SB 829 Summary

• Establishes a Water Resources Commission within the Department of Environmental Quality consisting of the two department directors plus 11 gubernatorially-appointed members representing commerce, medical professionals, local government, environmental organizations, and the general public.

• Grants the commission supervisory authority over permit issuance, rule promulgation, and department policy development, with the department unable to exercise these powers without commission approval.

• Allows the commission to receive complaints about water pollution violations and can require the department to take investigatory action or request the attorney general to commence legal proceedings.

• Transfers permit appeal authority from the department to the commission, requiring contested case hearing petitions to be filed with the commission rather than the department.

• Takes effect 90 days after enactment; maintains existing permit fee structures and application timelines for discharge permits into state waters.