Proposed changes to state’s water quality permit fees provide options for businesses, update costs

OLYMPIA  – 

The Washington Department of Ecology is proposing changes to many of the fees for the 6,500 water quality permits the agency issues statewide. Included in the proposal are changes intended to minimize permitting costs for smaller operations while still ensuring that the total amount of fees collected covers the cost of administering the permitting program that protects state water from pollution.  

"These changes better align our permit fee structure with the range of business sizes and types in Washington," said Vince McGowan, Ecology’s water quality program manager. "We want to make it more affordable for smaller operations to obtain water quality permits while ensuring that more complex permits are covering their fair share of program costs."

There are more than 60 water quality permit fee categories. The proposed changes would establish new options for smaller operations in some fee categories, so they can pay a fee that is better aligned with the cost to administer their permit. Ecology is also proposing new subcategories for large operations for some permit types, such as ore mining and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). By putting large, complex permits in separate subcategories, these changes are intended to minimize the ongoing cost of permit fees on smaller operations.

Other proposed changes include:

• Individual permits for industrial and construction stormwater are currently in the same fee category. Ecology plans to separate out the two types of permits and create fee tiers that reflect the range of operations.
• Sand and gravel operations will have a new fee category for small asphalt and concrete producers.
• Ore mining updates focus on sites that are in reclamation and no longer operating.
• CAFOs includes changes for dairy and non-dairy operations.
• Seafood processing will have new fee tiers to better represent the range of facilities.

Even though larger facilities would pay a greater share of the total program costs moving forward, the rule update would also raise permit fees for most categories. Ecology is required to charge permit fees that cover its costs, and these would be the first fee increases since 2019 for more than 20 permit categories.

Ecology is completing an environmental justice assessment for this rulemaking to consider burdens to vulnerable populations that may arise from the proposed changes. If you have information to share on concerns regarding equity or justice related to water quality permit fees, please submit those as public comments, or reach out to Faith Wimberley at faith.wimberley@ecy.wa.gov.

Provide input

Ecology updates the water quality permit fees every two years. The agency is accepting public comments on the proposed fee updates from 12 a.m. on March 27 to 11:59 p.m. on May 20, 2025.

Submit comments online, by mail, or at a public hearing:

• Comment online
• Mail to:
  Matthew Tietjen
  Department of Ecology
  Water Quality Program
  P.O. Box 47600
  Olympia, WA 98504-7600

Public hearing

Ecology will hold two virtual public hearings in May. The events will include an overview of the proposed rule and a question-and-answer period, followed by public comment.