ecology's jurisdiction with an approval order from another permitting authority.

(i) SEPA review complete: One hundred fifty dollars.

(ii) SEPA review required: Four hundred thirty-five dollars.

(b) This fee applies to a portable source who intends to relocate in ecology's jurisdiction and has operated under an ecology issued approval order or is approved for coverage under an ecology issued general order of approval.

(i) SEPA review complete: No fee.

(ii) SEPA review required: Two hundred eighty-five dollars.

(7) Request to establish a voluntary emission limit (WAC 173-400-091): Five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after six hours.

(a) This fee covers up to six hours of staff time to review the request and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the request above six hours.

(b) This fee applies to a regulatory order issued under WAC 173-400-091 that places a limit on emissions.

(i) This fee applies to a request to establish the emission limit in a stand-alone regulatory order.

(ii) This fee does not apply when an emission limit is included as a condition in an approval order for a notice of construction application.

(8) Request to replace or substantially alter control technology: Refer to WAC 173-455-100(4) for fee schedule.

(9) Request for a written prevention of significant deterioration applicability determination (WAC 173-400-720) or preapplication assistance: Five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after six hours.

This fee covers up to six hours of staff time to review the request and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the request above six hours.

(10) Prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) (WAC 173-400-720 and 173-400-730).

(a) PSD permit application: Fifteen thousand dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after one hundred fifty-eight hours.

This fee covers one hundred fifty-eight hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above one hundred fifty-eight hours.

(b) PSD permit application where greenhouse gases are the sole PSD pollutant being reviewed: Seven thousand five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after seventy-nine hours.

This fee covers seventy-nine hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above seventy-nine hours.

(11) Revision to a prevention of significant deterioration permit (WAC 173-400-750).

(a) Administrative revision as defined in WAC 173-400-750(3): One thousand nine hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after twenty hours.

This fee covers twenty hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above twenty hours.

(b) All other revisions (except major modification): Seven thousand five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after seventy-nine hours.

This fee covers seventy-nine hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above seventy-nine hours.

(c) The fee for a major modification of a PSD permit (as defined in WAC 173-400-720) is located in subsection (10)(a) of this section.

(12) Request to extend the following major source approvals that are set to expire: Five hundred dollars. This provision applies to each of the following:

(a) PSD permit, including a major modification;

(b) PSD permit revision;

(c) Approval order for major source nonattainment area permitting; and

(d) A change to an approval order for major source nonattainment area permitting.

(13) Nonattainment area major new source review.

(a) A notice of construction application subject to WAC 173-400-830: Fifteen thousand dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after one hundred fifty-eight hours.

This fee covers one hundred fifty-eight hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above one hundred fifty-eight hours.

(b) Change to an approval order issued under WAC 173-400-830:

(i) Request to change permit conditions under WAC 173-400-111(8) that is not subject to mandatory public comment in WAC 173-400-171: One thousand nine hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after twenty hours.

This fee covers twenty hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above twenty hours.

(ii) All other permit changes (except major modification): Seven thousand five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after seventy-nine hours.

This fee covers seventy-nine hours of staff time to review the application and issue a final decision. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the application above seventy-nine hours.

(iii) The fee for a major modification (as defined in WAC 173-400-810) of an approval order is located in subsection (13)(a) of this section.

(14) Plant-wide applicability limits (WAC 173-400-720).

(a) Request to establish new plant-wide applicability limits: Fifteen thousand dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after one hundred fifty-eight hours.

This fee covers up to one hundred fifty-eight hours of staff time to review the request and establish a plant-wide applicability limit. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the request above one hundred fifty-eight hours.

(b) All other requests, such as increase or renew plant-wide applicability limits; or process an expired plant-wide applicability limit: Seven thousand five hundred dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after seventy-nine hours.

This fee covers up to seventy-nine hours of staff time to increase, renew or process a retired plant-wide applicability limit. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the request above seventy-nine hours.

(15) Second tier review (WAC 173-460-090): Ten thousand dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after one hundred six hours.

(a) This fee covers up to one hundred six hours of staff time to evaluate the health impact assessment protocol and second tier petition, and make a recommendation. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the second tier petition above one hundred six hours.

