Collapse to view only § 401.31 - Scope.

§ 401.31 - Scope.

This subpart shall govern the submission and review of projects under Section 3.8 of the Delaware River Basin Compact.

§ 401.32 - Concept of 3.8.

Section 3.8 is intended to protect and preserve the integrity of the Comprehensive Plan. This section of the Compact provides:

“No project having a substantial effect on the water resources of the basin shall hereafter be undertaken by any person, corporation or governmental authority unless it shall have been first submitted to and approved by the Commission, subject to the provisions of Sections 3.3 and 3.5. The Commission shall approve a project whenever it finds and determines that such project would not substantially impair or conflict with the Comprehensive Plan and may modify and approve as modified, or may disapprove any such project whenever it finds and determines that the project would substantially impair or conflict with such Plan. The Commission shall provide by regulation for the procedure of submission, review and consideration of projects, and for its determinations pursuant to this section. Any determination of the Commission hereunder shall be subject to judicial review in any court of competent jurisdiction.”

§ 401.33 - Administrative agreements.

The Executive Director is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative Administrative Agreements with federal and state regulatory agencies concerned with the review of projects under federal or state law as follows:

(a) To facilitate the submission and review of applications and the determinations required under Section 3.8 of the Compact;

(b) To avoid unnecessary duplication of staff functions and hearings required by law; and

(c) For such other and different purposes as he may deem feasible and advantageous for the administration of the Compact or any other law.

§ 401.34 - Submission of project required.

Any project which may have a substantial effect on the water resources of the Basin, except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, shall be submitted to the Commission for a determination as to whether the project impairs or conflicts with the Comprehensive Plan, as follows:

(a) Where the project is subject to review by a state or federal agency which has entered into an Administrative Agreement with the Commission, such project will be referred to the Commission in accordance with the terms of the Administrative Agreement, and appropriate instructions will be prepared and issued by the Executive Director for guidance of project sponsors and applicants.

(b) Where no other state or federal agency has jurisdiction to review and approve a project, or no Administrative Agreement is in force, the project sponsor shall apply directly to the Commission.

(c) Any project proposal, which may have a substantial effect on the water resources of the Basin, may be received and reviewed by the staff informally in conference with the project sponsor during the preliminary planning phase to assist the sponsor to develop the project in accordance with the Commission's requirements.

(d) Whenever a project sponsored by one of the signatory parties, or by any agency, political subdivision or public corporation thereof, has been included in the Water Resources Program in the “A List” classification, the project, to the extent of such inclusion and as described in the Program, shall be deemed approved for the purposes of Section 3.8 of the Compact.

(e) Whenever a project is subject to review and approval by the Commission under this section, there shall be no substantial construction activity thereon, including related preparation of land, unless and until the project has been approved by the Commission; provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to the drilling of wells for purposes of obtaining geohydrologic data, nor to in-plant control and pretreatment facilities for pollution abatement.

§ 401.35 - Classification of projects for review under Section 3.8 of the Compact.

(a) Except as the Commission may specially direct by notice to the project owner or sponsor, a project in any of the following classifications will be deemed not to have a substantial effect on the water resources of the Basin and is not required to be submitted under Section 3.8 of the Compact:

(1) The construction of new impoundments or the enlargement or removal of existing impoundments, for whatever purpose, when the storage capacity is less than 100 million gallons;

(2) A withdrawal from ground water when the daily average gross withdrawal during any 30 consecutive day period does not exceed 100,000 gallons;

(3) A withdrawal from impoundments or running streams for any purpose when the daily average gross withdrawal during any 30 consecutive day period does not exceed 100,000 gallons;

(4) The construction of new domestic sewage treatment facilities or alteration or addition to existing domestic sewage treatment facilities when the design capacity of such facilities is less than a daily average rate of 10,000 gallons per day in the drainage area to Outstanding Basin Waters and Significant Resource Waters or less than 50,000 gallons per day elsewhere in the Basin; and all local sewage collector systems and improvements discharging into authorized trunk sewage systems;

(5) The construction of new facilities or alteration or addition to existing facilities for the direct discharge to surface or ground waters of industrial wastewater having design capacity of less than 10,000 gallons per day in the drainage area to Outstanding Basin Waters and Significant Resource Waters or less than 50,000 gallons per day elsewhere in the Basin; except where such wastewater contains toxic concentrations of waste materials;

