IA DNR: NPDES Permits Fees

Fees for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and wastewater construction permits were established during the 2006 legislative session in House File 2540 (as amended). The bill was signed into law on May 31, 2006. The bill established section §455B.197 in the Code of Iowa. The fees established in the bill and an explanation of the payment requirements are discussed below.

For non-storm water NPDES permits and operation permits, a permitee must submit an application fee at the time of application and the appropriate annual fee. A non-storm water NPDES permit is defined as any individual NPDES permit or operation permit issued to a municipality, industry, semi-public, or animal feeding operation that is not an individual storm water only permit. The majority of NPDES permits fall under the category of non-storm water NPDES permits (i.e. does not include General Permit Nos. 1, 2, and 3, or MS4 storm water permits).

Each facility subject to a non-storm water NPDES permit is required to pay an annual fee based on the facility type. The annual fees are due by August 30 of each year. If a facility needs coverage under more than one NPDES permit, fees for each permit must be submitted individually. For facilities needing coverage under both a storm water only permit and a non-storm water NPDES permit, separate payments shall be made.

Failure to submit the appropriate fee at the time of application for a non-storm water NPDES permit renders the application incomplete. The department shall suspend processing of an application until the fee is received. Failure to submit the appropriate annual fee for a non-storm water NPDES permit may also result in revocation or suspension of the permit as specified in 64.3(11)"f."

For General Permit #5, the applicant has the option of paying an annual permit fee or a multiyear permit fee at the time the Notice of Intent for Coverage is submitted.

For a construction permit, an application fee must be submitted with the application.

All fees shall be paid by check or money order made payable to the "Iowa Department of Natural Resources", and shall be accompanied by a fee invoice.

Annual Fees:
For coverage under a non-storm water NPDES permit, the following annual fees apply:

Permit Type Annual Fee

Major Municipal Facility
(>1 MGD, AWW design flow) one thousand two hundred seventy-five dollars ($1,275)

Minor Municipal Facility
(<1 MGD, AWW design flow) two hundred ten dollars ($210)

Semipublic Facility (facility not owned by a city, sanitary sewer district, or a designated and approved management agency) three hundred forty dollars ($340)

Operation Permit
(no wastewater discharge into surface waters) one hundred seventy dollars ($170)

Major Industrial Facility (designated by EPA as a major based on a point rating system using pounds of wastes discharged) three thousand four hundred dollars ($3,400)

Minor Industrial Facility
(not designed by EPA as a major) three hundred dollars ($300)

Open Feedlot Operation three hundred forty dollars ($340)

Municipal Water Treatment Facility A fee shall not be charged ($0)

All annual fees are due by August 30 of each year. The Department will mail annual invoices each July that specify the annual fee due from each facility.

For a new facility that has not previously been issued a non-storm water NPDES permit, a prorated amount will be due thirty (30) days after the new NPDES permit is issued. This prorated amount shall be calculated by multiplying the annual fee specified above by the number of months remaining before the next annual fee due date divided by twelve. Each new facility will be sent an Annual Fee Invoice that specifies the amount due when their permit is issued, and the prorated amount will be due thirty (30) days after the new permit is issued.

Annual Fee Invoice (no fee amount specified): (*.doc file | *.pdf file)

Application Fee:
For all non-storm water only NPDES permits, a single application fee of $85 is due at the time of application. The application fee is to be submitted with the application forms (Form 30 for municipal and semipublic facilities; Form 1, 2, 2F, 3, and/or 4 for industrial facilities) at the time of a new application or renewal application. Only one fee is required per application; e.g. submittal of Industrial Forms 1 and 2 will require only one fee.

Application Fee Invoice (renewal application): (*.doc file | *.pdf file)

A New Discharger is a facility that does not have a current NPDES permit. When a new or existing facility applies for an NPDES permit for the first time, the Application Fee Invoice for a New Discharger should be used. The required $85 application fee for a New Discharger is the same as that for a renewal application.

Application Fee Invoice for a New Discharger: (*.doc file | *.pdf file)

Amendment Fee:
When an amendment request submitted by a facility holding a non-storm water NPDES permit is submitted to the NPDES section, it will be reviewed to determine if the proposed amendment is reasonable and feasible. If the NPDES section determines that the permit can be amended, the facility will be notified that the amendment request was approved and the application fee of $85 is due. If an amendment request is denied, the facility will be notified and no application fee will be required.

Because the amendment fee requirement is contingent upon the approval of the amendment request, it is recommended that facilities submit amendment requests without the $85 application fee. If a fee is submitted with an amendment request and the amendment is subsequently denied, the fee cannot be returned.

Before the Department can process an approved amendment request, the application fee must be submitted. If an application fee is not submitted for the amendment, the permit in question will not be amended. Application fees will not be charged when an amendment request is submitted by DNR staff, or when the requested amendment is to correct an error in the permit.

Fees for General Permit #5
For a permit for the discharge from mining and processing facilities, NPDES General Permit #5, the facility has the option of submitting an annual fee or a three, four, or five-year fee as follows:
- Annual Permit Fee: $125 (per year)
- Three-year Permit Fee: $300
- Four-year Permit Fee: $400
- Five-year Permit Fee: $500

Fees are to be submitted by August 30 each year unless a multiple year fee payment was paid in an earlier year. New facilities seeking general permit #5 coverage in any month except August shall submit fees with the Notice of Intent for coverage. Coverage provided by the five-year, four-year, and three-year permit fees expires no later than the expiration date of the general permit. Maximum coverage is five years, four years, and three years, respectively. In the event a facility is no longer eligible to be covered under general permit #5, the remainder of the fees previously paid by the facility would be applied toward its individual permit fees.

General Permit #5 Fee Invoice: (*.doc file | *.pdf file)

Storm Water Permit fees:
For individual storm water only permits, a one-time, multiple-year fee of $1,250 must be submitted at the time of application. A storm water only permit is defined as a NPDES permit that authorizes the discharge of only storm water and any allowable non-storm water as defined in the permit. The bill signed by the governor on May 31, 2006 did not change the fees for the individual storm water permits or General Permits Nos. 1, 2, and 3. For more information about individual and general permits for storm water only discharges, please refer to the Storm Water Program page.

Construction Permit fees:
An application fee of $100 must be submitted with an application for any type of construction permit. A construction permit is written approval by the director to construct a wastewater disposal system or part thereof in accordance with the plans and specifications approved by the DNR. Construction, installation or modification of any wastewater disposal system including sanitary sewer extensions requires a construction permit issued by the DNR. For more information, please refer to Wastewater Construction.

For more information on any of the fees, please contact Courtney Cswercko at 515-281-7206 or courtney.cswercko@dnr.iowa.gov

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