(b) A second tier petition that becomes subject to third tier review during the course of evaluation continues as a second tier petition for billing purposes. Staff must sum the time spent on this petition and bill the applicant if the total hours exceed one hundred six hours.

(16) Third tier review (WAC 173-460-100): Ten thousand dollars plus an hourly rate of ninety-five dollars after one hundred six hours.

(a) This fee covers up to one hundred six hours of staff time to evaluate the health impact assessment protocol and third tier petition, and make a recommendation. Ecology will bill the applicant ninety-five dollars per hour for each additional hour spent on the second tier petition above one hundred six hours.

(b) This fee does not apply to a second tier petition that becomes a third tier petition.

(17) Ecology may enter into a written cost-reimbursement agreement with an applicant as provided in RCW 70.94.085. Ecology will be reimbursed at a rate of ninety-five dollars per hour.

(18) Small business fee reduction. The new source review fee identified in subsections (2) through (7) of this section may be reduced for a small business.

(a) To qualify for the small business new source review fee reduction, a business must meet the requirements of "small business" as defined in RCW 19.85.020. In RCW 19.85.020, "small business" means any business entity, including a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, that is owned and operated independently from all other businesses, that has the purpose of making a profit, and that has fifty or fewer employees.

(b) To receive a fee reduction, the owner or operator of a small business must include information in the application demonstrating that the conditions of (a) of this subsection have been met. The application must be signed:

(i) By an authorized corporate officer in the case of a corporation;

(ii) By an authorized partner in the case of a limited or general partnership; or

(iii) By the proprietor in the case of a sole proprietorship.

(c) Ecology may verify the application information and, if the owner or operator has made false statements, deny the fee reduction request and revoke previously granted fee reductions.

(d) For small businesses determined to be eligible under (a) of this subsection, the new source review fee shall be reduced to the greater of:

(i) Fifty percent of the new source review fee; or

(ii) Two hundred fifty dollars.

(e) If, due to special economic circumstances, the fee reduction determined under (d) of this subsection imposes an extreme hardship on a small business, the small business may request an extreme hardship fee reduction. The owner or operator must provide sufficient evidence to support a claim of an extreme hardship. The factors which ecology may consider in determining whether an owner or operator has special economic circumstances and in setting the extreme hardship fee include: Annual sales; labor force size; market conditions which affect the owner's or operator's ability to pass the cost of the new source review fees through to customers; and average annual profits. In no case will a new source review fee be reduced below one hundred dollars.

(19) Fee reductions for pollution prevention initiatives. Ecology may reduce the fees defined in subsections (2) through (7) of this section where the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that approved pollution prevention measures will be used.

(20) Tracking revenues, time, and expenditures. Ecology must track revenues collected under this subsection on a source-specific basis.

(21) Periodic review. To ensure that fees cover the cost of processing the actions in this section, ecology shall review and update this section as necessary.

(1) General requirements.

(a) The fees in this section apply to:

(i) Permit applications received on or after July 1, 2023.

(ii) Requests for ecology review of other actions covered by this section received by ecology on or after July 1, 2023.

(b) Components of permitting fees. Permit fees include initial fees and may include an additional hourly fee. The initial fee covers up to the number of review hours specified for each fee in this section.

(c) A project may be subject to multiple fees set forth in this section. For example, a project may be subject to both minor and major new source review permit fees and second or third tier review. In addition a project may be subject to fees under WAC 173-455-050 and 173-455-100.

(d) An applicant must submit initial fees with the associated permit application, notice, or request. An application, notice or request is incomplete until initial fees have been paid.

(i) For purposes of WAC 173-400-111 (1)(e), application fees are considered initial fees under this section.

(ii) If ecology determines a project is complex after an applicant paid the basic project initial fee, then the application is incomplete until the applicant has paid the initial complex project fee.

(iii) If ecology determines that a higher initial fee is due after an applicant submitted an application or request, the application or request is considered incomplete until the applicant has paid the higher initial fee.

