CHAPTER 3745: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

There is hereby created the environmental protection agency, headed by the director of environmental protection. The agency, under the supervision of the director, shall administer the laws pertaining to chemical emergency planning, community right-to-know, and toxic chemical release reporting; the cessation of chemical handling operations; the prevention, control, and abatement of air and water pollution; public water supply; comprehensive water resource management planning; products that contain mercury as defined in section 3734.61 of the Revised Code; and the disposal and treatment of solid wastes, infectious wastes, construction and demolition debris, hazardous waste, sewage, industrial waste, and other wastes. The director may do all of the following:

(A) Provide such methods of administration, appoint such personnel, make such reports, and take such other action as may be necessary to comply with the requirements of the federal laws and regulations pertaining to chemical emergency planning, community right-to-know, and toxic chemical release reporting; air and water pollution control; public water supply; water resource planning; and waste disposal and treatment;

(B) Procure by contract the temporary or intermittent services of experts or consultants, or organizations thereof, when those services are to be performed on a part-time or fee-for-service basis and do not involve the performance of administrative duties;

(C) Advise, consult, cooperate, and enter into contracts or agreements with any other agencies of the state, the federal government, other states, and interstate agencies and with affected groups, political subdivisions, and industries in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter and Chapters 3704., 3714., 3734., 3751., 3752., 6109., and 6111. of the Revised Code;

(D) Establish advisory boards in accordance with section 121.13 of the Revised Code;

(E) Accept on behalf of the state any grant, gift, or contribution made for toxic chemical release reporting, air or water pollution control, public water supply, water resource planning, waste disposal or treatment, or related purposes, and expend it for those purposes;

(F) Make an annual report to the governor and the general assembly on activities and expenditures as well as recommendations for such additional legislation as the director considers appropriate to carry out the director’s duties or accomplish the purposes of this section;

(G) Enter into environmental covenants in accordance with sections 5301.80 to 5301.92 of the Revised Code, and grant or accept easements or sell real property pursuant to section 3734.22, 3734.24, 3734.25, or 3734.26 of the Revised Code, as applicable.

The agency shall utilize the laboratory facilities of the department of health and other state institutions and agencies to the maximum extent that the utilization is practicable, economical, and technically satisfactory.

The director shall maintain and keep available for public inspection, at the director’s principal office, a current register of all applications filed for permits, leases, licenses, variances, certificates, and approval of plans and specifications and of publicly owned treatment works pretreatment programs under the director’s jurisdiction, hearings pending, the director’s final action thereon, and the dates on which the filings, hearings, and final actions occur. The director shall maintain and keep available for public inspection at the director’s principal office all plans, reports, and other documents required to be filed with the emergency response commission under Chapter 3750. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it, and all reports and other documents required to be filed with the director under Chapter 3751. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it, subject to the requirements of those chapters and rules adopted under them for the protection of trade secrets and confidential business information from disclosure to persons not authorized under those laws to receive trade secret or confidential business information.

Effective Date: 09-22-2000; 12-30-2004; 04-06-2007

It is the intent of the general assembly that the environmental protection agency shall:

(A) Promulgate and put into execution a long term comprehensive plan and program to conserve, protect, and enhance the air, water, and other natural resources of the state;

(B) Prevent and abate pollution of the environment for the protection and preservation of the health, safety, welfare, and property of the people of the state,

(C) Administer the air, water, and other natural resources of the state for the use and benefit of the people of the state;

(D) Promote the development of technology for environmental protection and management;

(E) Operate the state government in ways designed to minimize environmental damage, and assist and cooperate with governmental agencies to restore, protect, and enhance the quality of the environment;

(F) Provide for enforcement of the right of the people to environmental quality consistent with human health and welfare.

The director of environmental protection may designate one of his staff to serve directly under the director as an ombudsman and expeditor between the citizens and the environmental protection agency in all matters of the environment.

Effective Date: 10-23-1972

The director of environmental protection shall collect all moneys for permits, licenses, plan approvals, variances, and certifications of any nature issued and administered by the environmental protection agency under Chapter 3704., 3714., 3734., 6109., or 6111. of the Revised Code. The director shall keep a record of all such moneys collected showing the amounts received, from whom, and for what purpose collected. All such moneys shall be credited to the general revenue fund, except for such moneys required to be credited to any other fund.

Effective Date: 07-24-1990

Except for those moneys specifically required by law to be credited to another fund, all moneys received by the environmental protection agency from the sale of goods or services shall be credited to the sale of goods and services fund which is hereby created in the state treasury. Moneys credited to the fund shall include:

(A) Moneys received pursuant to service agreements between programs or activities of the environmental protection agency under which one program or activity within the agency provides goods or services to another program or activity within the agency and moneys received pursuant to service agreements between the environmental protection agency and other state agencies under which the environmental protection agency provides goods or services to other state agencies. The goods and services provided pursuant to any such service agreement shall be documented on an invoice prescribed by the director of environmental protection. The invoice shall include, without limitation, the number of hours worked by personnel of the environmental protection agency, and any supplies and necessary equipment used, to perform the work prescribed by the service agreement and the costs thereof. Payment of the amount set forth on the invoice shall be made to the program or activity of the environmental protection agency providing the goods or services under the service agreement within thirty days after delivery of the invoice for payment to the appropriate program or activity within the agency, or the other state agency, receiving the goods or services under the agreement. Moneys credited to the fund under this division shall be expended to defray the costs of the programs and activities of the environmental protection agency.

(B) Moneys received by the environmental protection agency from the salvaging of equipment of the agency through the state’s investment recovery program under sections 125.12 to 125.15 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 125.14 of the Revised Code, moneys credited to the investment recovery fund created in that section arising from the sale or other disposition of equipment of the environmental protection agency shall be transferred to the goods and services fund. Moneys credited to the goods and services fund under this division shall be used by the agency to purchase equipment for the agency or to reimburse the United States environmental protection agency for the portion of the salvage amount due it because federal moneys were used to make the original purchase of the equipment.

Effective Date: 07-01-1989

There is hereby created in the state treasury the central support indirect fund, which shall be administered by the director of environmental protection. Money credited to the fund shall be used for administrative costs of the environmental protection agency. The director may assess any operating funds from which the agency receives appropriations, except the central support indirect fund, for a share of the administrative costs of the agency. The amounts assessed shall be transferred to the central support indirect fund by means of intrastate transfer vouchers. The director, with the approval of the director of budget and management, shall determine the rate of assessments.

Effective Date: 06-06-2001

There is hereby created in the state treasury the environmental protection fund consisting of money credited to the fund under division (A)(3) of section 3734.57 of the Revised Code. The environmental protection agency shall use money in the fund to pay the agency’s costs associated with administering and enforcing, or otherwise conducting activities under, this chapter and Chapters 3704., 3734., 3746., 3747., 3748., 3750., 3751., 3752., 3753., 5709., 6101., 6103., 6105., 6109., 6111., 6112., 6113., 6115., 6117., and 6119. and sections 122.65 and 1521.19 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date; 06-30-2005

There is hereby created an environmental review appeals commission, consisting of three members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Terms of office shall be for six years, commencing on the twenty-third day of October and ending on the twenty-second day of October, except that the terms of the first members of the commission shall be for two, four, and six years, respectively, as designated by the governor at the time of the appointment. Each member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of such term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member’s term until the member’s successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Each vacancy shall be filled by appointment within sixty days after the vacancy occurs. Each member shall have extensive experience in pollution control and abatement technology, ecology, public health, environmental law, economics of natural resource development, or related fields. At least one shall be an attorney. Not more than two members shall be of the same political party. At least two members shall represent the public interest. Each member shall serve full time.

The commission may appoint a secretary to hold office at its pleasure. The secretary shall perform such duties as the commission prescribes, and shall receive such compensation as the commission fixes in accordance with schedules as are provided by law for the compensation of state employees. The commission may employ such other employees as are necessary to perform its duties, and such other employees shall be in the classified service. The commission may retain the services of experts, consultants, and intermittent help. The environmental protection agency shall furnish such clerical and stenographic services to the commission as the commission requests and is reasonably available.

Two members constitute a quorum, and no action of the commission shall be valid unless it has the concurrence of at least two members. The commission shall keep a record of its proceedings.

Biennially one member shall be elected as chairperson and another member shall be elected as vice-chairperson. Such officers shall serve for terms of two years.

The governor may remove any member of the commission from office for conflict of interest, malfeasance, or nonfeasance, after delivering written charges to the member together with at least ten days’ written notice of the time and place at which the governor will publicly hear the member, either in person or by counsel, in defense of the charges. If the member is removed from office, the governor shall file in the office of the secretary of state a complete statement of the charges made against the member and a complete report of the proceedings thereon. The action of the governor in removing the member from office is final.

The commission shall provide itself and its employees with such offices, equipment, and supplies as are necessary to perform its duties, using those available from the environmental protection agency wherever possible. The commission shall prepare and submit budgets and appropriation requests separate from those of the environmental protection agency, in accordance with section 126.02 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 12-02-1996

The environmental review appeals commission shall adopt regulations governing procedure to be followed for hearings before it. No regulation adopted by the commission shall be effective until the tenth day after it has been adopted by the filing of a certified copy thereof with the secretary of state who shall record them under the heading “regulations of the environmental review appeals commission.” The regulations shall be numbered consecutively under the heading and shall bear the date of filing. The regulations shall be public records open to public inspection.

No regulation filed in the office of the secretary of state pursuant to this section shall be amended except by a regulation which contains the entire regulation as amended and which repeals the regulation amended. Each regulation which amends a regulation shall bear the same consecutive regulation number as the number of the regulation which it amends, and it shall bear the date of filing.

No regulation filed in the office of the secretary of state pursuant to this section shall be repealed except by a regulation. Each regulation which repeals a regulation shall bear the same consecutive regulation number as the number of the regulation which it repeals, and it shall bear the date of filing.

The authority and the duty of the commission to adopt regulations under this section shall not be governed by or be subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

The commission shall have available at all times copies of all regulations of the commission which it has filed in the office of the secretary of state pursuant to this section, and shall furnish them free of charge to any person requesting them.

