This report evaluates the implementation of permit fee programs at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as required by § 10.1-1322, 10.1-1402.1 and 62.1-44.15:6 of the Code of Virginia. These sections require that, on January 1 of every even-numbered year, a report evaluating the implementation of the air, water and waste permit fee programs be provided to the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Finance; and the House Committees on Appropriations, Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources, and Finance. This evaluation must include “a report on the total fees collected, the amount of general funds allocated to the Department, the Department's use of the fees and the general funds, the number of permit applications received, the number of permits issued, the progress in eliminating permit backlogs, and the timeliness of permit processing."

In addition to the requirements identified above, § 62.1-44.15:6 specifies that for the water permit program, the report must include the following: (1) the total costs, both direct and indirect, including the costs of overhead, water quality planning, water quality assessment, operations coordination, and surface water and ground water investigations, (2) the total fees collected by permit category, (3) the amount of general funds allocated to the Board, (4) the amount of federal funds received, (5) the Board’s use of the fees, the general funds, and the federal funds, (6) the number of permit applications received by category, (7) the number of permits issued by category, (8) the progress in eliminating permit backlogs, (9) the timeliness of permit processing, and (10) the direct and indirect costs to neighboring states of administering their water permit programs, including what activities each state categorizes as direct and indirect costs, and the fees charged to the permit holders and applicants.

This report focuses on activities related to the Department’s permit fee programs in FY 2021.