Pennsylvania air pollution fee hike planned for thousands of facilities as DEP account runs dry
Fees for thousands of facilities with air pollution permits would increase by $12.7 million under a proposal by Pennsylvania regulators to avoid running out of money in an account that pays for staff and air quality monitoring statewide.
The draft fee proposal was advanced by the state Environmental Quality Board on Tuesday. It would affect about 500 major and 2,100 lower-emitting facilities that receive air pollution control plan approvals and operating permits from the state — a list that includes power plants, refineries, steel mills, industrial bakeries, plastics makers, natural gas transmission stations and landfills.
New fees for asbestos notification would apply to about 2,000 demolition and renovation contractors and raise about $1.5 million. They would not apply to projects in Allegheny County, which has its own asbestos program.
The state Department of Environmental Protection is proposing the changes because the account funded by the fees, known as the Clean Air Fund, is on track to run out of money around 2021.
Read more: https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2018/12/21/air-pollution-fees-Pennsylvania-DEP-asbestos-Bruce-Mansfield-FirstEnergy/stories/201812200049