The commission shall maintain and keep available for public inspection, at its principal office, a current register of all appeals filed, hearings pending, its final action thereon, and the dates on which such filings, hearings, and final actions occur.

Effective Date: 12-02-1996

(A) As used in this section, “any person” means any individual, any partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, or any political subdivision, instrumentality, or agency of a state, whether or not the individual or legal entity is an applicant for or holder of a license, permit, or variance from the environmental protection agency, and includes any department, agency, or instrumentality of the federal government that is an applicant for or holder of a license, permit, or variance from the environmental protection agency.

As used in this section, “action” or “act” includes the adoption, modification, or repeal of a rule or standard, the issuance, modification, or revocation of any lawful order other than an emergency order, and the issuance, denial, modification, or revocation of a license, permit, lease, variance, or certificate, or the approval or disapproval of plans and specifications pursuant to law or rules adopted thereunder.

(B) Any person who was a party to a proceeding before the director of environmental protection may participate in an appeal to the environmental review appeals commission for an order vacating or modifying the action of the director or a local board of health, or ordering the director or board of health to perform an act. The environmental review appeals commission has exclusive original jurisdiction over any matter that may, under this section, be brought before it. However, the director has and retains jurisdiction to modify, amend, revise, renew, or revoke any permit, rule, order, or other action that has been appealed to the commission. The modification, amendment, revision, renewal, or revocation is subject to applicable public participation and public notice requirements and is subject to an appeal under this section or section 3745.07 of the Revised Code, as applicable. Not later than thirty days after the issuance of the modification, amendment, revision, renewal, or revocation, the director shall file with the commission and serve on each party to the existing appeal a statement notifying the commission and the party that the appealed action was revoked or describing how the appealed action was modified, amended, revised, or changed as part of a renewal, as applicable. A party to the existing appeal is deemed to have appealed such a modification, amendment, revision, renewal, or revocation upon filing with the commission and serving on all parties an objection to the modification, amendment, revision, renewal, or revocation. The objection shall be filed with the commission not later than thirty days after the director files the statement with the commission regarding the modification, amendment, revision, renewal, or revocation. The objection shall state any new grounds of appeal resulting from the modification, amendment, revision, renewal, or revocation. The commission shall not charge a fee for the filing of such an objection.

A person appealing to the commission shall be known as appellant, and the director and any party to a proceeding substantially supporting the finding from which the appeal is taken shall be known as appellee, except that when an appeal involves a license to operate a disposal site or facility, the local board of health or the director of environmental protection, and any party to a proceeding substantially supporting the finding from which the appeal is taken, shall, as appropriate, be known as the appellee. Appellant and appellee shall be deemed to be parties to the appeal.

(C) The director may appeal an action of a local board of health conducted under Chapter 3714. or 3734. of the Revised Code to the environmental review appeals commission for an order vacating or modifying the action of the board or may appeal to the commission for an order requiring the local board of health to perform an act.

(D) An appeal shall be in writing and shall set forth the action complained of and the grounds upon which the appeal is based.

The appeal shall be filed with the commission within thirty days after notice of the action. Notice of the filing of the appeal shall be filed with the appellee within three days after the appeal is filed with the commission.

The appeal shall be accompanied by a filing fee of seventy dollars, which the commission, in its discretion, may reduce if by affidavit the appellant demonstrates that payment of the full amount of the fee would cause extreme hardship.

Within seven days after receipt of the notice of an appeal filed under division (B) of this section, the director or local board of health, as applicable, shall prepare and certify to the commission a record of the proceedings out of which the appeal arises, including all documents and correspondence, and a transcript of all testimony.

Upon the filing of an appeal, the commission shall fix the time and place at which the hearing on the appeal will be held. The commission shall give the appellant and the appellee at least ten days’ written notice thereof by certified mail. The commission shall hold the hearing within thirty days after the notice of appeal is filed. The commission may postpone or continue any hearing upon its own motion or upon application of the appellant or of the appellee.

The filing of an appeal does not automatically suspend or stay execution of the action appealed from. Upon application by the appellant, the commission may suspend or stay the execution pending immediate determination of the appeal without interruption by continuances, other than for unavoidable circumstances.

(E) As used in this section and sections 3745.05 and 3745.06 of the Revised Code, “director of environmental protection” and “director” are deemed to include the director of agriculture and “environmental protection agency” is deemed to include the department of agriculture with respect to actions that are appealable to the commission under Chapter 903. of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003; 12-22-2005; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007

In hearing the appeal, if an adjudication hearing was conducted by the director of environmental protection in accordance with sections 119.09 and 119.10 of the Revised Code or conducted by a board of health, the environmental review appeals commission is confined to the record as certified to it by the director or the board of health, as applicable. The commission may grant a request for the admission of additional evidence when satisfied that such additional evidence is newly discovered and could not with reasonable diligence have been ascertained prior to the hearing before the director or the board, as applicable. If no adjudication hearing was conducted in accordance with sections 119.09 and 119.10 of the Revised Code or conducted by a board of health, the commission shall conduct a hearing de novo on the appeal.

For the purpose of conducting a de novo hearing, or where the commission has granted a request for the admission of additional evidence, the commission may require the attendance of witnesses and the production of written or printed materials.

When conducting a de novo hearing, or when a request for the admission of additional evidence has been granted, the commission may, and at the request of any party it shall, issue subpoenas for witnesses or for books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, agreements, or other documents or records relevant or material to the inquiry directed to the sheriff of the counties where the witnesses or documents or records are found, which subpoenas shall be served and returned in the same manner as those allowed by the court of common pleas in criminal cases.

The fees and mileage of sheriffs and witnesses shall be the same as those allowed by the court of common pleas in criminal cases. The fee and mileage expenses incurred at the request of the appellant shall be paid in advance by the appellant, and the remainder of the expenses shall be paid out of funds appropriated for the expenses of the commission.

In case of disobedience or neglect of any subpoena served on any person, or the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which the witness may be lawfully interrogated, the court of common pleas of the county in which the disobedience, neglect, or refusal occurs, or any judge thereof, on application of the commission or any member thereof, may compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena issued from the court or a refusal to testify therein.

A witness at any hearing shall testify under oath or affirmation, which any member of the commission may administer. A witness, if the witness requests, shall be permitted to be accompanied, represented, and advised by an attorney, whose participation in the hearing shall be limited to the protection of the rights of the witness, and who may not examine or cross-examine witnesses. A witness shall be advised of the right to counsel before the witness is interrogated.

A stenographic record of the testimony and other evidence submitted shall be taken by an official court shorthand reporter. The record shall include all of the testimony and other evidence and the rulings on the admissibility thereof presented at the hearing. The commission shall pass upon the admissibility of evidence, but any party may at the time object to the admission of any evidence and except to the rulings of the commission thereon, and if the commission refuses to admit evidence the party offering same may make a proffer thereof, and such proffer shall be made a part of the record of such hearing.

Any party may request the stenographic record of the hearing. Promptly after receiving such a request, the commission shall prepare and provide the stenographic record of the hearing to the party who requested it. The commission may charge a fee to the party who requested the stenographic record that does not exceed the cost to the commission for preparing and transcribing it.

If, upon completion of the hearing, the commission finds that the action appealed from was lawful and reasonable, it shall make a written order affirming the action, or if the commission finds that the action was unreasonable or unlawful, it shall make a written order vacating or modifying the action appealed from. Every order made by the commission shall contain a written finding by the commission of the facts upon which the order is based. Notice of the making of the order shall be given forthwith to each party to the appeal by mailing a certified copy thereof to each party by certified mail, with a statement of the time and method by which an appeal may be perfected.

The order of the commission is final unless vacated or modified upon judicial review.

Effective Date: 12-02-1996; 12-22-2005

Any party adversely affected by an order of the environmental review appeals commission may appeal to the court of appeals of Franklin county, or, if the appeal arises from an alleged violation of a law or regulation, to the court of appeals of the district in which the violation was alleged to have occurred. Any party desiring to so appeal shall file with the commission a notice of appeal designating the order appealed. A copy of the notice also shall be filed by the appellant with the court, and a copy shall be sent by certified mail to the director of environmental protection unless the director is the party appealing the order. Such notices shall be filed and mailed within thirty days after the date upon which the appellant received notice from the commission by certified mail of the making of the order appealed. No appeal bond shall be required to make an appeal effective.

The filing of a notice of appeal shall not automatically operate as a suspension of the order of the commission. If it appears to the court that an unjust hardship to the appellant will result from the execution of the commission’s order pending determination of the appeal, the court may grant a suspension of the order and fix its terms.

Within twenty days after receipt of the notice of appeal, the commission shall prepare and file in the court the complete record of proceedings out of which the appeal arises, including any transcript of the testimony and any other evidence that has been submitted before the commission. The expense of preparing and transcribing the record shall be taxed as a part of the costs of the appeal. The appellant, other than the state or a political subdivision, or an agency of either, or any officer of them acting in a representative capacity, shall provide security for costs satisfactory to the court. Upon demand by a party, the commission shall furnish at the cost of the party requesting the record a copy of the record. If the complete record is not filed within the time provided for in this section, any party may apply to the court to have the case docketed, and the court shall order the record filed.

In hearing the appeal, the court is confined to the record as certified to it by the commission. The court may grant a request for the admission of additional evidence when satisfied that such additional evidence is newly discovered and could not with reasonable diligence have been ascertained prior to the hearing before the commission.

The court shall conduct a hearing on the appeal and shall give preference to all proceedings under this section over all other civil cases, irrespective of the position of the proceedings on the calendar of the court. The hearing in the court of appeals shall proceed as in the case of a civil action, and the court shall determine the rights of the parties in accordance with the laws applicable to such action. At the hearing, counsel may be heard on oral argument, briefs may be submitted, and evidence introduced if the court has granted a request for the presentation of additional evidence.

