49-210. Water quality fee fund; appropriation; exemption; monies held in trust

A. The water quality fee fund is established consisting of monies appropriated by the legislature and fees received pursuant to sections 49-104, 49-203, 49-241, 49-241.02, 49-242, 49-255.01, 49-332, 49-352, 49-353 and 49-361. The director shall administer the fund.

B. Monies in the fund are subject to annual legislative appropriation to the department for water quality programs. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

C. On notice from the director, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund.

D. Monies in the water quality fee fund shall be used for the following purposes:

1. The issuance of aquifer protection permits pursuant to section 49-241.

2. The aquifer protection permit registration fee procedures pursuant to section 49-242.

3. Dry well registration fee procedures pursuant to section 49-332.

4. Technical review fee procedures pursuant to section 49-353.

5. Inspection fee procedures pursuant to section 49-104, subsection C.

6. The issuance of permits under the Arizona pollutant discharge elimination system program pursuant to section 49-255.01.

7. Operator certification pursuant to sections 49-352 and 49-361.

8. Paying the cost of implementing section 49-203, subsection A, paragraph 6 and section 49-221, subsection E.

9. Water quality monitoring pursuant to section 49-225 and reporting of aquifer pollution information pursuant to section 49-249.

10. Implementation and administration of the underground injection control permit program established pursuant to article 3.3 of this chapter.

11. Implementation and administration of the dredge and fill permit program established pursuant to article 3.2 of this chapter, including review and analysis for issuing jurisdictional determinations.

E. Any fee, assessment or other levy that is authorized by law or administrative rule and that is collected and deposited in the water quality fee fund shall be held in trust. The monies in the fund may be used only for the purposes prescribed by statute and shall not be appropriated or transferred by the legislature to fund the general operations of this state or to otherwise meet the obligations of the general fund of this state. This subsection does not apply to any taxes or other levies that are imposed pursuant to title 42 or 43.