South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 61 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Subchapter 61-30 - Environmental Protection Fees
Section 61-30.G - Schedule of Fees

Universal Citation: SC Code Regs 61-30.G

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024

(1) Water Pollution Control.

(a) Annual Fees for NPDES and State Construction Permits and State Land Application Permits.

Annual operating fees for facilities with five or less pipes must be calculated based on the previous year's actual flow except for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits and coverage under a general permit. Annual operating fees for facilities with more than five pipes must be calculated based on the number of pipes except for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits and coverage under a general permit.

(i)

Facilities with five or less discharge pipes:

1.

Flow greater than 4,999,000 gal/day

$ 2,660

2.

Flow 2,000,000 - 4,999,999 gal/day

$ 2,130

3.

Flow 1,000,000-1,999,999 gal/day

$ 1,600

4.

Flow 500,000-999,999 gal/day

$ 1,330

5.

Flow 100,000-499,999 gal/day

$ 1,065

6.

Flow 50,000-99,000 gal/day

$ 800

7.

Flow 0-49,999 gal/day

$ 530

(ii)

For six (6) or more discharge pipes

$ 1,600

plus $800/discharge for each discharge pipe over five. ($2,400 minimum charge).

(iii)

Coverage under General Permit

$ 100

(except for NPDES Storm Water General Permits)

(iv)

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems

1.

Individual Permits

a. Large MS4 (population equal to or greater than 250,000)

$ 25,000

b. Medium MS4 (population equal to or greater than 100,000 and less than 250,000)

$ 15,000

c. Small MS4 (population less than 100,000)

$ 10,000

2.

Coverage under a MS4 General Permit

$ 2,000

(v)

Agricultural Facilities. Annual Fee will be based on maximum permitted capacity.

1.

Swine Facilities

a. Facilities with a capacity of 1,000,000 pounds or more of normal production animal live weight at any one time

$ 500

b. Facilities with a capacity between 500,000 pounds and 1,000,000 pounds of normal production animal live weight at any one time

$ 300

c. Facilities with a capacity of less than 500,000 pounds of normal production animal live weight at any one time

$ 150

2.

Other Animal Operations

a. Dry Manure/Litter Operations

$ 75

b. Wet Manure/Litter Operations

$ 150

(vi)

Industrial NPDES Storm Water General Permit Coverage

$ 75

(b) Water Quality Certification Application Fees.

(i) Certification of major activities requiring federal or state permits

$ 1,000

(ii) Certification of minor activities requiring federal or state permits

$ 100

(c) Construction Permit Fees.

(i)

Pretreatment Systems

1. For simple systems, such as one-component systems (e.g. oil/water separators, air strippers, PH control, etc.)

$ 200

2. Complex (such as Multi-Component) systems

$ 600

(ii)

Collection Systems

1. Non-Delegated Program

a. 1000 ft. or less

$ 100

b. 1,001 to 9,999 ft.

$ 200

c. 10,000 ft. or greater

$ 350

d. Pump stations with or without sewer lines (Fee exempt for individual, residential pumps)

$ 350

2. Delegated Project Review Program

$ 75

(iii)

Wastewater Treatment Facilities. Fees for modifications without expansions will be assessed by he Department only for those

modifications which require the actual submission of plans and specifications to the Department for review.

1. Facilities with a Flow of 1,000,000 GPD or greater

a. New

$ 1,050

b. Expansion

$ 800

c. Modification without

Expansion (Engineering review required)

$ 550

d. Modification without Expansion (No Engineering review required)

NC

2. Facilities with a Flow of 0-999,999 GPD

a. New

$ 700

b. Expansion

$ 550

c. Modification without Expansion (Engineering review required)

$ 400 NC

d. Modification without Expansion (No Engineering review required)

(iv)

Project submittals with both collection and treatment components pay the sum of the applicable collection and treatment fees under (i), (ii), and (iii) above.