The court shall affirm the order complained of in the appeal if it finds, upon consideration of the entire record and such additional evidence as the court has admitted, that the order is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is in accordance with law. In the absence of such a finding, it shall reverse, vacate, or modify the order or make such other ruling as is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is in accordance with law. When the court finds an ambient air quality standard, an emission standard, or a water quality or discharge standard to be deficient, it shall order the director of environmental protection to modify the standard to comply with the laws governing air or water pollution. The court shall retain jurisdiction until it approves the modified standard. The judgment of the court shall be final and conclusive unless reversed, vacated, or modified on appeal. Such appeals may be taken by any party to the appeal pursuant to the Rules of Practice of the Supreme Court and, to the extent not in conflict with those rules, Chapter 2505. of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 12-02-1996; 12-22-2005

Before issuing, denying, modifying, revoking, or renewing any permit, license, or variance under Chapter 3704., 3714., 3734., or 6111. of the Revised Code, the director of environmental protection may issue a proposed action to the applicant that indicates the director’s intent with regard to the issuance, denial, modification, revocation, or renewal of the permit, license, or variance. The director shall maintain a current mailing list of persons who, annually, subscribe for notification of all proposed actions, issuances, denials, modifications, revocations, and renewals of permits, licenses, and variances, verified complaints received, and all hearings and public meetings to be conducted under Chapters 3704., 3714., 3734., and 6111. of the Revised Code. The director shall mail notice to each subscriber of a proposed action or an issuance, denial, modification, revocation, or renewal of a permit, license, or variance within one week after issuance thereof, of a verified complaint within one week after receipt thereof, and of a hearing or public meeting at least two weeks before the hearing or public meeting. Failure to mail notice to any person subscribing to the mailing list shall not invalidate any proceeding or action of the director.

If the director receives a written objection to a proposed action, within thirty days of the date of issuance of the proposed action, from an officer of an agency of the state or of a political subdivision acting in a representative capacity or any person who would be aggrieved or adversely affected by the issuance or renewal of a permit, license, or variance, the director shall conduct an adjudication hearing on the proposed action in accordance with sections 119.09 and 119.10 of the Revised Code, at which hearing the persons who submit objections shall be parties. The director shall give notice of the hearing to all persons submitting objections, by certified mail at least thirty days before the hearing. Notwithstanding section 119.07 of the Revised Code, the director may schedule the adjudication hearing at any reasonable time not later than sixty days after receipt of the request for an adjudication hearing or receipt of an objection to a proposed action.

The director shall cause notice of each proposed action, each issuance, denial, modification, revocation, or renewal of a permit, license, or variance for which no proposed action was issued, each verified complaint received, and each hearing or public meeting to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the permit, license, or variance is sought or violation is alleged, within fifteen days after the date of the proposed action, the issuance, denial, modification, revocation, or renewal of a permit, license, or variance, or the receipt of the verified complaint, and at least thirty days prior to a hearing or public meeting.

The director shall collect from each subscriber an annual subscription fee of seventy dollars to cover the expenses of notification by mail and by publication. All fees collected under this section shall be deposited in the general revenue fund.

If the director issues, denies, modifies, revokes, or renews a permit, license, or variance without issuing a proposed action, an officer of an agency of the state or of a political subdivision, acting in a representative capacity, or any person who would be aggrieved or adversely affected thereby, may appeal to the environmental review appeals commission within thirty days of the issuance, denial, modification, revocation, or renewal.

Effective Date: 12-02-1996

(A) An officer of an agency of the state or of a political subdivision, acting in the officer’s representative capacity, or any person who is or will be aggrieved or adversely affected by a violation that has occurred, is occurring, or will occur may file a complaint, in writing and verified by the affidavit of the complainant, the complainant’s agent, or attorney, with the director of environmental protection, in accordance with the rules of the director adopted pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, alleging that another person has violated, is violating, or will violate any law, rule, standard, or order relating to air pollution, water pollution, solid waste, infectious wastes, construction and demolition debris, public water supply, hazardous waste, products that contain mercury, or cessation of chemical handling operations, or, if the person is in possession of a valid license, permit, variance, or plan approval relating to air pollution, water pollution, solid waste, infectious wastes, construction and demolition debris, public water supply, or hazardous waste, that the person has violated, is violating, or will violate the conditions of the license, permit, variance, or plan approval. The affidavit verifying a complaint authorized by this section may be made before any person authorized by law to administer oaths and shall be signed by the person who makes it. The person before whom it was taken shall certify that it was sworn to before that person and signed in that person’s presence, and that person’s certificate signed officially by that person shall be evidence that the affidavit was made, that the name of the person making the affidavit was written by the maker of the affidavit, and that the maker of the affidavit was that person.

(B) Upon receipt of a complaint authorized by this section, the director shall cause a prompt investigation to be conducted such as is reasonably necessary to determine whether a violation, as alleged, has occurred, is occurring, or will occur. The investigation shall include a discussion of the complaint with the alleged violator. If, upon completion of the investigation, the director determines that a violation, as alleged, has occurred, is occurring, or will occur, the director may enter such order as may be necessary, request the attorney general to commence appropriate legal proceedings, or, where the director determines that prior violations have been terminated and that future violations of the same kind are unlikely to occur, the director may dismiss the complaint. If the director does not determine that a violation, as alleged, has occurred, is occurring, or will occur, the director shall dismiss the complaint. Before taking any action under this division, the director may commence a hearing. Twenty days prior to any hearing, the director shall cause publication of notice of the hearing in a newspaper with general circulation in the county wherein the alleged violation has occurred, is occurring, or will occur, and also shall mail written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the person who filed the complaint and to the alleged violator. If the director enters an order pursuant to this division without having commenced a hearing, the director or the director’s delegate, prior to entry of the order, shall provide an opportunity to the complainant and the alleged violator to attend a conference with the director or the director’s delegate concerning the alleged violation.

(C) Any hearing commenced under this section shall be conducted before the director or a hearing examiner designated by the director. The agency and the alleged violator shall be parties. The person who filed the verified complaint may participate as a party by filing with the director, at any time prior to the hearing, a written notice of the complainant’s intent to so participate. Any other person may be permitted to intervene upon the granting by the director or hearing examiner of a motion to intervene filed in accordance with the rules of the director adopted pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(D) A complaint filed under this section may be consolidated with any other complaint filed under this section, or any finding of the director, where the director determines that consolidation will facilitate enforcement of any law that the agency is charged with administering under section 3745.01 of the Revised Code and there are one or more issues of fact or law in common. Not more than one hearing under this section shall be conducted with respect to each violation alleged.

Effective Date: 07-01-1996; 04-06-2007

Upon investigation of any complaint filed under section 3704.06, 3734.10, 3745.08, or 6109.11 of the Revised Code, if the director of environmental protection finds that the violation is caused by or contributed to from air or water pollution sources outside Ohio, he shall immediately notify the responsible officials of the state in which the source lies, the United States environmental protection agency, and the attorney general of Ohio, in an effort to secure prompt compliance with all laws, regulations, and standards for the prevention, abatement, and control of air and water pollution and disposal of solid wastes.

Effective Date: 12-14-1978

(A) Applicants for and holders of permits, licenses, variances, plan approvals, and certifications issued by the director of environmental protection pursuant to Chapters 3704., 3734., 6109., and 6111. of the Revised Code shall pay a fee to the environmental protection agency for each such issuance and each application for an issuance as provided by this section. No fee shall be charged for any issuance for which no application has been submitted to the director.

(B) Each person who is issued a permit to install prior to July 1, 2003, pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay the fees specified in the following schedules:

(1) Fuel-burning equipment (boilers)

Input capacity (maximum) (million British thermal units per hour) Permit to install

Greater than 0, but less than 10 $200

10 or more, but less than 100 400

100 or more, but less than 300 800

300 or more, but less than 500 1500

500 or more, but less than 1000 2500

1000 or more, but less than 5000 4000

5000 or more 6000

Units burning exclusively natural gas, number two fuel oil, or both shall be assessed a fee that is one-half of the applicable amount established in division (F)(1) of this section.

(2) Incinerators

Input capacity (pounds per hour) Permit to install

0 to 100 $ 100

101 to 500 400

501 to 2000 750

2001 to 20,000 1000

more than 20,000 2500

(3)(a) Process

Process weight rate (pounds per hour) Permit to install

0 to 1000 $ 200

1001 to 5000 400

5001 to 10,000 600

10,001 to 50,000 800

more than 50,000 1000

In any process where process weight rate cannot be ascertained, the minimum fee shall be assessed.

(b) Notwithstanding division (B)(3)(a) of this section, any person issued a permit to install pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay the fees established in division (B)(3)(c) of this section for a process used in any of the following industries, as identified by the applicable four-digit standard industrial classification code according to the Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the United States office of management and budget in the executive office of the president, 1972, as revised:

1211 Bituminous coal and lignite mining;

1213 Bituminous coal and lignite mining services;

1411 Dimension stone;

1422 Crushed and broken limestone;

1427 Crushed and broken stone, not elsewhere classified;

1442 Construction sand and gravel;

1446 Industrial sand;

3281 Cut stone and stone products;

3295 Minerals and earth, ground or otherwise treated.

(c) The fees established in the following schedule apply to the issuance of a permit to install pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code for a process listed in division (B)(3)(b) of this section:

Process weight rate (pounds per hour)Permit to install

0 to 1000 $ 200

10,001 to 50,000 300

50,001 to 100,000 400

100,001 to 200,000 500

200,001 to 400,000 600

400,001 or more 700

(4) Storage tanks

Gallons (maximum useful capacity) Permit to install

0 to 20,000 $100

20,001 to 40,000 150

40,001 to 100,000 200

100,001 to 250,000 250

250,001 to 500,000 350

500,001 to 1,000,000 500

1,000,001 or greater 750

(5) Gasoline/fuel dispensing facilities

For each gasoline/fuel dispensing Permit to install

facility $100

(6) Dry cleaning facilities

For each dry cleaning facility Permit to install

(includes all units at the facility) $100

(7) Registration status

For each source covered Permit to install

by registration status $75

(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section, beginning July 1, 1994, each person who owns or operates an air contaminant source and who is required to apply for and obtain a Title V permit under section 3704.036 of the Revised Code shall pay the fees set forth in division (C)(1) of this section. For the purposes of that division, total emissions of air contaminants may be calculated using engineering calculations, emissions factors, material balance calculations, or performance testing procedures, as authorized by the director.

