HB 16-1413 Summary

• Restructures Colorado water pollution control permit fee system by creating separate sector-based funds including Construction Sector Fund, Pesticides Sector Fund, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Sector Fund, Public and Private Utilities Sector Fund, and Water Quality Certification Sector Fund instead of a single fund.

• Establishes permit application fees equal to 50% of annual permit fees for new permits, with the full application fee credited toward the annual permit fee.

• Requires money derived from each sector to be used only for that sector's administration, with limited flexibility during fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18 to use funds from other sectors if a sector's revenue is inadequate.

• Removes municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit fee categories from the Public and Private Utilities Sector and creates a new dedicated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Sector with separate fee schedules based on municipality population.

• Appropriates $1,208,007 from the general fund for fiscal year 2016-17 to the water quality control division, distributed as $362,402 for commerce and industry, $60,400 for municipal separate storm sewer systems, and $785,205 for public and private utilities; transfers $1,208,007 from the Water Quality Improvement Fund to the general fund on July 1, 2016.