House Bill No. by Representative Brass amends several sections of the Louisiana Revised Statutes concerning the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fees. The bill introduces a new fee structure that allows the DEQ to set fees through rules and regulations, with adjustments based on factors like the Consumer Price Index. It repeals existing provisions related to fee schedules and establishes new guidelines for the certification of commercial laboratories and processing requests for environmental conditions and permits. Additionally, the bill mandates that fees collected be deposited into the Environmental Trust Dedicated Fund Account unless otherwise specified.

The bill also introduces provisions for emergency processing fees and late fees, which are capped at one and a half times the regular fees and fifteen percent of the original fee amount, respectively. It emphasizes that failure to pay prescribed fees within ninety days will lead to violations under the Louisiana Environmental Quality Act. Furthermore, the bill modifies the notification fees for lead abatement projects, shifting to a project-based assessment, and allows the department to establish a formula for various fees related to examination, training, and certification. By repealing certain maximum and minimum fee requirements, the bill grants the DEQ greater flexibility in setting fees, ultimately aiming to streamline the fee structure and enhance the department's operational efficiency in environmental regulation.

Statutes affected:
HB758 Original: 30:2011(A)(1), 30:2014(B), 30:2063(J), 30:2195(B), 30:3(B), 30:1(D), 30:59(B), 37:3154(10), 30:2014(D)(4), 30:2044(C)