The following fees shall be assessed on the total actual emissions from a source in tons per year of the regulated pollutants particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, and lead:

(a) Fifteen dollars per ton on the total actual emissions of each such regulated pollutant during the period July through December 1993, to be collected no sooner than July 1, 1994;

(b) Twenty dollars per ton on the total actual emissions of each such regulated pollutant during calendar year 1994, to be collected no sooner than April 15, 1995;

(c) Twenty-five dollars per ton on the total actual emissions of each such regulated pollutant in calendar year 1995, and each subsequent calendar year, to be collected no sooner than the fifteenth day of April of the year next succeeding the calendar year in which the emissions occurred.

The fees levied under division (C)(1) of this section do not apply to that portion of the emissions of a regulated pollutant at a facility that exceed four thousand tons during a calendar year.

(2) The fees assessed under division (C)(1) of this section are for the purpose of providing funding for the Title V permit program.

(3) The fees assessed under division (C)(1) of this section do not apply to emissions from any electric generating unit designated as a Phase I unit under Title IV of the federal Clean Air Act prior to calendar year 2000. Those fees shall be assessed on the emissions from such a generating unit commencing in calendar year 2001 based upon the total actual emissions from the generating unit during calendar year 2000 and shall continue to be assessed each subsequent calendar year based on the total actual emissions from the generating unit during the preceding calendar year.

(4) The director shall issue invoices to owners or operators of air contaminant sources who are required to pay a fee assessed under division (C) or (D) of this section. Any such invoice shall be issued no sooner than the applicable date when the fee first may be collected in a year under the applicable division, shall identify the nature and amount of the fee assessed, and shall indicate that the fee is required to be paid within thirty days after the issuance of the invoice.

(D)(1) Except as provided in division (D)(3) of this section, from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 2003, each person who owns or operates an air contaminant source; who is required to apply for a permit to operate pursuant to rules adopted under division (G), or a variance pursuant to division (H), of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code; and who is not required to apply for and obtain a Title V permit under section 3704.036 of the Revised Code shall pay a single fee based upon the sum of the actual annual emissions from the facility of the regulated pollutants particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, and lead in accordance with the following schedule:

Total tons per year of regulated pollutants emitted Annual fee per facility

More than 0, but less than 50 $75

50 or more, but less than 100 300

100 or more 700

(2) Except as provided in division (D)(3) of this section, beginning January 1, 2004, each person who owns or operates an air contaminant source; who is required to apply for a permit to operate pursuant to rules adopted under division (G), or a variance pursuant to division (H), of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code; and who is not required to apply for and obtain a Title V permit under section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay a single fee based upon the sum of the actual annual emissions from the facility of the regulated pollutants particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, and lead in accordance with the following schedule:

Total tons per year of regulated pollutants emitted Annual fee per facility

More than 0, but less than 10 $ 100

10 or more, but less than 50 200

50 or more, but less than 100 300

100 or more 700

(3)(a) As used in division (D) of this section, “synthetic minor facility” means a facility for which one or more permits to install or permits to operate have been issued for the air contaminant sources at the facility that include terms and conditions that lower the facility’s potential to emit air contaminants below the major source thresholds established in rules adopted under section 3704.036 of the Revised Code.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2000, through June 30, 2010, each person who owns or operates a synthetic minor facility shall pay an annual fee based on the sum of the actual annual emissions from the facility of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, organic compounds, and lead in accordance with the following schedule:

Combined total tons per year of all regulated pollutants emitted Annual fee per facility

Less than 10 $ 170

10 or more, but less than 20 340

20 or more, but less than 30 670

30 or more, but less than 40 1,010

40 or more, but less than 50 1,340

50 or more, but less than 60 1,680

60 or more, but less than 70 2,010

70 or more, but less than 80 2,350

80 or more, but less than 90 2,680

90 or more, but less than 100 3,020

100 or more 3,350

(4) The fees assessed under division (D)(1) of this section shall be collected annually no sooner than the fifteenth day of April, commencing in 1995. The fees assessed under division (D)(2) of this section shall be collected annually no sooner than the fifteenth day of April, commencing in 2005. The fees assessed under division (D)(3) of this section shall be collected no sooner than the fifteenth day of April, commencing in 2000. The fees assessed under division (D) of this section in a calendar year shall be based upon the sum of the actual emissions of those regulated pollutants during the preceding calendar year. For the purpose of division (D) of this section, emissions of air contaminants may be calculated using engineering calculations, emission factors, material balance calculations, or performance testing procedures, as authorized by the director. The director, by rule, may require persons who are required to pay the fees assessed under division (D) of this section to pay those fees biennially rather than annually.

(E)(1) Consistent with the need to cover the reasonable costs of the Title V permit program, the director annually shall increase the fees prescribed in division (C)(1) of this section by the percentage, if any, by which the consumer price index for the most recent calendar year ending before the beginning of a year exceeds the consumer price index for calendar year 1989. Upon calculating an increase in fees authorized by division (E)(1) of this section, the director shall compile revised fee schedules for the purposes of division (C)(1) of this section and shall make the revised schedules available to persons required to pay the fees assessed under that division and to the public.

(2) For the purposes of division (E)(1) of this section:

(a) The consumer price index for any year is the average of the consumer price index for all urban consumers published by the United States department of labor as of the close of the twelve-month period ending on the thirty-first day of August of that year.

(b) If the 1989 consumer price index is revised, the director shall use the revision of the consumer price index that is most consistent with that for calendar year 1989.

(F) Each person who is issued a permit to install pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code on or after July 1, 2003, shall pay the fees specified in the following schedules:

(1) Fuel-burning equipment (boilers, furnaces, or process heaters used in the process of burning fuel for the primary purpose of producing heat or power by indirect heat transfer)

Input capacity (maximum) (million British thermal units per hour) Permit to install

Greater than 0, but less than 10 $ 200

10 or more, but less than 100 400

100 or more, but less than 300 1000

300 or more, but less than 500 2250

500 or more, but less than 1000 3750

1000 or more, but less than 5000 6000

5000 or more 9000

Units burning exclusively natural gas, number two fuel oil, or both shall be assessed a fee that is one-half the applicable amount shown in division (F)(1) of this section.

(2) Combustion turbines and stationary internal combustion engines designed to generate electricity

Generating capacity (mega watts) Permit to install

0 or more, but less than 10 $ 25

10 or more, but less than 25 150

25 or more, but less than 50 300

50 or more, but less than 100 500

100 or more, but less than 250 1000

250 or more 2000

(3) Incinerators

Input capacity (pounds per hour) Permit to install

0 to 100 $ 100

101 to 500 500

501 to 2000 1000

2001 to 20,000 1500

more than 20,000 3750

(4)(a) Process

Process weight rate (pounds per hour) Permit to install

0 to 1000 $ 200

1001 to 5000 500

5001 to 10,000 750

10,001 to 50,000 1000

more than 50,000 1250

In any process where process weight rate cannot be ascertained, the minimum fee shall be assessed. A boiler, furnace, combustion turbine, stationary internal combustion engine, or process heater designed to provide direct heat or power to a process not designed to generate electricity shall be assessed a fee established in division (F)(4)(a) of this section. A combustion turbine or stationary internal combustion engine designed to generate electricity shall be assessed a fee established in division (F)(2) of this section.

(b) Notwithstanding division (F)(4)(a) of this section, any person issued a permit to install pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay the fees set forth in division (F)(4)(c) of this section for a process used in any of the following industries, as identified by the applicable two-digit, three-digit, or four-digit standard industrial classification code according to the Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the United States office of management and budget in the executive office of the president, 1987, as revised:

Major group 10, metal mining;

Major group 12, coal mining;

Major group 14, mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals;

Industry group 204, grain mill products;

2873 Nitrogen fertilizers;

2874 Phosphatic fertilizers;

3281 Cut stone and stone products;

3295 Minerals and earth, ground or otherwise treated;

4221 Grain elevators (storage only);

5159 Farm related raw materials;

5261 Retail nurseries and lawn and garden supply stores.

(c) The fees set forth in the following schedule apply to the issuance of a permit to install pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code for a process identified in division (F)(4)(b) of this section:

Process weight rate (pounds per hour) Permit to install

0 to 10,000 $ 200

10,001 to 50,000 400

50,001 to 100,000 500

100,001 to 200,000 600

200,001 to 400,000 750

400,001 or more 900

(5) Storage tanks

Gallons (maximum useful capacity) Permit to install

0 to 20,000 $ 100

20,001 to 40,000 150

40,001 to 100,000 250

100,001 to 500,000 400

500,001 or greater 750

(6) Gasoline/fuel dispensing facilities

For each gasoline/fuel dispensing facility (includes all units at the facility) Permit to install $100

(7) Dry cleaning facilities

For each dry cleaning facility (includes all units at the facility) Permit to install $100

(8) Registration status

For each source covered by registration status Permit to install $75

(G) An owner or operator who is responsible for an asbestos demolition or renovation project pursuant to rules adopted under section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay the fees set forth in the following schedule:

Action Fee

Each notification $75

Asbestos removal $3/unit

Asbestos cleanup $4/cubic yard

For purposes of this division, “unit” means any combination of linear feet or square feet equal to fifty.

(H) A person who is issued an extension of time for a permit to install an air contaminant source pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee equal to one-half the fee originally assessed for the permit to install under this section, except that the fee for such an extension shall not exceed two hundred dollars.

(I) A person who is issued a modification to a permit to install an air contaminant source pursuant to rules adopted under section 3704.03 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee equal to one-half of the fee that would be assessed under this section to obtain a permit to install the source. The fee assessed by this division only applies to modifications that are initiated by the owner or operator of the source and shall not exceed two thousand dollars.

(J) Notwithstanding division (B) or (F) of this section, a person who applies for or obtains a permit to install pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code after the date actual construction of the source began shall pay a fee for the permit to install that is equal to twice the fee that otherwise would be assessed under the applicable division unless the applicant received authorization to begin construction under division (W) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code. This division only applies to sources for which actual construction of the source begins on or after July 1, 1993. The imposition or payment of the fee established in this division does not preclude the director from taking any administrative or judicial enforcement action under this chapter, Chapter 3704., 3714., 3734., or 6111. of the Revised Code, or a rule adopted under any of them, in connection with a violation of rules adopted under division (F) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code.

As used in this division, “actual construction of the source” means the initiation of physical on-site construction activities in connection with improvements to the source that are permanent in nature, including, without limitation, the installation of building supports and foundations and the laying of underground pipework.