(v)

Construction NPDES Storm Water Permit

1. When the Department is the entity responsible for reviewing the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan submitted for review per disturbed acre (not to exceed $2000)

$ 125

Plus $ 100

2. When an entity other than the Department is responsible for review of the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan and the entity's approval serves as a notice of intent for coverage under the general permit.

$ 125

(d) Agricultural Waste Management Plan Application.

(i)

New or Expanding Swine Facilities

1.

Facilities with a capacity of 1,000,000 pounds or more of normal production animal live weight at any one time

$ 2,500

2.

Facilities with a capacity between 500,000 pounds and 1,000,000 pounds of normal production animal live weight at any one time

$ 680

3.

Facilities with a capacity of less than 500,000 pounds of normal production Animal live weight at any one time

$ 340

(ii)

New [FN*] or expanding Other Animal Facilities

1.

Dry Manure/Litter Operation

$ 165

2.

Wet Manure/Litter Operation

$ 240

(e)

Industrial Storm Water 'No Exposure' Certification

$ 350

[FN*] includes conversion to another type of facility, i.e. poultry to swine.

(2) DHEC: Safe Drinking Water Act.

(a) In order to comply with the provisions of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the Department is authorized to collect a fee from each public water system. The fee must be based upon the number of taps through which the system provides water to its customers. The fees collected must be returned to the department for the purposes of implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act Regulatory Program including engineering plan review, compliance inspections, and enforcement; and for providing technical assistance and monitoring and laboratory analytical services for the public water systems of the State. The fee shall be as follows:
(i) Community and Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems

Fee = Program Administration Component +" Distribution Monitoring Component +" Source Monitoring Component

Program Administration Component:

$14.38 x (# Taps Up To 10) +" $9.60 x (# Taps From 11 To 25) +" $7.76 x (# Taps From 26 To 50) +" $5.75 x (# Taps From 51 To 100) +" $3.85 x (# Taps From 101 To 500) +" $2.88 x (# Taps From 501 To 1,000) +" $1.96 x (# Taps From 1,001 To 5,000) +" $1.44 x (# Taps From 5,001 To 10,000) +" $0.92 x (# Taps From 10,001 To 15,000) +" $0.46 x (# Taps From 15,001 To 25,000) +" $0.29 x (# Taps From 25,001 To 50,000) +" $0.17 x (# Taps From 50,001 To 100,000) +" $0.12 x (# Taps Greater Than 100,000)

Distribution Monitoring Component:

$262.50 (Systems Serving Up To 100 Taps); Or,

$750.00 (Systems Serving 101 To 1,000 Taps); Or,

$3,750 (Systems Serving 1,001 To 15,000 Taps); Or,

$7,500 (Systems Serving Greater Than 15,000 Taps)

Source Monitoring Component:

[($250 x (#GW Sources)) +" ($500 x (#SW Sources))] (Up To 25 Taps); Or,

[($450 x (#GW Sources)) +" ($800 x (#SW Sources))] (From 26 To 100 Taps);

Or, [($1,250 x (#GW Sources)) +" ($1,800 x (#SW Sources))] (Greater Than 100 Taps); Or, [Maximum $7,500]

Program Administration Component of Fee (Base Amount +" Rate Per Tap)

System Size

Base Amount

Rate Per Tap

1 - 10

$ 0

$14.38

First 10 Taps

11 - 25

$ 143.80

$ 9.60

Taps 11-25

26 - 50

$ 287.80

$ 7.76

Taps 26-50

51 - 100

$ 481.80

$ 5.75

Taps 51-100

101 - 500

$ 769.30

$ 3.85

Taps 101-500

501 - 1000

$ 2,309.30

$ 2.88

Taps 501-1,000

1,001 - 5,000

$ 3,749.30

$ 1.96

Taps 1,001-5,000

5,000 - 10,000

$ 11,589.30

$ 1.44

Taps 5,001-10,000

10,001 - 15,000

$ 18,789.30

$ 0.92

Taps 10,001-15,000

15,001 - 25,000

$ 23,389.30

$ 0.46

Taps 15,001-25,000

25,001 - 50,000

$ 27,989.30

$ 0.29

Taps 25,001-50,000

50,001 - 100,000

$ 35,239.30

$ 0.17

Taps 50,001-100,000

100,001 and Above

$ 43,739.30

$ 0.12

Taps Over 100,000

Distribution and Source Monitoring Components of Fee

System Size

Distribution Monitoring

Source Monitoring

(Rate per Source)

