Linn County mulls higher fees for open burners, pollution sources

Linn County residents will pay a bit more to burn, and to control the resulting emissions, under a proposed new fee schedule.

“I'm trying to attempt to shift the cost of the program to the folks who actually use the service,” said Shane Dodge, the Linn County Public Health staffer who administrates the county's air quality program.

Dodge brought proposals for increased license, permit, and inspection fees to this morning's Board of Supervisors meeting. They'll be up for final approval at next Wednesday's meeting.

The changes:

Fees for open-burning permits would go up $5, to $10 for the 30-day permit and $25 for an annual license. Dodge said the idea is for residents who burn more than once a year to sign up for the annual permit, rather than two or more 30-day licenses, because it's easier and cheaper to administer.

Dodge said 447 of the 1,639 burn permits issued last year were annual. So far this year, 327 of 783 permits issued have been annual permits. Forty percent the fee is passed on to the local fire district.

Applications to install emissions-control equipment will go from $180 to $190, with the annual operating permit increasing $5 to $85. The new registration fee charged operators of equipment subject to emissions rules would be $45. The fee isn't assessed against owners of outdoor wood-fired furnaces, Dodge said.

The penalty for installing equipment without first getting a permit would increase $20 to $380.

Information on the fees and permit system, along with a list of permit holders, is posted on the Air Quality Division's web site.