Virginia Law

A. Operators of permitted solid waste management facilities shall pay annual fees based on the requirements of this section. An annual fee is required for each activity occurring at a permitted facility.

1. Annual fees, including those that are based on annual tonnage, shall be calculated using the procedures in 9VAC20-90-113, 9VAC20-90-114, and 9VAC20-90-115.

2. For facilities engaged in multiple activities under the provisions of a single permit, an operator shall pay multiple annual fees.

3. Annual fees assessed for single or multiple activities conducted under a permit reflect the time and complexity of inspecting and monitoring the different categories of facilities identified in § 10.1-1402.1:1 of the Code of Virginia.

B. Due date.

1. Submission date. The department may bill the operator for amounts due or becoming due in the immediate future. Payments are due on or before October 1 or 30 days after receipt of a bill from the department, whichever comes later, unless the operator is using the quarter payment option. Except as specified in subdivision 2 of this subsection, all annual fees are submitted on a yearly basis and are due on or before October 1 (for the preceding annual year).

2. Optional quarter payment. Facility operators that are required to pay annual fees exceeding $8,000 for single or multiple permits may submit four equal payments totaling the annual fee on or before October 1, January 1, April 1, and June 1. The annual payment cycle for quarter payments will begin with the October 1 payment and will end with the June 1 payment. Those facilities opting for the quarter payment schedule shall accompany all payments with a copy of DEQ form PF001.

3. Late quarter payments. If the quarter payment is not paid by the deadline, DEQ may, in addition to seeking other remedies available under the law, issue a notice of failure to pay. The notice shall require payment of the entire remainder of the annual fee payment within 30 days of the date of the notice, or inform the owner that he is ineligible to opt for the quarter payment schedule until eligibility is reinstated by written notice from the department, or both.

C. Method of payment. Fees shall be paid by check, draft, or postal money order made payable to "Treasurer of Virginia/DEQ," and shall be sent to the Department of Environmental Quality, Receipts Control, P.O. Box 1104, Richmond, VA 23218. When the department is able to accept electronic payments, payments may be submitted electronically.

D. Incomplete payments. All incomplete payments will be deemed nonpayments.

E. Late payment of annual fee. Interest may be charged for late payments at the underpayment rate set out by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service established pursuant to Section 6621(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. This rate is prescribed in § 58.1-15 of the Code of Virginia and is calculated on a monthly basis at the applicable periodic rate. A 10% late payment fee may be charged to any delinquent (over 90 days past due) account. The Department of Environmental Quality is entitled to all remedies available under the Code of Virginia in collecting any past due amount and may recover any attorney's fees and other administrative costs incurred in pursuing and collecting any past due amount.

F. Annual fees received by the department shall be deposited in the Virginia Waste Management Permit Program Fund and used exclusively for the solid waste management program as set forth in the Code of Virginia.