(Number Of Taps)

(Fixed Rate)

Ground Water

Surface Water

1 - 10

$262.50

$ 250

$ 500

11 - 25

$262.50

$ 250

$ 500

26 - 50

$262.50

$ 450

$ 800

51 - 100

$262.50

$ 450

$ 800

101 - 500

$ 750

$1,250

$1,800

501 - 1000

$ 750

$1,250

$1,800

1,001 - 5,000

$ 3,750

$1,250

$1,800

5,000 - 10,000

$ 3,750

$1,250

$1,800

10,001 - 15,000

$ 3,750

$1,250

$1,800

15,001 - 25,000

$ 7,500

$1,250

$1,800

25,001 - 50,000

$ 7,500

$1,250

$1,800

50,001 - 100,000

$ 7,500

$1,250

$1,800

100,001 And Above

$ 7,500

$1,250

$1,800

(ii) Other Public Water Systems

Transient Non Community Syst

Fee = $275

Systems Serving More Than 1 Tap But Less Than 15 Taps and Serving Less Than 25 People

Fee = $175

Systems Serving 1 Tap and Serving Less Than 25 People

Fee = $125

Vending Machines

Fee = $75

(iii) For the purposes of this fee schedule, tap is defined as a service connection, the point at which water is delivered to the consumer (building, dwelling, commercial establishment, camping space, industry, etc.) from a distribution system, whether metered or not and regardless of whether there is a user charge for consumption of the water.

(iv) The Department shall submit an annual report to the Senate Finance Committee, House Ways and Means Committee, South Carolina Section American Water Works Association and the Municipal Association detailing activities funded from safe drinking water fees. The report shall include the amount of fees collected from each waterworks and the listing of expenditures from those fees. The expenditures shall be accompanied by a list of benefits the waterworks receive from the State as a result of the fees. In providing monitoring and laboratory analytical services, DHEC will consider least cost alternatives including contracting with private laboratories when appropriate. DHEC shall include all applicable direct and indirect costs in developing cost comparisons with private laboratories.

(v) Penalties. All fees remaining unpaid thirty (30) days after billing will be issued a late notice with no penalty due; however, it will contain advisement of penalty for non-payment after sixty (60) days. Fees remaining unpaid after sixty days will be assessed a ten percent (10%) penalty. Fees remaining unpaid at the end of ninety (90) days will be assessed a twenty-five percent (25%) penalty in addition to the sixty day penalty. The Department may waive any or all of the assessed penalties in extenuating circumstances. The sum of both penalties may not exceed five thousand dollars. Persons delinquent under this paragraph will be notified by the Department by certified mail at their last known address.
1. All returned checks will be subject to a returned check fee as outlined in the DHEC Administrative Policy and Procedures Manual. This penalty will be in addition to those outlined above.

2. No monitoring will be conducted on systems with fees unpaid at the end of ninety (90) days.

(b) Construction General Permit (for Distribution Systems) Annual Fee. The annual fee is $1,000.