(6) A change in land cover on major ground water infiltration areas when the amount of land that would be altered is less than three square miles;

(7) Deepening, widening, cleaning or dredging existing stream beds or relocating any channel, and the placement of fill or construction of dikes, on streams within the Basin except the Delaware River and tidal portions of tributaries thereto, and streams draining more than one state;

(8) Periodic maintenance dredging;

(9) Encroachments on streams within the Basin caused by:

(i) Floating docks and anchorages and buoys and navigational aids;

(ii) Temporary construction such as causeways, cofferdams and falsework required to facilitate construction on permanent structures;

(10) Bridges and highways unless they would pass in or across an existing or proposed reservoir or recreation project area as designated in the Comprehensive Plan;

(11) Liquid petroleum products pipelines and appurtenances designed to operate under pressures less than 150 psi; local electric distribution lines and appurtenances; local communication lines and appurtenances; local natural and manufactured gas distribution lines and appurtenances; local water distribution lines and appurtenances; and local sanitary sewer mains, unless such lines would involve significant disturbance of ground cover affecting water resources;

(12) Electric transmission or bulk power system lines and appurtenances; major trunk communication lines and appurtenances; natural and manufactured gas transmission lines and appurtenances; major water transmission lines and appurtenances; unless they would pass in, on, under or across an existing or proposed reservoir or recreation project area as designated in the Comprehensive Plan; unless such lines would involve significant disturbance of ground cover affecting water resources;

(13) Liquid petroleum products pipelines and appurtenances designed to operate under pressures of more than 150 psi, unless they would pass in, on, under or across an existing or proposed reservoir or recreation project area as designated in the Comprehensive Plan, or in, on, under or across any stream within the Basin; unless such lines would involve significant disturbance of ground cover affecting water resources;

(14) Landfill projects, unless no state-level review and permit system is in effect; broad regional consequences are anticipated; or the standards or criteria used in state level review are not adequate to protect the water of the Basin for the purposes prescribed in the Comprehensive Plan;

(15) Draining, filling, or otherwise altering marshes or wetlands when the area affected is less than 25 acres; provided, however, that areas less than 25 acres shall be subject to Commission review and action where neither a state nor a Federal level review and permit system is in effect;

(16) The diversion or transfer of water from the Delaware River Basin (exportation) whenever the design capacity is less than a daily average rate of 100,000 gallons;

(17) The diversion or transfer of water into the Delaware River Basin (importation) whenever the design capacity is less than a daily average rate of 100,000 gallons except when the imported water is wastewater;

(18) The diversion or transfer of wastewater into the Delaware River Basin (importation) whenever the design capacity is less than a daily average rate of 50,000 gallons; and

(19) Temporary or short term projects determined to have non-substantial impact on the water resources of the Basin by the Executive Director.

(b) All other projects which have or may have a substantial effect on the water resources of the Basin shall be submitted to the Commission in accordance with this part for determination as to whether the project impairs or conflicts with the Comprehensive Plan. Among these are projects involving the following (except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section):

(1) Impoundment of water;

(2) Withdrawal of ground water;

(3) Withdrawal of water from impoundment or streams;

(4) Diversion of water into or out of the Basin;

(5) Deepening or widening of existing stream beds, channels, anchorages, harbors or tuning basins, or the construction of new or enlarged channels, anchorages, harbors or turning basins, or the dredging of the bed of any stream or lake and disposal of the dredged spoil, when the nature or location of the project would affect the quantity or quality of ground or surface waters, or fish and wildlife habitat;

(6) Discharge of pollutants into surface or ground waters of the Basin;

(7) Facilities designed to intercept and transport sewage to a common point of discharge; and pipelines and electric power and communication lines;

(8) Facilities for the direct discharge to surface or ground waters of industrial wastewater;

(9) Projects that substantially encroach upon the stream or upon the 100-year flood plain of the Delaware River or its tributaries;

(10) Change in land cover on major ground water infiltration areas;

(11) Hydroelectric power projects, including pumped storage projects;

(12) Projects or facilities of Federal, state and local agencies such as highways, buildings and other public works and improvements, affecting the water and related land resources of the Basin;

(13) Draining, filling or otherwise altering marshes or wetlands;

(14) Landfills and solid waste disposal facilities affecting the water resources of the Basin;

(15) State and local standards of flood plain regulation;

(16) Electric generating or cogenerating facilities designed to consumptively use in excess of 100,000 gallons per day of water during any 30-day period; and

(17) Any other project that the Commission may specially direct by notice to the project sponsor or land owner as having a potential substantial water quality impact on waters classified as Special Protection Waters.

