§ 23-19.1-14. Permit fees - Expenses of investigation and hearing. (a) The director may establish reasonable application and renewal fees for permits issued under this chapter to be not less than one hundred dollars ($100) for any vehicle, or to be not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for any hazardous waste management facility.

(b) Any person who applies for a permit under this chapter, or who seeks renewal of a permit issued under this chapter, or whose permit is suspended or revoked under § 23-19.1-10(e), shall be charged with and shall pay the expenses reasonably incurred by the department for the purchase of materials, and for the employment of official stenographers, engineers, chemists, accountants, legal counsel, or experts, and for travel and other necessary outlays, in connection with its investigation, processing, hearing, and deciding the application for a permit or permit renewal, or the suspension or revocation of a permit. The director shall ascertain the amount of the expenses incurred and to be paid by the person applying for the permit or renewal, and shall render a bill for it to the person at the conclusion of the investigation and hearing, or during its progress. The amount of the bill rendered shall be paid by the person to the department within thirty (30) days of its rendition unless within this time period, the person billed shall request an opportunity to be heard by the director as to its amount. An application for a permit or a permit renewal shall not be granted until all charges are paid in full. The director shall comply with the request and issue a written determination on it. The burden of proving the unreasonableness of the amount billed shall be on the person billed. Any amount of the bill not paid within thirty (30) days from the date of rendition of the bill, shall draw interest at the rate of seven percent (7%) per annum; provided, that if, after a hearing, a portion of the amount of the bill shall be found to be unreasonable, no interest shall be computed on that portion of the bill. The total amount which may be assessed under this subsection against any person with respect to the renewal of a permit under this chapter in any calendar year shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000); the total amount which may be assessed against any person with respect to an application for a new permit under this chapter in any calendar year shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

History of Section. (P.L. 1978, ch. 229, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-46.2-14; P.L. 1979, ch. 39, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-19.1-14; P.L. 1988, ch. 625, § 1.)