(c) Construction Permit Application Fees

(i)

Distribution systems and related components

1. 1,000 feet or less of line

$150

2. 1,001 feet to 9,999 feet

$400

3. 10,000 feet or greater

$600

4. Distribution storage/pump stations

$600

(ii)

Supply/Treatment from Groundwater Sources

1. Well systems (test well)

$500

2. Well systems, (follow-up, including well head piping, storage

$500

3. Well systems (one step)

$1,000

4. Treatment systems (except for chemical feed systems)

$500

5. Chemical feed systems

$250

6. Small water system permits

$250

(iii)

Supply/Treatment from Surface Water Sources 1. New treatment plants

$2,000

2. Expansions of existing facilities

$1,500

3. Modifications or addition of components

$1,000

4. Plant storage, pumping and piping facilities

5. Chemical feed systems

$500 $250

(iv)

Drinking Water Dispensing Stations/Bottled Water Plants (using distribution water)

$500

(v)

General Permit (which may include Delegated Review Program Approval)

1. Application for permit (not a renewal)

$1,000

2. Delegated review permit

$75

(vi)

Permit extensions

$50

(3) Air Quality.

(a) General.
(i) The fees assessed are those fees sufficient to cover reasonable costs associated with the development, processing, and administration of the Title V air quality program. Such costs are defined as those necessary to administer the permit program, the Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program, support staff, equipment, legal services, contracts with consultants and program expenses listed in Section 502(b)(3)(a) of Title V of the 1990 amendments to the Federal Clean Air Act.

(ii) Fees collected shall be placed in a separate non-reverting account within the Department to be used exclusively for the expenses in Section G(3)(a)(i).

(iii) Except as provided in Section F of this regulation, fees are non-refundable.

(iv) Types of permits used in Table 1 below refer to the Definitions used in Regulation 61-62.1.

(v) All sources are subject to the fee schedule in paragraph (b) below. All sources subject to Title V requirements under Regulation Regulation 61-62.70 are also subject to the fee schedule in paragraph (c) below.

(b) Annual Fee. The source owner or operator must pay an annual permit fee to the Department. Beginning on July 1, 1994, and for each subsequent year, fees will be as follows:
(i) $25.00 per ton (plus Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment) of regulated pollutant based on the actual emissions for the preceding calendar year or any other period determined by the Department to be representative of normal source operation. The CPI adjustment is that percentage of $25.00/ton equal to the percentage, if any, by which the CPI for the most recent calendar year ending before the beginning of such year exceeds the CPI for 1989.

(ii) New sources or any source without sufficient data to be able to determine actual emissions must be assessed the above $25.00 a ton fee with appropriate CPI adjustment calculated on a pro rata basis for their months of operation. The fee must be based on permitted emissions, until such time as "Actual emissions" can be calculated, and must be paid before the operating permit is issued.

(c) Annual Title V Program Maintenance Fee. The owner or operator of a source subject to the Title V requirements under Regulation Regulation 61-62.70 will be assessed the following annual maintenance fee set forth in Table 1 and based on actual emissions as determined in paragraph (3)(b) above.

Table 1: Schedule of Annual Title V Program Maintenance Fees

Actual Emission Level

Fee

< (less than) 10 tons

$500.00

10 tons to 50 tons

$1,000.00

> (greater than) 50 tons to 100 tons

$2,000.00

> (greater than) 100 tons to 250 tons

$3,500.00

> (greater than) 250 tons to 1,000 tons

$6,500.00

> (greater than) 1,000 tons

$10,000.00

(d) Should funds in the non-reverting account exceed the anticipated budgeted expenditures for the following year, the fee described in Section G.3.b(i) and (ii) and G.3.c. above may be adjusted by the Board. At no time shall this adjustment cause a depletion of funds to a level less than ten percent (10%) of the previous year's expenditures for the Title V permitting requirements of the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act. Any adjustment of fees will require a public hearing to propose the adjustment prior to a final decision by the Board.

(e) Exceptions.
(i) No fees will be assessed for emissions of carbon monoxide.

(ii) No fee will be assessed for actual or permitted emissions in excess of 4,000 tons/year per pollutant.

(iii) The Department may exclude, from the fee calculations, insignificant quantities of actual emission not required in a permit application pursuant to Regulation 61-62.70.5(c).