(c) Regardless of whether expressly excluded from review by paragraph (a) of this section, any project or class of projects that in the view of the Commission could have a substantial effect on the water resources of the basin may, upon special notice to the project sponsor or landowner, be subject to the requirement for review under section 3.8 of the Compact.

[62 FR 64155, Dec. 4, 1997, as amended at 86 FR 20629, Apr. 21, 2021]

§ 401.36 - Water supply projects—Conservation requirements.

Maximum feasible efficiency in the use of water is required on the part of water users throughout the Basin. Effective September 1, 1981 applications under Section 3.8 of the Compact for new water withdrawals subject to review by the Commission shall include and describe water-conserving practices and technology designed to minimize the use of water by municipal, industrial and agricultural users, as provided in this section.

(a) Applications for approval of new withdrawal from surface or ground water sources submitted by a municipality, public authority or private water works corporation whose total average withdrawals exceed one million gallons per day shall include or be in reference to a program prepared by the applicant consisting of the following elements:

(1) Periodic monitoring of water distribution and use, and establishment of a systematic leak detection and control program;

(2) Use of the best practicable water-conserving devices and procedures by all classes of users in new construction or installations, and provision of information to all classes of existing users concerning the availability of water-conserving devices and procedures; and

(3) A contingency plan including use priorities and emergency conservation measures to be instituted in the event of a drought or other water shortage condition. Contingency plans of public authorities or private water works corporations shall be prepared in cooperation with, and made available to, all municipalities in the area affected by the contingency plan, and shall be coordinated with any applicable statewide water shortage contingency plans.

(b) Programs prepared pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section shall be subject to any applicable limitations of public utility regulations of the signatory party in which the project is located.

(c) Applications for approval of new industrial or commercial water withdrawals from surface or ground water sources in excess of an average of one million gallons per day shall contain

(1) A report of the water-conserving procedures and technology considered by the applicant, and the extent to which they will be applied in the development of the project; and

(2) A contingency plan including emergency conservation measures to be instituted in the event of a drought or other water shortage. The report and contingency plan shall estimate the impact of the water conservation measures upon consumptive and non-consumptive water use by the applicant.

(d) Applications for approval of new agricultural irrigation water withdrawals from surface or ground water sources in excess of one million gallons per day shall include a statement of the operating procedure or equipment to be used by the applicant to achieve the most efficient method of application of water and to avoid waste.

(e) Reports, programs and contingency plans required under this section shall be submitted by the applicant as part of the permit application to the state agency having jurisdiction over the project, or directly to the Commission in those cases where the project is not subject to the jurisdiction of a state agency. State agencies having jurisdiction over a project that is subject to the provisions of this section shall determine the adequacy and completeness of the applicant's compliance with these requirements and shall advise the Commission of their findings and conclusions.

§ 401.37 - Sequence of approval.

A project will be considered by the Commission under Section 3.8 of the Compact either before or after any other state or federal review, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Agreement applicable to such project.

§ 401.38 - Form of referral by State or Federal agency.

Upon approval by any State or Federal agency of any project reviewable by the Commission under this part, if the project has not prior thereto been reviewed and approved by the Commission, such agency shall refer the project for review under Section 3.8 of the Compact in such form and manner as shall be provided by Administrative Agreement.

(a) The Commission will rely on the appropriate agency in each state to review and regulate the potability of all public water supplies. Applications before the Commission should address the impact of the withdrawal, use and disposal of water on the water resources of the Basin.

(b) The Commission will rely on signatory party reviews as much as possible and generally the Commission will not review the performance standards of individual components of treatment processes but will require compliance with all policies in the Comprehensive Plan including all applicable Water Quality Standards.

§ 401.39 - Form of submission of projects not requiring prior approval by State or Federal agencies.