(K) Fifty cents per ton of each fee assessed under division (C) of this section on actual emissions from a source and received by the environmental protection agency pursuant to that division shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the small business assistance fund created in section 3706.19 of the Revised Code. The remainder of the moneys received by the division pursuant to that division and moneys received by the agency pursuant to divisions (D), (F), (G), (H), (I), and (J) of this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the clean air fund created in section 3704.035 of the Revised Code.

(L)(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (L)(1)(b) or (c) of this section, a person issued a water discharge permit or renewal of a water discharge permit pursuant to Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code shall pay a fee based on each point source to which the issuance is applicable in accordance with the following schedule:

Design flow discharge (gallons per day) Fee

0 to 1000 $ 0

1,001 to 5000 100

5,001 to 50,000 200

50,001 to 100,000 300

100,001 to 300,000 525

over 300,000 750

(b) Notwithstanding the fee schedule specified in division (L)(1)(a) of this section, the fee for a water discharge permit that is applicable to coal mining operations regulated under Chapter 1513. of the Revised Code shall be two hundred fifty dollars per mine.

(c) Notwithstanding the fee schedule specified in division (L)(1)(a) of this section, the fee for a water discharge permit for a public discharger identified by I in the third character of the permittee’s NPDES permit number shall not exceed seven hundred fifty dollars.

(2) A person applying for a plan approval for a wastewater treatment works pursuant to section 6111.44, 6111.45, or 6111.46 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars plus sixty-five one-hundredths of one per cent of the estimated project cost through June 30, 2010, and one hundred dollars plus two-tenths of one per cent of the estimated project cost on and after July 1, 2010, except that the total fee shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars through June 30, 2010, and five thousand dollars on and after July 1, 2010. The fee shall be paid at the time the application is submitted.

(3) A person issued a modification of a water discharge permit shall pay a fee equal to one-half the fee that otherwise would be charged for a water discharge permit, except that the fee for the modification shall not exceed four hundred dollars.

(4) A person who has entered into an agreement with the director under section 6111.14 of the Revised Code shall pay an administrative service fee for each plan submitted under that section for approval that shall not exceed the minimum amount necessary to pay administrative costs directly attributable to processing plan approvals. The director annually shall calculate the fee and shall notify all persons who have entered into agreements under that section, or who have applied for agreements, of the amount of the fee.

(5)(a)(i) Not later than January 30, 2008, and January 30, 2009, a person holding an NPDES discharge permit issued pursuant to Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code with an average daily discharge flow of five thousand gallons or more shall pay a nonrefundable annual discharge fee. Any person who fails to pay the fee at that time shall pay an additional amount that equals ten per cent of the required annual discharge fee.

(ii) The billing year for the annual discharge fee established in division (L)(5)(a)(i) of this section shall consist of a twelve-month period beginning on the first day of January of the year preceding the date when the annual discharge fee is due. In the case of an existing source that permanently ceases to discharge during a billing year, the director shall reduce the annual discharge fee, including the surcharge applicable to certain industrial facilities pursuant to division (L)(5)(c) of this section, by one-twelfth for each full month during the billing year that the source was not discharging, but only if the person holding the NPDES discharge permit for the source notifies the director in writing, not later than the first day of October of the billing year, of the circumstances causing the cessation of discharge.

(iii) The annual discharge fee established in division (L)(5)(a)(i) of this section, except for the surcharge applicable to certain industrial facilities pursuant to division (L)(5)(c) of this section, shall be based upon the average daily discharge flow in gallons per day calculated using first day of May through thirty-first day of October flow data for the period two years prior to the date on which the fee is due. In the case of NPDES discharge permits for new sources, the fee shall be calculated using the average daily design flow of the facility until actual average daily discharge flow values are available for the time period specified in division (L)(5)(a)(iii) of this section. The annual discharge fee may be prorated for a new source as described in division (L)(5)(a)(ii) of this section.

(b) An NPDES permit holder that is a public discharger shall pay the fee specified in the following schedule:

Average daily discharge flow Fee due by January 30, 2008, and January 30, 2009

5,000 to 49,999 $ 200

50,000 to 100,000 500

100,001 to 250,000 1,050

250,001 to 1,000,000 2,600

1,000,001 to 5,000,000 5,200

5,000,001 to 10,000,000 10,350

10,000,001 to 20,000,000 15,550

20,000,001 to 50,000,000 25,900

50,000,001 to 100,000,000 41,400

100,000,001 or more 62,100

Public dischargers owning or operating two or more publicly owned treatment works serving the same political subdivision, as “treatment works” is defined in section 6111.01 of the Revised Code, and that serve exclusively political subdivisions having a population of fewer than one hundred thousand shall pay an annual discharge fee under division (L)(5)(b) of this section that is based on the combined average daily discharge flow of the treatment works.

(c) An NPDES permit holder that is an industrial discharger, other than a coal mining operator identified by P in the third character of the permittee’s NPDES permit number, shall pay the fee specified in the following schedule:

Average daily discharge flow Fee due by January 30, 2008, and January 30, 2009

5,000 to 49,999 $ 250

50,000 to 250,000 1,200

250,001 to 1,000,000 2,950

1,000,001 to 5,000,000 5,850

5,000,001 to 10,000,000 8,800

10,000,001 to 20,000,000 11,700

20,000,001 to 100,000,000 14,050

100,000,001 to 250,000,000 16,400

250,000,001 or more 18,700

In addition to the fee specified in the above schedule, an NPDES permit holder that is an industrial discharger classified as a major discharger during all or part of the annual discharge fee billing year specified in division (L)(5)(a)(ii) of this section shall pay a nonrefundable annual surcharge of seven thousand five hundred dollars not later than January 30, 2008, and not later than January 30, 2009. Any person who fails to pay the surcharge at that time shall pay an additional amount that equals ten per cent of the amount of the surcharge.

(d) Notwithstanding divisions (L)(5)(b) and (c) of this section, a public discharger identified by I in the third character of the permittee’s NPDES permit number and an industrial discharger identified by I, J, L, V, W, X, Y, or Z in the third character of the permittee’s NPDES permit number shall pay a nonrefundable annual discharge fee of one hundred eighty dollars not later than January 30, 2008, and not later than January 30, 2009. Any person who fails to pay the fee at that time shall pay an additional amount that equals ten per cent of the required fee.

(6) Each person obtaining a national pollutant discharge elimination system general or individual permit for municipal storm water discharge shall pay a nonrefundable storm water discharge fee of one hundred dollars per square mile of area permitted. The fee shall not exceed ten thousand dollars and shall be payable on or before January 30, 2004, and the thirtieth day of January of each year thereafter. Any person who fails to pay the fee on the date specified in division (L)(6) of this section shall pay an additional amount per year equal to ten per cent of the annual fee that is unpaid.

(7) The director shall transmit all moneys collected under division (L) of this section to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the surface water protection fund created in section 6111.038 of the Revised Code.

(8) As used in division (L) of this section:

(a) “NPDES” means the federally approved national pollutant discharge elimination system program for issuing, modifying, revoking, reissuing, terminating, monitoring, and enforcing permits and imposing and enforcing pretreatment requirements under Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it.

(b) “Public discharger” means any holder of an NPDES permit identified by P in the second character of the NPDES permit number assigned by the director.

(c) “Industrial discharger” means any holder of an NPDES permit identified by I in the second character of the NPDES permit number assigned by the director.

(d) “Major discharger” means any holder of an NPDES permit classified as major by the regional administrator of the United States environmental protection agency in conjunction with the director.

(M) Through June 30, 2010, a person applying for a license or license renewal to operate a public water system under section 6109.21 of the Revised Code shall pay the appropriate fee established under this division at the time of application to the director. Any person who fails to pay the fee at that time shall pay an additional amount that equals ten per cent of the required fee. The director shall transmit all moneys collected under this division to the treasurer of state for deposit into the drinking water protection fund created in section 6109.30 of the Revised Code.

Except as provided in division (M)(4) of this section, fees required under this division shall be calculated and paid in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) For the initial license required under division (A)(1) of section 6109.21 of the Revised Code for any public water system that is a community water system as defined in section 6109.01 of the Revised Code, and for each license renewal required for such a system prior to January 31, 2010, the fee is:

Number of service connections Fee amount

Not more than 49 $ 112

50 to 99 176

Number of service connections Average cost per connection

100 to 2,499 $ 1.92

2,500 to 4,999 1.48

5,000 to 7,499 1.42

7,500 to 9,999 1.34

10,000 to 14,999 1.16

15,000 to 24,999 1.10

25,000 to 49,999 1.04

50,000 to 99,999 .92

100,000 to 149,999 .86

150,000 to 199,999 .80

200,000 or more .76

A public water system may determine how it will pay the total amount of the fee calculated under division (M)(1) of this section, including the assessment of additional user fees that may be assessed on a volumetric basis.

As used in division (M)(1) of this section, “service connection” means the number of active or inactive pipes, goosenecks, pigtails, and any other fittings connecting a water main to any building outlet.

(2) For the initial license required under division (A)(2) of section 6109.21 of the Revised Code for any public water system that is not a community water system and serves a nontransient population, and for each license renewal required for such a system prior to January 31, 2010, the fee is:

Population served Fee amount

Fewer than 150 $112

150 to 299 176

300 to 749 384

750 to 1,499 628

1,500 to 2,999 1,268

3,000 to 7,499 2,816

7,500 to 14,999 5,510

15,000 to 22,499 9,048

22,500 to 29,999 12,430

30,000 or more 16,820

As used in division (M)(2) of this section, “population served” means the total number of individuals receiving water from the water supply during a twenty-four-hour period for at least sixty days during any calendar year. In the absence of a specific population count, that number shall be calculated at the rate of three individuals per service connection.

(3) For the initial license required under division (A)(3) of section 6109.21 of the Revised Code for any public water system that is not a community water system and serves a transient population, and for each license renewal required for such a system prior to January 31, 2010, the fee is:

Number of wells supplying system Fee amount

1 $112

2 112

3 176

4 278

5 568

System designated as using a surface water source 792

As used in division (M)(3) of this section, “number of wells supplying system” means those wells that are physically connected to the plumbing system serving the public water system.