(e) If the initial fee paid by an applicant does not cover the cost of processing the application, notice, or request, then ecology must assess an additional fee based on the actual costs for review in excess of the hours specified for the initial fee. The additional fee must be assessed at a rate of $119 per hour of ecology staff time expended, or the rate established under WAC 173-455-031.

(f) Ecology cannot finalize an action covered under this section until all fees have been paid. (WAC 173-400-111 (3)(i).)

(g) For fees assessed by invoice from ecology, the applicant must pay fees that are due within 30 days from the date of the invoice. Ecology will cease processing all applications for which the required fees have not been received within 30 days of an invoice.

(h) At the time of filing a permit application, notice, or request, an applicant must pay all delinquent air quality fees associated with the facility in addition to the fees required by this section. Delinquent fees may include, but are not limited to, registration fees, civil penalties issued by ecology, or other outstanding fees due under this section.

(i) All fees collected under this section must be made payable to the department of ecology.

(j) Fees assessed under this section apply without regard to whether ecology approves or denies the underlying permit application, notice, or request.

(2) Fees for review of a permit application for a new source or for the modification of an existing source with an emissions increase. (WAC 173-400-110(3).)

(a) Table 1 lists the 2023 fees for review of an application for a new source or for the modification of an existing source with an emissions increase.

(b) A project is considered complex if the emissions associated with the application include at least one pollutant for which emissions increases are greater than the levels in Table 2.

(c) Ecology may also determine that a project is complex based on consideration of factors that include, but are not limited to:

(i) Number and complexity of emission units;

(ii) Volume of emissions, including toxicity of emissions;

(iii) Amount and complexity of modeling; or

(iv) Number and kind of applicable state and federal requirements.

(d) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(3) Fees for review of a requested change to an existing order of approval. (WAC 173-400-111 (7) and (8).)

(a) Ecology will not charge a fee for correcting a mistake by ecology in a permit.

(b) "Administrative or simple change" means:

(i) An action not subject to a mandatory public comment period under WAC 173-400-171; and

(ii) The modified approval order requires one hour or less of engineering evaluation by ecology and does not authorize physical modification of equipment; and

(iii) Changes in permit conditions are based on actual operating conditions and review of the operating conditions requires one hour or less of engineering evaluation by ecology and the modification does not cause a change in allowable emissions.

(c) Complex changes:

(i) This fee does not apply to an administrative or simple change or to the modification of an existing permit that results in an emissions increase.

(ii) Examples of complex changes include, but are not limited to:

(A) Changes requiring more than one hour of engineering review by ecology;

(B) Consolidation of permits not allowed under simple change;

(C) Request for review of whether a proposed action is exempt from new source review under WAC 173-400-110(5) (Table 110(5) emission-based exemption levels); or

(D) Changes requiring mandatory public comment under WAC 173-400-171(3).

(d) Table 3 lists the 2023 fees for review of a requested change to an existing order of approval.

(e) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(4) Fees for review of an application for coverage under a general order of approval (WAC 173-400-560).

(a) Category A consists of the following general order of approval, including any subsequent updating or replacement:

(i) Concrete batch plants (No. 08-AQG-002);

(ii) Perchloroethylene dry cleaners using less than 2100 gallons per year (No. 06-AQG-003);

(iii) Stationary and portable rock crushers (No. 11AQ-GO-001);

(iv) Small water heaters and steam generating boilers (No. 08-AQ-G003); and

(v) Automobile body repair and refinishing shops (No. 08-AQG-001).

(b) Category B includes a general order of approval developed on or after January 1, 2011. Category B covers, but is not limited to, the following general order of approval, including any subsequent updating or replacement:

(i) Portable and stationary asphalt plants (No. 10AQ-GO-01); and

(ii) Dairy manure anaerobic digesters (No. 12AQ-GO-01).

(c) Table 4 lists the 2023 fees for Category A and B reviews of applications for coverage under a general order of approval.

(d) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(5) Fees for review of a relocation notice for a portable source in ecology's jurisdiction under WAC 173-400-036.

(a) Table 5 lists the 2023 fees for review of a relocation notice for a portable source.