Where a project does not require approval by any other State or Federal agency, or where such approval is required but an Administrative Agreement is not in force, the project shall be submitted directly to the Commission for review and determination of compatibility with the Comprehensive Plan, in such form of application, with such supporting documentation, as the Executive Director may reasonably require for the administration of the provisions of the Compact. These shall include without limitation thereto:

(a) Exhibits to accompany application. The application shall be accompanied by the following exhibits:

(1) Abstract of proceedings authorizing project, where applicable;

(2) General map showing specific location and dimension of a structural project, or specific language of a standard or policy in the case of a non-structural proposal;

(3) Section of the United States Geological Survey topographic map showing the territory and watershed affected;

(4) Maps, drawings, specifications and profiles of any proposed structures, or a description of the specific effects of a non-structural project;

(5) Written report of the applicant's engineer showing the proposed plan of operation of a structural project;

(6) Map of any lands to be acquired or occupied;

(7) Estimate of the cost of completing the proposed project, and sufficient data to indicate a workable financial plan under which the project will be carried out; and

(8) Analyses and conclusions of regional water supply and wastewater investigations.

(b) Letter of transmittal. The application shall be accompanied by a letter of transmittal in which the applicant shall include a list of all enclosures, the names and addresses to which communications may be directed to the applicant, and the names and addresses of the applicant's engineer and counsel, if any.

(c) Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, two copies of the application and accompanying papers shall be filed. If any application is contested, the Commission may require additional copies of the application and all accompanying papers to be furnished by the applicant. In such cases, certified copies of photographic prints or reproduction may be used.

§ 401.40 - Informal conferences and emergencies.

(a) Whenever the Executive Director shall deem necessary, or upon request of the applicant, an informal conference may be scheduled to explain, supplement or review an application.

(b) In the event of an emergency requiring immediate action to protect the public interest or to avoid substantial and irreparable injury to any private person or property, and the circumstances do not permit a review, hearing and determination in the regular course of the regulations in this part, the Executive Director with the approval of the chairman of the Commission may issue an emergency certificate authorizing an applicant to take such action as the Executive Director may deem necessary and proper in the circumstances, pending review, hearing and determination by the Commission as otherwise required in this part.

§ 401.41 - Limitation of approval.

(a) Approval by the Commission under this part shall expire three years from the date of Commission action unless prior thereto the sponsor has expended substantial funds (in relation to the cost of the project) in reliance upon such approval. An approval may be extended or renewed by the Commission upon application.

(b) Any application that remains dormant (no proof of active pursuit of approvals) for a period of three years from date of receipt, shall be automatically terminated. Any renewed activity following that date will require submission of a new application.

§ 401.42 - One Permit Program.

(a) Purpose. The purpose of the One Permit Program set forth in this section is to provide the opportunity for the environmental agency and/or other administrative agency of a Signatory Party (“Signatory Party Agency”) and the Commission to coordinate and collaborate in the administration of a single process for the review and adjudication of projects. The One Permit Program allows the Signatory Party Agency and Commission to incorporate requirements and determinations of both entities in a single permit or other approval instrument, pursuant to a duly adopted Administrative Agreement under paragraph (d) of this section.

(b) Scope. This section applies to all projects that:

(1) Are reviewable under the Compact;

(2) Meet the thresholds for review set forth in § 401.35 of these Rules of Practice and Procedure;

(3) Are subject to review by a Signatory Party Agency under its own statutory authorities; and

(4) Are within regulatory programs that have been identified in a duly adopted Administrative Agreement between the Commission and a Signatory Party Agency under this section. For any project that requires an approval under the Compact that is outside the scope of the Signatory Party Agency's approval issued in accordance with an Administrative Agreement under this section, the project sponsor shall apply to the Commission in accordance with procedures established by the Commission.

(c) Regulatory programs. Regulatory programs eligible for administration under the One Permit Program may include but are not limited to those concerning: Basin discharges, Basin water withdrawals, and Basin flood plain requirements.

(d) Procedure. The categories of projects covered and the procedures for processing applications under the One Permit Program shall be set forth in one or more Administrative Agreements between the Commission and the Signatory Party Agency that have been adopted by the Commission following a duly noticed public hearing and are in form and substance acceptable to the Commission and the Signatory Party Agency, consistent with the following:

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (e) of this section or in an Administrative Agreement that has been duly executed by the Commission and the Signatory Party Agency under this section, an application for initial approval, renewal or revision of any project subject to the One Permit Program shall be filed only with the Signatory Party Agency.