(4) A public water system designated as using a surface water source shall pay a fee of seven hundred ninety-two dollars or the amount calculated under division (M)(1) or (2) of this section, whichever is greater.

(N)(1) A person applying for a plan approval for a public water supply system under section 6109.07 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of one hundred fifty dollars plus thirty-five hundredths of one per cent of the estimated project cost, except that the total fee shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars through June 30, 2010, and fifteen thousand dollars on and after July 1, 2010. The fee shall be paid at the time the application is submitted.

(2) A person who has entered into an agreement with the director under division (A)(2) of section 6109.07 of the Revised Code shall pay an administrative service fee for each plan submitted under that section for approval that shall not exceed the minimum amount necessary to pay administrative costs directly attributable to processing plan approvals. The director annually shall calculate the fee and shall notify all persons that have entered into agreements under that division, or who have applied for agreements, of the amount of the fee.

(3) Through June 30, 2010, the following fee, on a per survey basis, shall be charged any person for services rendered by the state in the evaluation of laboratories and laboratory personnel for compliance with accepted analytical techniques and procedures established pursuant to Chapter 6109. of the Revised Code for determining the qualitative characteristics of water:

microbiological

MMO-MUG $2,000

MF 2,100

MMO-MUG and MF 2,550

organic chemical 5,400

trace metals 5,400

standard chemistry 2,800

limited chemistry 1,550

On and after July 1, 2010, the following fee, on a per survey basis, shall be charged any such person:

microbiological $ 1,650

organic chemicals 3,500

trace metals 3,500

standard chemistry 1,800

limited chemistry 1,000

The fee for those services shall be paid at the time the request for the survey is made. Through June 30, 010, an individual laboratory shall not be assessed a fee under this division more than once in any three-year period unless the person requests the addition of analytical methods or analysts, in which case the person shall pay eighteen hundred dollars for each additional survey requested.

As used in division (N)(3) of this section:

(a) “MF” means microfiltration.

(b) “MMO” means minimal medium ONPG.

(c) “MUG” means 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide.

(d) “ONPG” means o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside.

The director shall transmit all moneys collected under this division to the treasurer of state for deposit into the drinking water protection fund created in section 6109.30 of the Revised Code.

(O) Any person applying to the director for examination for certification as an operator of a water supply system or wastewater system under Chapter 6109. or 6111. of the Revised Code, at the time the application is submitted, shall pay an application fee of forty-five dollars through November 30, 2010, and twenty-five dollars on and after December 1, 2010. Upon approval from the director that the applicant is eligible to take the examination therefor, the applicant shall pay a fee in accordance with the following schedule through November 30, 2010:

Class A operator $35

Class I operator 60

Class II operator 75

Class III operator 85

Class IV operator 100

On and after December 1, 2010, the applicant shall pay a fee in accordance with the following schedule:

Class A operator $25

Class I operator $45

Class II operator 55

Class III operator 65

Class IV operator 75

A person shall pay a biennial certification renewal fee for each applicable class of certification in accordance with the following schedule:

Class A operator $25

Class I operator 35

Class II operator 45

Class III operator 55

Class IV operator 65

If a certification renewal fee is received by the director more than thirty days, but not more than one year after the expiration date of the certification, the person shall pay a certification renewal fee in accordance with the following schedule:

Class A operator $45

Class I operator 55

Class II operator 65

Class III operator 75

Class IV operator 85

A person who requests a replacement certificate shall pay a fee of twenty-five dollars at the time the request is made.

The director shall transmit all moneys collected under this division to the treasurer of state for deposit into the drinking water protection fund created in section 6109.30 of the Revised Code.

(P) Any person submitting an application for an industrial water pollution control certificate under section 6111.31 of the Revised Code, as that section existed before its repeal by H.B. 95 of the 125th general assembly, shall pay a nonrefundable fee of five hundred dollars at the time the application is submitted. The director shall transmit all moneys collected under this division to the treasurer of state for deposit into the surface water protection fund created in section 6111.038 of the Revised Code. A person paying a certificate fee under this division shall not pay an application fee under division (S)(1) of this section. On and after June 26, 2003, persons shall file such applications and pay the fee as required under sections 5709.20 to 5709.27 of the Revised Code, and proceeds from the fee shall be credited as provided in section 5709.212 of the Revised Code.

(Q) Except as otherwise provided in division (R) of this section, a person issued a permit by the director for a new solid waste disposal facility other than an incineration or composting facility, a new infectious waste treatment facility other than an incineration facility, or a modification of such an existing facility that includes an increase in the total disposal or treatment capacity of the facility pursuant to Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of ten dollars per thousand cubic yards of disposal or treatment capacity, or one thousand dollars, whichever is greater, except that the total fee for any such permit shall not exceed eighty thousand dollars. A person issued a modification of a permit for a solid waste disposal facility or an infectious waste treatment facility that does not involve an increase in the total disposal or treatment capacity of the facility shall pay a fee of one thousand dollars. A person issued a permit to install a new, or modify an existing, solid waste transfer facility under that chapter shall pay a fee of two thousand five hundred dollars. A person issued a permit to install a new or to modify an existing solid waste incineration or composting facility, or an existing infectious waste treatment facility using incineration as its principal method of treatment, under that chapter shall pay a fee of one thousand dollars. The increases in the permit fees under this division resulting from the amendments made by Amended Substitute House Bill 592 of the 117th general assembly do not apply to any person who submitted an application for a permit to install a new, or modify an existing, solid waste disposal facility under that chapter prior to September 1, 1987; any such person shall pay the permit fee established in this division as it existed prior to June 24, 1988. In addition to the applicable permit fee under this division, a person issued a permit to install or modify a solid waste facility or an infectious waste treatment facility under that chapter who fails to pay the permit fee to the director in compliance with division (V) of this section shall pay an additional ten per cent of the amount of the fee for each week that the permit fee is late.

Permit and late payment fees paid to the director under this division shall be credited to the general revenue fund.

(R)(1) A person issued a registration certificate for a scrap tire collection facility under section 3734.75 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of two hundred dollars, except that if the facility is owned or operated by a motor vehicle salvage dealer licensed under Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code, the person shall pay a fee of twenty-five dollars.

(2) A person issued a registration certificate for a new scrap tire storage facility under section 3734.76 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of three hundred dollars, except that if the facility is owned or operated by a motor vehicle salvage dealer licensed under Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code, the person shall pay a fee of twenty-five dollars.

(3) A person issued a permit for a scrap tire storage facility under section 3734.76 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of one thousand dollars, except that if the facility is owned or operated by a motor vehicle salvage dealer licensed under Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code, the person shall pay a fee of fifty dollars.

(4) A person issued a permit for a scrap tire monocell or monofill facility under section 3734.77 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of ten dollars per thousand cubic yards of disposal capacity or one thousand dollars, whichever is greater, except that the total fee for any such permit shall not exceed eighty thousand dollars.

(5) A person issued a registration certificate for a scrap tire recovery facility under section 3734.78 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars.

(6) A person issued a permit for a scrap tire recovery facility under section 3734.78 of the Revised Code shall pay a fee of one thousand dollars.

(7) In addition to the applicable registration certificate or permit fee under divisions (R)(1) to (6) of this section, a person issued a registration certificate or permit for any such scrap tire facility who fails to pay the registration certificate or permit fee to the director in compliance with division (V) of this section shall pay an additional ten per cent of the amount of the fee for each week that the fee is late.

(8) The registration certificate, permit, and late payment fees paid to the director under divisions (R)(1) to (7) of this section shall be credited to the scrap tire management fund created in section 3734.82 of the Revised Code.

(S)(1) Except as provided by divisions (L), (M), (N), (O), (P), and (S)(2) of this section, division (A)(2) of section 3734.05 of the Revised Code, section 3734.79 of the Revised Code, and rules adopted under division (T)(1) of this section, any person applying for a registration certificate under section 3734.75, 3734.76, or 3734.78 of the Revised Code or a permit, variance, or plan approval under Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code shall pay a nonrefundable fee of fifteen dollars at the time the application is submitted.

Except as otherwise provided, any person applying for a permit, variance, or plan approval under Chapter 6109. or 6111. of the Revised Code shall pay a nonrefundable fee of one hundred dollars at the time the application is submitted through June 30, 2010, and a nonrefundable fee of fifteen dollars at the time the application is submitted on and after July 1, 2010. Through June 30, 2010, any person applying for a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit under Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code shall pay a nonrefundable fee of two hundred dollars at the time of application for the permit. On and after July 1, 2010, such a person shall pay a nonrefundable fee of fifteen dollars at the time of application.

In addition to the application fee established under division (S)(1) of this section, any person applying for a national pollutant discharge elimination system general storm water construction permit shall pay a nonrefundable fee of twenty dollars per acre for each acre that is permitted above five acres at the time the application is submitted. However, the per acreage fee shall not exceed three hundred dollars. In addition, any person applying for a national pollutant discharge elimination system general storm water industrial permit shall pay a nonrefundable fee of one hundred fifty dollars at the time the application is submitted.

The director shall transmit all moneys collected under division (S)(1) of this section pursuant to Chapter 6109. of the Revised Code to the treasurer of state for deposit into the drinking water protection fund created in section 6109.30 of the Revised Code.

The director shall transmit all moneys collected under division (S)(1) of this section pursuant to Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code to the treasurer of state for deposit into the surface water protection fund created in section 6111.038 of the Revised Code.

If a registration certificate is issued under section 3734.75, 3734.76, or 3734.78 of the Revised Code, the amount of the application fee paid shall be deducted from the amount of the registration certificate fee due under division (R)(1), (2), or (5) of this section, as applicable.

If a person submits an electronic application for a registration certificate, permit, variance, or plan approval for which an application fee is established under division (S)(1) of this section, the person shall pay the applicable application fee as expeditiously as possible after the submission of the electronic application. An application for a registration certificate, permit, variance, or plan approval for which an application fee is established under division (S)(1) of this section shall not be reviewed or processed until the applicable application fee, and any other fees established under this division, are paid.

(2) Division (S)(1) of this section does not apply to an application for a registration certificate for a scrap tire collection or storage facility submitted under section 3734.75 or 3734.76 of the Revised Code, as applicable, if the owner or operator of the facility or proposed facility is a motor vehicle salvage dealer licensed under Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code.

