Association Opposes WDR Fee Increase

 This past week the Association once again spoke out against yet another proposed fee increase in the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Waste Discharge Requirement (WDR) fees.  The SWRCB is proposing a 3.3% increase in fees for FY 2026/27.  In response to the Association’s opposition, the SWRCB staff pointed to the fact that there was no increase in fees in FY 2025/26.  Unfortunately, that ignored the fact that fees increased every year since 2017 leading up to last year, and the fact that fees had increased over 180% in only 12 years.  Nor do they consider the fact that WDR fees are more than 12 times all other environmental fees combined that our members pay.  This meeting was only a workshop, and the final hearing will be in September.  With only three ag groups testifying at this last meeting, hopefully others will join the call to stop these exorbitant and uncontrolled fees.