(2) To enable the Commission to compile and make available to the public a current list of pending applications for projects within the Basin subject to Commission jurisdiction, the Signatory Party Agency shall notify the Commission at least monthly of applications the Signatory Party has received during the preceding month that may be eligible for review under the One Permit Program.

(3) For those categories of projects identified in the Administrative Agreement as requiring Commission input, the Commission staff shall provide the Signatory Party Agency with such input, including where specified by the Administrative Agreement, a recommendation as to any conditions of approval that may be necessary or appropriate to include in the project review determination under Section 3.8 of the Compact as to those regulatory programs identified in an Administrative Agreement in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.

(4) Unless the Signatory Party Agency disapproves the project or the Administrative Agreement provides for separate Commission action under Section 3.8 of the Compact, the Signatory Party Agency shall make the project review determination under Section 3.8 of the Compact, as specified in the Administrative Agreement, as to the regulatory program covered by the Signatory Party Agency's approval and include the determination and any associated conditions of approval within the permit or other approval instrument that it issues to the project sponsor. If in accordance with the applicable Administrative Agreement the determination under Section 3.8 of the Compact is made by the Commission, the Signatory Party Agency may include the determination together with any associated conditions of approval in its permit or other approval instrument covering the project.

(5) The Commission will maintain on its Web site a list of all projects being administered pursuant to the Program.

(e) Comprehensive Plan projects. Articles 11 and 13 of the Compact require certain projects to be included in the Comprehensive Plan. To add a project not yet included in the Comprehensive Plan, the project sponsor shall submit a separate application to the Commission. If following its review and public hearing the Commission approves the addition of the project to the Comprehensive Plan, the Commission's approval will include such project requirements as are necessary under the Compact and Commission regulations. All other project approvals that may be required from the Signatory Party Agency or the Commission under regulatory programs administered pursuant to this section may be issued through the One Permit Program. An application for renewal or modification of a project in the Comprehensive Plan that does not change the project so substantially as to render it a new and different project may be submitted only to the Signatory Party Agency unless otherwise specified in the Administrative Agreement.

(f) Retention of Commission review and enforcement authorities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any Commissioner or the Executive Director may designate for Commission review any project that is reviewable under the Compact. Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the Commission to exercise its review authority under the Compact and applicable Commission regulations. Similarly, although Administrative Agreements executed pursuant to this section may include collaborative and cooperative compliance and enforcement procedures, nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the Commission to exercise its enforcement authority under the Compact and applicable regulations.

(g) Exhaustion of Signatory Party administrative remedies prerequisite to appeal. Before commencing an action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction challenging any final action taken by a Signatory Party Agency under this section, the appellant must first exhaust its administrative remedies under the law of the Signatory Party whose agency issued the decision at issue.

(h) Fees. The Commission shall establish and maintain a schedule of fees for any or all of the services it renders pursuant to this section. The applicable fee(s) for Commission services rendered pursuant to this section shall be those set forth in DRBC Resolution No. 2009-2 (available at http://www.nj.gov/drbc/library/documents/Res2009-2.pdf) for the review and renewal of project approvals. Project sponsors shall pay such fees, if any, directly to the Commission in accordance with the current schedule and applicable rules.

(i) Effect of One Permit Program on Commission dockets. (1) Unless the Executive Director or Commission otherwise directs, if a docket holder submits, or has submitted, a timely application to a Signatory Party Agency for a project subject to review under an Administrative Agreement duly adopted under paragraph (d) of this section, the most recent docket for the project shall, upon expiration, be deemed administratively continued until final action is taken in accordance with paragraph (i)(2) of this section.

(2) Unless the Executive Director or Commission otherwise directs, upon a Signatory Party Agency's final action on an application for a project subject to the One Permit Program:

(i) Any existing or administratively continued docket for such project shall terminate as to all of its provisions and conditions that pertain to regulatory programs administered by the Signatory Party Agency under the Administrative Agreement (“the Covered Programs”); and

(ii) The docket shall continue in effect as to any provisions and conditions not pertaining only to Covered Programs, including, as applicable, the incorporation of the project in the Commission's Comprehensive Plan.