(T) The director may adopt, amend, and rescind rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that do all of the following:

(1) Prescribe fees to be paid by applicants for and holders of any license, permit, variance, plan approval, or certification required or authorized by Chapter 3704., 3734., 6109., or 6111. of the Revised Code that are not specifically established in this section. The fees shall be designed to defray the cost of processing, issuing, revoking, modifying, denying, and enforcing the licenses, permits, variances, plan approvals, and certifications.

The director shall transmit all moneys collected under rules adopted under division (T)(1) of this section pursuant to Chapter 6109. of the Revised Code to the treasurer of state for deposit into the drinking water protection fund created in section 6109.30 of the Revised Code.

The director shall transmit all moneys collected under rules adopted under division (T)(1) of this section pursuant to Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code to the treasurer of state for deposit into the surface water protection fund created in section 6111.038 of the Revised Code.

(2) Exempt the state and political subdivisions thereof, including education facilities or medical facilities owned by the state or a political subdivision, or any person exempted from taxation by section 5709.07 or 5709.12 of the Revised Code, from any fee required by this section;

(3) Provide for the waiver of any fee, or any part thereof, otherwise required by this section whenever the director determines that the imposition of the fee would constitute an unreasonable cost of doing business for any applicant, class of applicants, or other person subject to the fee;

(4) Prescribe measures that the director considers necessary to carry out this section.

(U) When the director reasonably demonstrates that the direct cost to the state associated with the issuance of a permit to install, license, variance, plan approval, or certification exceeds the fee for the issuance or review specified by this section, the director may condition the issuance or review on the payment by the person receiving the issuance or review of, in addition to the fee specified by this section, the amount, or any portion thereof, in excess of the fee specified under this section. The director shall not so condition issuances for which fees are prescribed in divisions (B)(7) and (L)(1)(b) of this section.

(V) Except as provided in divisions (L), (M), and (P) of this section or unless otherwise prescribed by a rule of the director adopted pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, all fees required by this section are payable within thirty days after the issuance of an invoice for the fee by the director or the effective date of the issuance of the license, permit, variance, plan approval, or certification. If payment is late, the person responsible for payment of the fee shall pay an additional ten per cent of the amount due for each month that it is late.

(W) As used in this section, “fuel-burning equipment,” “fuel-burning equipment input capacity,” “incinerator,” “incinerator input capacity,” “process,” “process weight rate,” “storage tank,” “gasoline dispensing facility,” “dry cleaning facility,” “design flow discharge,” and “new source treatment works” have the meanings ascribed to those terms by applicable rules or standards adopted by the director under Chapter 3704. or 6111. of the Revised Code.

(X) As used in divisions (B), (C), (D), (E), (F), (H), (I), and (J) of this section, and in any other provision of this section pertaining to fees paid pursuant to Chapter 3704. of the Revised Code:

(1) “Facility,” “federal Clean Air Act,” “person,” and “Title V permit” have the same meanings as in section 3704.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) “Title V permit program” means the following activities as necessary to meet the requirements of Title V of the federal Clean Air Act and 40 C.F.R. part 70, including at least:

(a) Preparing and adopting, if applicable, generally applicable rules or guidance regarding the permit program or its implementation or enforcement;

(b) Reviewing and acting on any application for a Title V permit, permit revision, or permit renewal, including the development of an applicable requirement as part of the processing of a permit, permit revision, or permit renewal;

(c) Administering the permit program, including the supporting and tracking of permit applications, compliance certification, and related data entry;

(d) Determining which sources are subject to the program and implementing and enforcing the terms of any Title V permit, not including any court actions or other formal enforcement actions;

(e) Emission and ambient monitoring;

(f) Modeling, analyses, or demonstrations;

(g) Preparing inventories and tracking emissions;

(h) Providing direct and indirect support to small business stationary sources to determine and meet their obligations under the federal Clean Air Act pursuant to the small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance assistance program required by section 507 of that act and established in sections 3704.18, 3704.19, and 3706.19 of the Revised Code.

(Y)(1) Except as provided in divisions (Y)(2), (3), and (4) of this section, each sewage sludge facility shall pay a nonrefundable annual sludge fee equal to three dollars and fifty cents per dry ton of sewage sludge, including the dry tons of sewage sludge in materials derived from sewage sludge, that the sewage sludge facility treats or disposes of in this state. The annual volume of sewage sludge treated or disposed of by a sewage sludge facility shall be calculated using the first day of January through the thirty-first day of December of the calendar year preceding the date on which payment of the fee is due.

(2)(a) Except as provided in division (Y)(2)(d) of this section, each sewage sludge facility shall pay a minimum annual sewage sludge fee of one hundred dollars.

(b) The annual sludge fee required to be paid by a sewage sludge facility that treats or disposes of exceptional quality sludge in this state shall be thirty-five per cent less per dry ton of exceptional quality sludge than the fee assessed under division (Y)(1) of this section, subject to the following exceptions:

(i) Except as provided in division (Y)(2)(d) of this section, a sewage sludge facility that treats or disposes of exceptional quality sludge shall pay a minimum annual sewage sludge fee of one hundred dollars.

(ii) A sewage sludge facility that treats or disposes of exceptional quality sludge shall not be required to pay the annual sludge fee for treatment or disposal in this state of exceptional quality sludge generated outside of this state and contained in bags or other containers not greater than one hundred pounds in capacity.

A thirty-five per cent reduction for exceptional quality sludge applies to the maximum annual fees established under division (Y)(3) of this section.

(c) A sewage sludge facility that transfers sewage sludge to another sewage sludge facility in this state for further treatment prior to disposal in this state shall not be required to pay the annual sludge fee for the tons of sewage sludge that have been transferred. In such a case, the sewage sludge facility that disposes of the sewage sludge shall pay the annual sludge fee. However, the facility transferring the sewage sludge shall pay the one-hundred-dollar minimum fee required under division (Y)(2)(a) of this section.

In the case of a sewage sludge facility that treats sewage sludge in this state and transfers it out of this state to another entity for disposal, the sewage sludge facility in this state shall be required to pay the annual sludge fee for the tons of sewage sludge that have been transferred.

(d) A sewage sludge facility that generates sewage sludge resulting from an average daily discharge flow of less than five thousand gallons per day is not subject to the fees assessed under division (Y) of this section.

(3) No sewage sludge facility required to pay the annual sludge fee shall be required to pay more than the maximum annual fee for each disposal method that the sewage sludge facility uses. The maximum annual fee does not include the additional amount that may be charged under division (Y)(5) of this section for late payment of the annual sludge fee. The maximum annual fee for the following methods of disposal of sewage sludge is as follows:

(a) Incineration: five thousand dollars;

(b) Preexisting land reclamation project or disposal in a landfill: five thousand dollars;

(c) Land application, land reclamation, surface disposal, or any other disposal method not specified in division (Y)(3)(a) or (b) of this section: twenty thousand dollars.

(4)(a) In the case of an entity that generates sewage sludge or a sewage sludge facility that treats sewage sludge and transfers the sewage sludge to an incineration facility for disposal, the incineration facility, and not the entity generating the sewage sludge or the sewage sludge facility treating the sewage sludge, shall pay the annual sludge fee for the tons of sewage sludge that are transferred. However, the entity or facility generating or treating the sewage sludge shall pay the one-hundred-dollar minimum fee required under division (Y)(2)(a) of this section.

(b) In the case of an entity that generates sewage sludge and transfers the sewage sludge to a landfill for disposal or to a sewage sludge facility for land reclamation or surface disposal, the entity generating the sewage sludge, and not the landfill or sewage sludge facility, shall pay the annual sludge fee for the tons of sewage sludge that are transferred.

(5) Not later than the first day of April of the calendar year following March 17, 2000, and each first day of April thereafter, the director shall issue invoices to persons who are required to pay the annual sludge fee. The invoice shall identify the nature and amount of the annual sludge fee assessed and state the first day of May as the deadline for receipt by the director of objections regarding the amount of the fee and the first day of July as the deadline for payment of the fee.

Not later than the first day of May following receipt of an invoice, a person required to pay the annual sludge fee may submit objections to the director concerning the accuracy of information regarding the number of dry tons of sewage sludge used to calculate the amount of the annual sludge fee or regarding whether the sewage sludge qualifies for the exceptional quality sludge discount established in division (Y)(2)(b) of this section. The director may consider the objections and adjust the amount of the fee to ensure that it is accurate.

If the director does not adjust the amount of the annual sludge fee in response to a person’s objections, the person may appeal the director’s determination in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Not later than the first day of June, the director shall notify the objecting person regarding whether the director has found the objections to be valid and the reasons for the finding. If the director finds the objections to be valid and adjusts the amount of the annual sludge fee accordingly, the director shall issue with the notification a new invoice to the person identifying the amount of the annual sludge fee assessed and stating the first day of July as the deadline for payment.

Not later than the first day of July, any person who is required to do so shall pay the annual sludge fee. Any person who is required to pay the fee, but who fails to do so on or before that date shall pay an additional amount that equals ten per cent of the required annual sludge fee.

(6) The director shall transmit all moneys collected under division (Y) of this section to the treasurer of state for deposit into the surface water protection fund created in section 6111.038 of the Revised Code. The moneys shall be used to defray the costs of administering and enforcing provisions in Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it that govern the use, storage, treatment, or disposal of sewage sludge.

(7) Beginning in fiscal year 2001, and every two years thereafter, the director shall review the total amount of moneys generated by the annual sludge fees to determine if that amount exceeded six hundred thousand dollars in either of the two preceding fiscal years. If the total amount of moneys in the fund exceeded six hundred thousand dollars in either fiscal year, the director, after review of the fee structure and consultation with affected persons, shall issue an order reducing the amount of the fees levied under division (Y) of this section so that the estimated amount of moneys resulting from the fees will not exceed six hundred thousand dollars in any fiscal year.