(4) Laboratory Certification Services:

(a)

Application Fee

$ 125

(b)

Minimum Annual Fee (per laboratory)

$ 125

(c)

Clean Water Act (CWA) Inorganics per parameter

$ 20

(d)

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Inorganics per parameter

$ 20

(e)

SDWA "Secondary" Inorganics per parameter

$ 20

(f)

CWA Organics:

(i) PCBs and Pesticides

$ 350

(ii) Herbicides

$ 350

(iii) Volatiles

$ 350

(iv) Semi-Volatiles

$ 350

(v) Dioxins and Furans

$ 350

(g)

SDWA Organics:

(i) Trihalomethanes

$ 350

(ii) Organic Compounds

$ 350

(iii) Volatiles

$ 350

(h)

Microbiology:

(i) Total Coliform

$ 75

(ii) Fecal Coliform

$ 75

(iii) Fecal Streptococci

$ 75

(i)

Biology (i) Toxicity Testing

$ 500/ Species

(ii) Taxonomy

$ 250

(j)

Solid and Hazardous Wastes (SW-846 Methods): (i) Inorganics (per parameter)

$ 20

(ii) Organics (per parameter group)

Note: SW-846 certification fees shall be capped at $1,500 for those laboratories which have paid the applicable per-parameter fees for CWA tests.

$ 350

(k)

Air Quality Analysis: (i) Inorganics (per parameter)

$ 20

(ii) Organics (per parameter group)

Note: Air Quality Certification fees shall be capped at $1,500 for those laboratories which have paid the applicable per-parameter fees for CWA tests.

$ 350

(5) Radioactive materials licenses including reciprocity and general licenses specified in R.61-63.

(a)

Low-Level Radioactive Waste Shallow Land Disposal

$ 600,000

(b)

Low-Level Waste Interim On Site Storage & Processing:

(i) Solid Components Only

$ 7,500

(ii) Combination Waste Streams

$ 15,000

(c)

Low-Level Waste Processing Services:

(i) Less than 200 FT3/year

$ 15,000

(ii) Greater than 200 FT3/year

$ 75.000

(d)

Low-Level Waste Consolidation Services

$ 37,500

(e)

Decontamination, Recycling, Pilot Study Services & Contaminated Equipment Storage (Non-Waste)

$ 4,500

(f)

Decommissioned Facility:

(i) Test Reactor

$ 750

(ii) Non Fuel Cycle

$ 750

(iii) Fuel Cycle

$ 7,500

(g)

Natural Occurring from Processes

$ 750

(h)

Radioactive material Manufacturing/Processing

$ 40,500

(i)

Irradiator (unshielded)

$ 5,994

(j)

Irradiator (Self-contained)

$ 313

(k)

Large Quantity Source Material

$ 1,250

(l)

Industrial Radiography (In-Plant only)

$ 1,119

(m)

Industrial Radiography (Temporary Field Site)

$ 1,344

(n)

General License for Distribution

$ 806

(o)

Medical Institution

$ 707

(p)

Teletherapy

$ 1000

(q)

Industrial Gauges

$ 344

(r)

Laboratories-Commercial/Medical

$ 325

(s)

Educational Institution

$ 407

(t)

Nuclear Pharmacy

$ 1,244

(u)

Medical Private Practice

$ 588

(v)

Moisture/Density Gauge

$ 325

(w)

Gas Chromatograph

$ 188

(x)

Services Consultants

$ 207

(y)

Bone Mineral Analyzer

$ 432

(z)

Eye Applicator

$ 432

(aa)

Medical/Academic Broad License

$ 2,313

(bb)

Well Logging

$ 1,125

(cc)

Mobile Scanning Services

$ 675

(dd)

Decontamination/Nuclear Laundry

$ 4,375

(ee)

All Other

$ 338

(6) Radioactive Waste Transportation Permits.

(a)

Type X - Annually greater than 75 cubic feet

$2,500

(b)

Type Y - annually less than 75 cubic feet

$300

(c)

Type Z - Combination X or Y but not for disposal within

$100

State Transport only

(7) Radioactive Material fees for review and approval of special projects, topical reports, on site disposals, permits, licenses, amendments, renewals and inspections that are not covered by the above schedule, but are based on the full cost recovery for the review or inspection, will be calculated using a professional staff-hour rate equivalent to the sum of the average cost to the agency for a professional staff member, including salary and benefits, administrative support, travel, and certain program support. The professional staff-hour rate will be based on the applicable fiscal year budget but would not exceed one hundred dollars per hour.