(j) Modification of rules of practice and procedure to conform to this section. Any project subject to review under an Administrative Agreement duly adopted under paragraph (d) of this section, shall be governed by this section and not §§ 401.4, 401.5, 401.6, 401.8, 401.34(a), (c) and (e), 401.37, 401.38 and 18 CFR part 401, subpart F, where they are inconsistent with the procedures provided in this section.

(k) No interference with Supreme Court decree. In accordance with Sections 3.3(a) and 3.5 of the Compact, nothing in this section shall grant the authority to any Signatory Party Agency to impair, diminish or otherwise adversely affect the diversions, compensating releases, rights, conditions, obligations and provisions for administration thereof provided in the United States Supreme Court decree in New Jersey v. New York, 347 U.S. 995 (1954) (“Decree”). Any such action shall be taken only by the Commission with the unanimous consent of the parties to the Decree or upon unanimous consent of the members of the Commission following a declaration of a state of emergency in accordance with Section 3.3(a) of the Compact.

[81 FR 5587, Feb. 3, 2016]

§ 401.43 - Regulatory program fees.

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide an adequate, stable and reliable stream of revenue to cover the cost of the Commission's regulatory program activities, an important means by which the Commission coordinates management of the shared water resources of the Basin. Activities to be covered by the fees include the review of applications for projects that are subject to review under the Delaware River Basin Compact and implementing regulations; and ongoing activities associated with such projects, including but not limited to, effluent and ambient monitoring, data analysis, hydrodynamic and water quality modeling, and coordination with state and federal agencies.

(b) Types of fees. The following types of fees are established by this section:

(1) Application fee. Except as set forth in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section, the application fee shall apply to:

(i) Project requiring a DRBC-issued docket or permit. Any project that, in accordance with the Delaware River Basin Compact and DRBC regulations, requires a Commission-issued docket or permit, whether it be a new or existing project for which the Commission has not yet issued an approval or a project for which the renewal of a previous Commission approval is required.

(ii) Project requiring inclusion in the comprehensive plan. Any project that in accordance with section 11 or section 13.1 of the Delaware River Basin Compact and DRBC regulations must be added to the Comprehensive Plan (also, “Plan”). In addition to any new project required to be included in the Plan, such projects include existing projects that in accordance with section 13.1 of the Compact are required to be included in the Plan and which were not previously added to the Plan. Any existing project that is changed substantially from the project as described in the Plan shall be deemed to be a new and different project for purposes of this section.

(iii) Exemptions. The application fee shall not apply to:

(A) Any project for which the Signatory Party Agency serves as lead under the One Permit Program rule (§ 401.42), unless such project must be added by the Commission to the Comprehensive Plan.

(B) Any project for which an agency, authority or commission of a signatory to the Compact is the primary sponsor. Projects sponsored by political subdivisions of the signatory states shall not be included in this exemption. For purposes of this section “political subdivisions” shall include without limitation municipalities, municipal utility authorities, municipal development corporations, and all other entities not directly under the budgetary and administrative control of the Commission's members.

(2) Annual monitoring and coordination fee. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, an annual monitoring and coordination fee shall apply to each active water allocation or wastewater discharge approval issued pursuant to the Compact and implementing regulations in this part, regardless of whether the approval was issued by the Commission in the form of a docket, permit or other instrument, or by a Signatory Party Agency under the One Permit Program rule (§ 401.42).

(ii) For any withdrawal or diversion covered in part by a certificate of entitlement issued pursuant to §§ 420.31 and 420.32 of the water supply charges regulations (18 CFR part 420), the annual monitoring and coordination fee shall be based on the allocated amount, if any, in excess of the quantity specified in the entitlement.

(3) Alternative review fee. In instances where the Commission's activities and related costs associated with the review of an existing or proposed project are expected to involve extraordinary time and expense, an alternative review fee equal to the Commission's actual costs may be imposed. The Executive Director shall inform the project sponsor in writing when the alternative review fee is to be applied and may require advance payment in the amount of the Commission's projected costs. Instances in which the alternative review fee may apply include, but are not limited to, matters in which:

(i) DRBC staff perform a detailed pre-application review, including but not limited to the performance or review of modeling and/or analysis to identify target limits for wastewater discharges.

(ii) DRBC staff perform or review complex modeling in connection with the design of a wastewater discharge diffuser system.

