[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6360568,"mediaKeyId","2174550-41a1138d0d90058c6da91b957ccb0e7d","parentId",2174550,"title","Committee on Water hears bill to let KDHE extend certain wastewater permits to 10 years","audioSeconds",287,"startMs",21000,"endMs",308000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174550-41a1138d0d90058c6da91b957ccb0e7d&start=21&end=308","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174550-41a1138d0d90058c6da91b957ccb0e7d/thumbnail_21000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6360568/Kansas/Committee-on-Water-hears-bill-to-let-KDHE-extend-certain-wastewater-permits-to-10-years","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360568-2855a86460da467f6943f1eebf6964bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770796669&Signature=ApR1mkD2jO0ctgws0DxPwetenT1rTyNXFtUZgRnmCm2LUeq-tqksl-MVUnzhFuUBq1LtoSRnKo22hLf~JU97YRosQXcC9a6zGWnB2Xn0koTsrYnISsUAx1Dj6-rzdi3gjLthp77uDfUWPdoWR9aGWPQymMdxfNfefDiiMtXTvQkI2ImULWOPvPinQB3uxneX03FXhQyzKNbIfAVQfApqUD-v9-fUGQmHvbG0ZMJJPmwCj-RwcFUm2Cw~67563b5ONPGFKygaQEYZgcbztC1L2Qn~m0b6xvqhFZRu8gF09Pd-L~~IuDFX0q25hApEYO62dcUnBA1ZCcFYParL3kJYbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author"," Committee on Water , KS","date","2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on Water heard testimony on House Bill 2085, which would allow the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue certain state water pollution permits for up to 10 years rather than the current five.

KDHE water official Tom Stiles told the committee the change would initially apply only to state-only, non-discharging permits because federal law currently caps National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits at five years. \"We are proponents of House Bill 2085 that would allow us to extend permits out to as long as 10 years in length,\" said Tom Stiles, director of the Bureau of Water at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

KDHE argued the longer maximum term would reduce the agency's permit-renewal workload and help clear a backlog of more complex permits. Stiles said KDHE currently holds about 490 state-only non-discharging permits and about 845 permits for facilities governed by the federal Clean Water Act. He told the committee the department is fully staffed in the permitting section and has cut the permit reissuance backlog by about 50 percent over the past year, but roughly 80 permits—mainly industrial and more complex municipal permits—remain in the queue.

The proposal would be discretionary, not automatic: KDHE would retain authority to issue shorter permits when warranted by past facility performance or by complexity. \"If this bill becomes law, it's only applicable to those state facilities that do not discharge right now,\" Stiles said, adding that if Congress later amends the Clean Water Act to allow 10-year federal permits, Kansas could quickly follow for discharging facilities.

Committee members pressed KDHE on inspection frequency, fee effects and interstate comparisons. Stiles said inspection schedules vary by facility size: large municipal plants are inspected annually, smaller plants might be inspected once every five years, and about 20 percent of permitted facilities are inspected in any given year. He said permit-related fees are collected annually and would not change under the bill. On the question of fee revenue, Stiles said, \"Currently, fees are paid annually. This won't change that at all.\"

Representative concerns focused on public-safety oversight and whether longer terms could let poorly performing facilities evade timely review. KDHE replied that permits include reopener clauses and the agency can inspect and reopen permits if performance declines or complaints arise. \"We also have the safety valve that all our permits have reopener clauses,\" Stiles said.

The hearing record includes one written opponent submission from Matthew Steele, listed in the committee packet; no oral opponents appeared. The chairman closed the hearing without a committee vote.