(8) Hazardous and Mixed Waste.

Annual Operating Fee $ 600

(9) Public Swimming Pool Fees.

(a) Construction Permits.
(i) Type "A", "B", "C", "D", and "F" Pools - $400 plus $0.50 per square foot of surface area.

(ii) Type "E" Pools - $1,000 per flume (including minimum required design landing area) or water course, to include water slide. Additional area above minimum required landing area and all other Type "E" pools will be charged according to (i) above.

(iii) The Department may collect an additional $250 from the owner for each repeat final inspection that is required due to incomplete construction or construction that is not in accordance with permitted plans and specifications.

(b) Annual Operating Permits.
(i) Type "A", "B", "C", "D" and "F" Pools - $125 for the first pool on a property plus $100 for each additional pool on the same property.

(ii) Type "E" Pools - $100 per flume or water course.

(10) Individual Residential Wells and Irrigation Wells. In accordance with R.61-44, Permitting of Individual Residential Wells and Irrigation Wells, the Department is authorized to collect a fee for each application to install an individual residential well and irrigation well. The fee collected must be returned to the Department for the purposes of developing and implementing the Individual Residential Well and Irrigation Well program, including proposed well construction review, compliance inspections, technical assistance, enforcement, and for providing bacteriological analytical services for new individual residential wells. The fee shall be as follows:

(a) Individual Residential Well

$ 70

(b) Irrigation Well

$ 50

(11) Individual Residential Well Monitoring - These fees are to be charged for water samples collected by individuals from their residential well and submitted to the Department for analysis. These fees will not be charged if the samples are considered part of a Department groundwater contamination investigation and may be waived or reduced based on the individual's ability to pay. Ambient water samples and samples from public water systems will not be accepted and analyzed.

(a)

Total or Fecal Coliform

$ 20 per test

(b)

Metals and Minerals

$ 50 per sample

(c)

Other Inorganic Parameters

$ 25 per parameter

(d)

Volatile Organic Chemicals

$ 50 per sample

(e)

Herbicides, Pesticides, and other Synthetic

Organic Parameters

$ 50 per parameter

(12) Infectious Waste Annual Fees.

(a)

Generators of 1000 pounds per month or more.

$ 600

(b)

Generators of 50 pounds per month through 999 pounds per month

$ 150

(c)

Transporters

$ 500

(13) Coastal Zone Management Program

(a) General.
(i) The fees assessed are those fees sufficient to cover a portion

of the reasonable costs associated with the development,

processing, and administration of the Coastal Zone Management Program.

(ii) Fees collected shall be placed in a separate non-reverting

account within the Department to be used exclusively for the

expenses in G(13)(a)(i),

except for the amounts dedicated to

the Coastal Resources Access Fund (CRAF). DHEC-OCRM shall make

matching grants from the fund on a 50/50 basis to local

governments in the South Carolina Coastal Zone for projects

which enhance the public's use and enjoyment of coastal resources. A portion of the funds collected as per G(13)(b)

shall be dedicated to the CRAF.

(iii) Local governments will only be charged the fee for a minor

activity and State agencies will not be charged.

(b) Critical Area Permit Application Fees
(i) Minor activity: $250.00, except for docks 100 feet or less in

length for which the fee will be $150.00

(ii) Major activity: $1000.00

(iii) Extensions or transfers of minor permits: $25.00

(iv) Extensions or transfers of major permits: $100.00

(v) Amendments for minor permits which must be placed on public

notice: $100.00

(vi) Amendments for major permits which must be placed on public

notice: $1000.00

(14) Oil and Gas Annual Fees

Terminal Facility Registration Fees

$250.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. South Carolina may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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