The commission may charge fees for certain Edwards Aquifer plan reviews and inspections, and the executive director must collect and account for those fees.
Sec. 26.0461. FEES FOR EDWARDS AQUIFER PLANS. (a) The commission may impose fees for processing plans or amendments to plans that are subject to review and approval under the commission's rules for the protection of the Edwards Aquifer and for inspecting the construction and maintenance of projects covered by those plans. (b) The plans for which fees may be imposed are: (1) water pollution abatement plans; (2) plans for sewage collection systems; (3) plans for hydrocarbon storage facilities or hazardous substance storage facilities; and (4) contributing zone plans. (c) The commission by rule shall adopt a fee schedule for fees that it may impose under this section. (d) Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), a fee imposed under this section may not be less than $100 or more than $6,500. (d-1) A fee imposed under this section may not be more than $13,000 if the fee is for a water pollution abatement or contributing zone plan for a development of more than 40 acres. (e) A fee charged under this section must be based on the following criteria: (1) if a pollution abatement or contributing zone plan, the area or acreage covered by the plan; (2) if a sewage collection systems plan, the number of linear feet of pipe or line; (3) if a hydrocarbon storage facility or hazardous substance storage facility plan, the number of tanks; and (4) the type of activity subject to regulation. (f) The executive director shall charge and collect a fee imposed under this section and shall record the time at which the fee is due and render an account to the person charged with the fee. (g) A fee imposed under this section is a separate charge in addition to any other fee that may be provided by law or rules of the commission. (h) A fee collected under this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of a special program to be used only for administering the commission's Edwards Aquifer program, including: (1) monitoring surface water, stormwater, and groundwater quality in the Edwards Aquifer program area; and (2) developing geographic information systems (GIS) data layers for the Edwards Aquifer program. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 417, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 564, Sec. 1.05, eff. June 11, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 746, Sec. 7, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 333, Sec. 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 743, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1088 (H.B. 3098), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.