At its Sept. 10 meeting, the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency board voted to hike fees for its Air Contaminant Discharge Permits.
LRAPA spokesperson Matt Sorensen said about 290 Lane County businesses will face 15% fee increases over each of three years, starting in 2028.
But, he said, even after the final increase, the fees will still be lower than what businesses in other counties pay through Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality.
“Our agency, and the board, is very interested in continuing to keep Lane County as competitive and as responsive as possible, for folks that need air permits,” Sorensen told KLCC.
He said it’s important to the agency that businesses can continue to work legally and safely.
But, he said, the permit fees weren’t bringing in enough revenue to cover LRAPA’s costs. Payroll, health insurance and fleet fuel prices have all risen, and, he said, the pace of rising expenses couldn’t continue without increasing revenue.