If, upon review of the fees under division (Y)(7) of this section and after the fees have been reduced, the director determines that the total amount of moneys collected and accumulated is less than six hundred thousand dollars, the director, after review of the fee structure and consultation with affected persons, may issue an order increasing the amount of the fees levied under division (Y) of this section so that the estimated amount of moneys resulting from the fees will be approximately six hundred thousand dollars. Fees shall never be increased to an amount exceeding the amount specified in division (Y)(7) of this section.

Notwithstanding section 119.06 of the Revised Code, the director may issue an order under division (Y)(7) of this section without the necessity to hold an adjudicatory hearing in connection with the order. The issuance of an order under this division is not an act or action for purposes of section 3745.04 of the Revised Code.

(8) As used in division (Y) of this section:

(a) “Sewage sludge facility” means an entity that performs treatment on or is responsible for the disposal of sewage sludge.

(b) “Sewage sludge” means a solid, semi-solid, or liquid residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works as defined in section 6111.01 of the Revised Code. “Sewage sludge” includes, but is not limited to, scum or solids removed in primary, secondary, or advanced wastewater treatment processes. “Sewage sludge” does not include ash generated during the firing of sewage sludge in a sewage sludge incinerator, grit and screenings generated during preliminary treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works, animal manure, residue generated during treatment of animal manure, or domestic septage.

(c) “Exceptional quality sludge” means sewage sludge that meets all of the following qualifications:

(i) Satisfies the class A pathogen standards in 40 C.F.R. 503.32(a);

(ii) Satisfies one of the vector attraction reduction requirements in 40 C.F.R. 503.33(b)(1) to (b)(8);

(iii) Does not exceed the ceiling concentration limitations for metals listed in table one of 40 C.F.R. 503.13;

(iv) Does not exceed the concentration limitations for metals listed in table three of 40 C.F.R. 503.13.

(d) “Treatment” means the preparation of sewage sludge for final use or disposal and includes, but is not limited to, thickening, stabilization, and dewatering of sewage sludge.

(e) “Disposal” means the final use of sewage sludge, including, but not limited to, land application, land reclamation, surface disposal, or disposal in a landfill or an incinerator.

(f) “Land application” means the spraying or spreading of sewage sludge onto the land surface, the injection of sewage sludge below the land surface, or the incorporation of sewage sludge into the soil for the purposes of conditioning the soil or fertilizing crops or vegetation grown in the soil.

(g) “Land reclamation” means the returning of disturbed land to productive use.

(h) “Surface disposal” means the placement of sludge on an area of land for disposal, including, but not limited to, monofills, surface impoundments, lagoons, waste piles, or dedicated disposal sites.

(i) “Incinerator” means an entity that disposes of sewage sludge through the combustion of organic matter and inorganic matter in sewage sludge by high temperatures in an enclosed device.

(j) “Incineration facility” includes all incinerators owned or operated by the same entity and located on a contiguous tract of land. Areas of land are considered to be contiguous even if they are separated by a public road or highway.

(k) “Annual sludge fee” means the fee assessed under division (Y)(1) of this section.

(l) “Landfill” means a sanitary landfill facility, as defined in rules adopted under section 3734.02 of the Revised Code, that is licensed under section 3734.05 of the Revised Code.

(m) “Preexisting land reclamation project” means a property-specific land reclamation project that has been in continuous operation for not less than five years pursuant to approval of the activity by the director and includes the implementation of a community outreach program concerning the activity.

Effective Date: 06-26-2003; 06-30-2005; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007

(A) For the purpose of defraying the costs of administering and enforcing the laws of this state relating to the prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution and rules adopted and terms and conditions of permits, variances, and orders issued under those laws, other than the costs of administering and enforcing programs and requirements pertaining to motor vehicle inspection and maintenance, there is hereby levied in fiscal years 1993 and 1994 a fee of eight dollars per ton on the emission of each of the following air contaminants from stationary sources that have allowable annual emissions of the air contaminant of twenty-five tons or more per year:

(1) Particulates, excluding those from roadways, parking areas, and storage piles;

(2) Sulfur dioxide;

(3) Nitrogen oxides;

(4) Organic compounds.

(B) The director shall determine an air contaminant source’s allowable annual emissions of an air contaminant listed in divisions (A)(1) to (4) of this section based upon both of the following:

(1) The maximum hourly allowable emission limitation for the air contaminant as calculated on the basis of the emission limitation that is applicable to the source, and the source’s maximum hourly operating rate, pursuant to rules adopted under division (E) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code, as a term or condition of the permit issued for the source pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) or (G) of section 3704.02 of the Revised Code, or as a term or condition of a variance issued for the source pursuant to rules adopted under division (H) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code. If a source is operating under a permit to operate issued pursuant to rules adopted under division (G) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code that contains an emission limitation different from the amount established pursuant to rules adopted under division (E) of that section, the emission limitation specified in the permit shall be used in determining the maximum hourly emission limitation used in the calculation of the applicable amount of the fee.

(2) The source’s normal annual operating hours as that information was reported to the director by the person responsible for the source in the application for a permit or variance most recently submitted to the director pursuant to rules adopted under division (F), (G), or (H) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code.

(C) The person responsible for an air contaminant source subject to the fee levied by division (A) of this section shall remit the fee due in connection with the source to the director in installments in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) One-half of the fee applicable to fiscal year 1993 within thirty days after receipt of the invoice for that amount sent under division (D)(1) of this section;

(2) One-half of the fee applicable to fiscal year 1993 by May 1, 1993;

(3) One-half of the fee applicable to fiscal year 1994 by October 1, 1993;

(4) One-half of the fee applicable to fiscal year 1994 by February 1, 1994.

If payment is late, the person responsible for the air contaminant source shall pay an additional ten per cent of the amount due for each month that it is late.

(D) Promptly after the effective date of this section, the director shall determine the amount of the fee levied in fiscal year 1993 that is due from the person responsible for each air contaminant source that is subject to the fee levied under division (A) of this section. The director shall determine the amount of the fee levied in fiscal year 1994 that is due from each such person by August 1, 1993. The director shall send to each such person invoices for the appropriate installments of the fee that are required to be remitted under division (C) of this section, in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) Promptly after the effective date of this section for the installment required to be remitted under division (C)(1) of this section;

(2) By April 1, 1993, for the installment required to be remitted under division (C)(2) of this section;

(3) By August 1, 1993, for the installment required to be remitted under division (C)(3) of this section;

(4) By December 1, 1993, for the installment required to be remitted under division (C)(4) of this section.

(E)(1) The fee levied by division (A) of this section does not apply to that portion of the annual emissions of an air contaminant listed in divisions (A)(1) to (4) of this section from all sources located on the premises of a facility that exceed four thousand tons of the air contaminant per year.

(2) If the person responsible for an air contaminant source demonstrates to the director that back-up fuels that the source is authorized to burn by a permit issued pursuant to rules adopted under division (F) or (G) of section 3704.03 of the Revised Code were not burned during the six-month period prior to the receipt of an invoice requesting payment of the installment of the fee levied by division (A) of this section, the fee shall not be paid for allowable emissions from the source that would have resulted from the combustion of an authorized back-up fuel during that six-month period.

(F) If the moneys collected by the director under this section in fiscal year 1993 exceed five and one-half million dollars, the director shall issue an order reducing the amount of the fee levied under division (A) of this section from eight dollars per ton to an amount calculated to reduce the estimated revenues from the fee to five and one-half million dollars in fiscal year 1994. Notwithstanding section 119.06 of the Revised Code, the director may issue an order under this division without the necessity to hold an adjudication hearing in connection with the order. The issuance of an order under this division is not an “act” or “action” for purposes of section 3745.04 of the Revised Code.

(G) The fee levied under division (A) of this section shall remain in effect during fiscal years 1993 and 1994, or until revenues begin to be collected pursuant to legislation enacted by the general assembly to implement the requirements of Title V of the “Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990,” 104 Stat. 2635, 42 U.S.C.A. 7661, whichever occurs earlier.

(H) As used in this section:

(1) “Air contaminant,” “air contaminant source,” “emission,” “emit,” and “emission limitation” have the same meanings as in section 3704.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) “Back-up fuel” means a fuel supply that a source intends to use and does use only because of an inability to use its primary fuel as its exclusive fuel.

(3) “Facility” means any building, structure, installation, operation, or combination thereof that contains one or more stationary sources of air contaminants.

(4) “Organic compound” means any chemical compound of carbon, excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides or carbonates, and ammonium carbonate.

Effective Date: 12-22-1992

During the month of August 1997, and biennially thereafter, the director of environmental protection shall enter into a contract for the performance of an independent evaluation of the Title V permit program to be conducted under the supervision of an independent certified public accountant. The evaluation shall review the finances, operations, revenues, costs, and expenditures of the Title V permit program under section 3704.036 of the Revised Code and the clean air fund created in section 3704.035 of the Revised Code. The findings of each such evaluation shall be set forth in a written report that shall include, without limitation, all of the following:

(A) A review and analysis of all expenditures from the clean air fund for the Title V permit program;

(B) A review and analysis of all costs incurred by the environmental protection agency designated by the director to be costs of the Title V permit program;

(C) A review and analysis of all expenditures from the clean air fund for costs not designated by the director as costs of the Title V permit program;

(D) A review and analysis of the adequacy of the fees assessed under division (C) of section 3745.11 for meeting the costs of the Title V permit program during the period reviewed by the evaluation.

Upon completion of the written report of each evaluation required by this section, the director shall provide copies of the report to the governor and the general assembly and shall make copies of it available to the public.

The reasonable and necessary expenses for conducting an evaluation required under this section are hereby deemed to be reasonable costs to administer the Title V permit program and shall be paid from moneys credited to the clean air fund arising from the fees assessed under division (C) of section 3745.11 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 10-29-1993

(A) A person that applies for a state isolated wetland permit under Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it shall pay an application fee of two hundred dollars at the time of application.

In addition, that person shall pay, at the time of application, a review fee of five hundred dollars per acre of the wetlands to be impacted.

However, the review fee shall not exceed five thousand dollars per application. In addition, if an application is denied, the director of environmental protection shall refund to the applicant one-half of the amount of the review fee paid by the applicant under division (A) of this section.

(B) If a person conducts any activities for which an individual state isolated wetland permit is required under Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it without first obtaining such a permit, the person shall pay twice the amount of the application and review fees that the person otherwise would have been required to pay under division (A) of this