SB 863 was heard in the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, March 10, 2015.  MACo Legal and Policy Counsel, Les Knapp, was there to urge the committee to support with amendments SB 863, Watershed Protection and Restoration Programs-Revision. This is another version of the Stormwater Fee Repeal but also contains new annual reporting requirements for affected counties, fee caps, and restrictions on the use of stormwater funds.

The written testimony explains the amendments:

MACo’s amendments would maintain the fee requirement but allow counties not to charge a fee if the county creates a reasonable alternative plan to meet its stormwater remediation requirements. The amendments would also strike the other provisions of SB 863 that would impose new local mandates or limit the flexibility of counties to meet their stormwater pollution goals. MACo believes this approach acknowledges the responsibility counties have under their federal permits to address stormwater runoff pollution while also providing counties with the maximum flexibility possible to meet those goals.

For more on MACo’s 2015 legislation, visit the Legislative Database.