Title
Receive report from EAA staff on the results of settlements offered to regulated well owners who did not file 2017 Annual Groundwater Use Reports with the EAA.
Body
STAFF RECOMMENDED MOTION:
None. This item is for informational purposes only.
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this agenda item is for the Permits/Enforcement Committee to receive an update from EAA staff on a May 22 presentation regarding the requirements of groundwater use reporting to the EAA. More specifically, EAA staff will discuss the results of settlement letters mailed to those thirteen (13) well owners who did not file 2017 Annual Groundwater Use Reports with the EAA as discussed in May.
Consistent with current settlement guidelines, the 13 well owners were mailed a settlement letter on or about May 31, 2018, identifying them as being in violation of EAA rules for not filing a 2017 Annual Groundwater Use Report. The letter offered to settle the matter by allowing the well owner to pay a $200 settlement, or agree to attend an EAA Well Owner’s Workshop. Seven (7) well owners did not respond to that mailing, and on June 29, 2018, were mailed a final appeal offering a last chance to settle and notifying the well owner of EAA staff’s intent to discuss their failure during the July 24 Permits/Enforcement Committee meeting.
In addition, EAA staff reviewed the twenty-five (25) well owners who did not file Critical Period Management (CPM) monthly use reporting during 2017 to identify any that may have also exceeded authorized groundwater withdrawals during the same year. EAA staff identified three (3) permit holders who failed to timely file CPM monthly use reports and also exceeded authorized withdrawals during 2017. As discussed at the May committee meeting, EAA staff applied a ‘prior violation’ escalator (15%) to the base settlement calculation on the over-pumped amount for these entities - as part of their overall over-pumping settlement offer. All other pending matters for well owner...
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