(b) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(6) Fees for review of a request to establish a voluntary emission limit (WAC 173-400-091).

(a) This fee applies to a regulatory order issued under WAC 173-400-091 that places a limit on emissions.

(i) This fee applies to the review of a request to establish the emission limit in a stand-alone regulatory order.

(ii) This fee does not apply when an emission limit is included as a condition in an approval order for a notice of construction application.

(b) Table 6 lists the 2023 fees to establish a voluntary emission limit.

(c) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(7) Fees for review of a request to replace or substantially alter control technology without an increase in emissions (RCW 70A.15.2220).

(a) Table 7 lists the 2023 fees for review of a request to replace or substantially alter control technology without an increase in emissions.

(b) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(8) Fees for review of a prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) determination (WAC 173-400-720, 173-400-730, and 173-400-750).

(a) Table 8 lists the 2023 fees for the review of a request for prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) determination.

(b) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(9) Fees for nonattainment area major new source review.

(a) Table 9 lists the 2023 fees for nonattainment area major new source review.

(b) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(10) Fees for review of plant-wide applicability limits (WAC 173-400-720).

(a) Table 10 lists the 2023 fees for review of requests to establish plant-wide applicability limits.

(b) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(11) Table 11 lists the 2023 fees for all other permitting actions, including second and third tier reviews.

(a) A second tier petition (WAC 173-460-090) that becomes subject to third tier review during the course of evaluation continues as a second tier petition for billing purposes. Staff must sum the time spent on this petition and bill the applicant if the total hours exceed 85 hours.

(b) The fee listed in Table 11 for third tier review (WAC 173-460-100) does not apply to a second tier petition that becomes a third tier petition under (a) of this subsection.

(c) Ecology will post a new fee schedule for the fees in this section starting in 2024 in accordance with WAC 173-455-031.

(12) Fee reductions for small businesses. Ecology may reduce the permitting fees identified in subsections (2) through (6) of this section for a small business as provided in this subsection.

(a) Small business reduction.

(i) To qualify for a small business permitting fee reduction, a business must meet the requirements of "small business" as defined in RCW 19.85.020.

(ii) To receive a small business fee reduction, the owner or operator of a small business must include sufficient information in an application submitted in accordance with (c) of this section, demonstrating that the business meets the requirements of a small business as required under subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(iii) For small businesses that ecology determines are eligible for a small business fee reduction under (a)(ii) of this subsection, ecology shall reduce the permitting fee to the greater of:

(A) Fifty percent of the permitting fee; or

(B) Three hundred twelve dollars.

(b) Extreme hardship reduction.

(i) If the fee assessed after a reduction granted under (a)(iii) of this subsection imposes an extreme hardship on a small business due to special economic circumstances, the small business may request an extreme hardship fee reduction.

(ii) To receive an extreme hardship reduction, the owner or operator of a small business must provide sufficient evidence to support a claim of special economic circumstances and extreme hardship in an application submitted in accordance with (c) of this subsection.

(iii) Ecology may consider the following factors in determining whether an owner or operator has demonstrated special economic circumstances and extreme hardship, and in determining the amount of the fee reduction:

(A) Annual sales;

(B) Labor force size;

(C) Market conditions which affect the owner's or operator's ability to pass the cost of the permitting fees through to customers; and

(D) Average annual profits.

(c) Application for fee reduction.

(i) One of the following representatives of the small business must sign the application:

(A) An authorized corporate officer in the case of a corporation;

(B) An authorized partner in the case of a limited or general partnership; or

(C) The proprietor in the case of a sole proprietorship.

(ii) Ecology may request additional information as needed to verify the application information. If ecology determines the owner or operator has made false statements in the application, ecology may deny the fee reduction request and revoke any previously granted fee reductions for that business.

(d) In no case will ecology reduce a permitting fee below $125.

(13) Fee reductions for pollution prevention initiatives. Ecology may reduce the permitting fees identified in subsections (2) through (6) of this section where the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that approved pollution prevention measures will be used.

(14) Tracking revenues, time, and expenditures. Ecology must track revenues from the fees collected under this subsection on a source-specific basis.