California Environmental Protection Agency 30-Day Public Notice and Comment Period Unified Program Surcharge Fee Change

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Secretary for Environmental Protection proposes to adjust the Unified Program State Surcharge according to the California Health and Safety Code (HSC), Division 20, Chapter 6.11, Section 25404.5(b), and the California Code of Regulations, Title 27, Division 1, Subdivision 4, Chapter 1, Section 15240. 

The State Surcharge is an assessment on each entity regulated under the Unified Program.  The State Surcharge is used to fund the necessary and reasonable costs of all State Agencies responsible for program implementation, ongoing maintenance, and oversight of the Unified Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials Management Program (Unified Program).  Assembly Bill 2286 (Chapter 571 Statutes of 2008) provided for an increase in the Oversight portion of the State Surcharge for three years to fund the implementation of mandatory electronic reporting.  The three year timeframe for this increased surcharge will end on June 30, 2012 and the Oversight portion of the State Surcharge will be reduced to $35.00 per year per regulated facility.  The Underground Storage Tank and California Accidental Release Prevention Program portions remain unchanged.

The State Surcharge will be publicly noticed in the California Regulatory Notice Register (Z-Register) for 30 days during which time comments will be accepted on the proposed Surcharge.  Following the 30-day comment period the Secretary will publish the final Surcharge in the Z-Register.  Certified Unified Program Agencies will be responsible for collecting the new Surcharge as part of their Single Fee System effective July 1, 2012.

The California Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public workshop at the Headquarters building in Sacramento in the Sierra Hearing Room on June 14, 2012 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  The workshop will also include audio and web access as follows:

Web Access:                      www.readytalk.com; Meeting: 4556812
Conference Call:               866-618-7124; Access: 8228723

Outside of the workshop, written comments must be sent to the address, email or fax below and must be received by close of business June 24, 2012.

Mr. Jim Bohon, Chief
Unified Program Section
California Environmental Protection Agency
1001 I Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, California  95814

E-mail address: jbohon@calepa.ca.gov
Fax Number: (916) 322-5615

STATE SURCHARGE

For fiscal year 2012/13 forward, the State Surcharge is set as follows:

• Oversight:  $  35.00  (reduced from $49.00)
• Underground Storage Tank:  $  15.00  (unchanged)
• California Accidental Release Prevention Program: $270.00  (unchanged)

Please direct all questions, comments, and concerns to cupa@calepa.ca.gov.