The committee did not take final action on House Bill 2085 at the hearing. Staff and KDHE described the measure as a regulatory flexibility change intended to reduce staff workload and provide longer-term regulatory certainty to small systems and other low-risk permittees.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee on Water 01/30/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on Water heard testimony on House Bill 2085, which would allow the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue certain state water pollution permits for up to 10 years rather than the current five.","taxTitle","Committee on Water, Standing, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",20417,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6360563,"Panel hears bill to lift $25 cap on Kansas water-operator exam fees; proponents and rural water groups clash",1595,956000,2551000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174550-41a1138d0d90058c6da91b957ccb0e7d&start=956&end=2551","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174550-41a1138d0d90058c6da91b957ccb0e7d/thumbnail_956000.jpg","/articles/6360563/Kansas/Panel-hears-bill-to-lift-25-cap-on-Kansas-water-operator-exam-fees-proponents-and-rural-water-groups-clash","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360563-3bcb1d4be4b57f90a7f65d8c205cc1d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770796669&Signature=cZtOKZgt9yuNsCC1qjer7~KWbptSQB1UacCSRHCwy1fHc1aCzltjh8UV~0s7fKCCFduJ8CHPR9ornq9MRiQKWnT8YbsRCxnyyt4Ag9QSEzU5Ep0NMVCSzDYeE6HtssttNY3B5qC-k9AshffGTXVQW8x06-uPq8PRSVtoUI1OOg3QTcM1W2AAkxc~XfaM5lOb0-RFUDjhofpsraq8YhZyAxVioR0UbbJNlhtt2ipY2R-6ooQ1M9a1ezth6nlIgt4FAzCPrCpsjftmKFyuPfNr8LQpSYVa8aRqk0PYStR6dU1Y6WM4JPHMmw3Os5TH8K1DnHUOyFiB653kXiXTALeRnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Water heard competing testimony on House Bill 2112, which would remove the statutory $25 cap on water and wastewater operator exam fees and repeal KSA 65-4506, the statute that allows correspondence courses to substitute for classroom instruction.

KDHE and industry groups said lifting the cap would allow the agency to move to standardized, up-to-date exams, expand testing locations and formats, and improve reciprocity with other states. \"Eliminating the $25 fee cap will allow us to provide a variety of exam formats, and expand the opportunities for more exam locations,\" said Kathy Tucker Vogel, representing the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's public water supply program. Vogel said KDHE currently administers 10 separate exams (five drinking water and five wastewater classifications) and in 2024 administered 539 drinking-water exams and 440 wastewater exams.

Industry witnesses endorsed the change. \"This necessary and welcome change will enable operators to utilize current relevant standardized quality control and accessible exams,\" said Katie Miller, director of water services for Kansas Municipal Utilities. John Gilroy, chairman of the Kansas section of the American Water Works Association, said the current exam materials are dated and that a modern, standardized testing platform used by about 20 other states would improve reciprocity and accessibility.

KDHE staff and witnesses described cost ranges and pilot programs. Vogel said third-party exam costs could run from $46 to $104 depending on format and proctoring; she described a pilot under consideration with community colleges (Johnson County Community College and Allen County Community College) to proctor web-based exams closer to operators' homes.

Opponents, led by Darren Martin of the Kansas River Water Association (speaking on behalf of many rural systems), warned the bill could impose new costs and certification burdens on small systems and that national exams may not match Kansas system types. \"If this bill passes, KDHE is going to purchase a national exam... KDHE will add a new distribution certificate,\" Martin said, arguing larger municipalities and many systems above 500 population could end up needing separate certifications for treatment and distribution and additional continuing-education obligations. He urged creation of a statutory advisory committee to review exam content and to pursue electronic testing options for small systems.

KDHE and witnesses emphasized pass-rate data and training gaps. Vogel told the committee that the statewide 2024 pass rate for drinking-water exams was 68.47 percent (small-system pass rate 75.43 percent; higher-class pass rates lower), and that for wastewater exams the overall pass rate was 68 percent (small-system pass rate 80.71 percent; Class 4 pass rate 63.71 percent). Vogel and Gilroy argued more relevant, modern exams and expanded testing opportunities would help recruitment and training for a workforce the witnesses described as short-staffed in many areas.

Representative Smith and others raised concerns about access for very small, rural utilities and the risk that new requirements would force long travel or higher costs for operators. KDHE said customized classifications and pilot electronic testing could limit burdens for very small systems. \"None of this is possible with the current $25 fee,\" Vogel said, describing the agency's plans to convene advisory committees and follow a public regulation process to set exam fees.

Committee members noted a forthcoming legislative post audit of KDHE's program; the chair said the committee would not act on the bill until members have reviewed the audit. The hearing closed with proponents and opponents on the record but without a committee vote; the chair indicated the panel expected to consider bills after the audit and during the next available committee days.","House Bill 2112 would remove the $25 statutory cap on operator-exam fees and let KDHE set exam fees to cover actual costs; KDHE and water-industry groups support the change for modernization and better exam access, while Kansas Rural Water Association opposes it citing cost and small-system relevance concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee on Water hears bill to let KDHE extend certain wastewater permits to 10 years

Panel hears bill to lift $25 cap on Kansas water-operator exam fees; proponents and rural water groups clash