(iii) DRBC manages a public process for which the degree of public involvement results in extraordinary effort and expense, including but not limited to, costs associated with multiple stakeholder meetings, special public hearings, and/or voluminous public comment.

(iv) DRBC conducts or is required to engage third parties to conduct additional analyses or evaluations of a project in response to a court order.

(4) Additional fees—(i) Emergency approval. A request for an emergency certificate under § 401.40 to waive or amend a docket condition shall be subject to a minimum fee in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section. An alternative review fee also may be charged in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(ii) Late filed renewal application. Any renewal application submitted fewer than 120 calendar days in advance of the expiration date or after such other date specified in the docket or permit or letter of the Executive Director for filing a renewal application shall be subject to a late filed renewal application charge in excess of the otherwise applicable fee.

(iii) Modification of a DRBC approval. Following Commission action on a project, each project revision or modification that the Executive Director deems substantial shall require an additional application fee calculated in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section and subject to an alternative review fee in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(iv) Name change. Each project with a docket or permit issued by the DRBC or by a Signatory Party Agency pursuant to the One Permit Program rule (§ 401.42) will be charged an administrative fee as set forth in paragraph (e) of this section.

(v) Change of ownership. Each project that undergoes a “change in ownership” as that term is defined at 18 CFR 420.31(e)(2) will be charged an administrative fee as set forth in paragraph (e) of this section.

(c) Indexed adjustment. On July 1 of every year, beginning July 1, 2017, all fees established by this section will increase commensurate with any increase in the annual April 12-month Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Philadelphia, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics during that year. 1 In any year in which the April 12-month CPI for Philadelphia declines or shows no change, the application fee and annual monitoring and coordination fee will remain unchanged. Following any indexed adjustment made under this paragraph (c), a revised fee schedule will be published in the Federal Register by July 1 and posted on the Commission's website. Interested parties may also obtain the fee schedule by contacting the Commission directly during business hours.

1 Consumer Price Index—U/Series ID: CUURA102SA0/Not Seasonally Adjusted/Area: Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD/Item: All items/Base Period: 1982-84=100.

(d) Late payment charge. When any fee established by this section remains unpaid 30 calendar days after the payment due date provided on the Commission's invoice, an incremental charge equal to 2% of the amount owed shall be automatically assessed. Such charge shall be assessed every 30 days thereafter until the total amount owed, including any late payment charges has been paid in full.

(e) Fee schedules. The fees described in this section shall be as follows:

Table 1 to § 401.43—Docket Application Filing Fee

Project type Docket application fee Fee maximum Water Allocation$491 per million gallons/month of allocation, 1 not to exceed $18,420. 1 Fee is doubled for any portion to be exported from the basinGreater of: $18,420 1 or Alternative Review Fee. Wastewater DischargePrivate projects: $1,228; 1 Public projects: $614 1Alternative Review Fee. Other0.4% of project cost up to $10,000,000 plus 0.12% of project cost above $10,000,000 (if applicable), not to exceed $92,099 1Greater of: $92,099 1 or Alternative Review Fee.

1 Subject to annual adjustment in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

Table 2 to § 401.43—Annual Monitoring and Coordination Fee

Annual fee Allocation Water Allocation1 368<4.99 mgm. 1 5535.00 to 49.99 mgm. 1 79850.00 to 499.99 mgm. 1 1,013500.00 to 9,999.99 mgm. 1 1,228> or = to 10,000 mgm. Annual feeDischarge design capacity Wastewater Discharge1 368<0.05 mgd 1 7490.05 to 1 mgd. 1 1,0071 to 10 mgd. 1 1,228>10 mgd.

1 Subject to annual adjustment in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

Table 3 to § 401.43—Additional Fees

Proposed action Fee Fee maximum Emergency Approval Under 18 CFR 401.40$5,000Alternative Review Fee. Late Filed Renewal Surcharge$2,000 Modification of a DRBC ApprovalAt Executive Director's discretion, Docket Application Fee for the appropriate project typeAlternative Review Fee. Name change$1,228 1Change of Ownership$1,842 1

1 Subject to annual adjustment in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

[81 FR 95861, Dec. 29, 2016, as amended at 82 FR 7647, Jan. 23, 2017; 82 FR 26989, June 13, 2017; 86 FR 20630, Apr. 21, 2021; 87 FR 31417, May 24, 2022; 88 FR 34747, May 31, 2023]