CA Fish & Game Code Section 2099.5

(a)

The department shall collect a permit application fee from the owner or developer of an eligible project, as defined in Section 2099, to support its permitting of eligible projects pursuant to this chapter. The owner or developer of a proposed eligible project shall pay a one-time permit application fee of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) to the department.

(b)

The department shall collect the permit application fee, at the time the owner or developer submits its permit application or, for eligible projects for which an application has already been submitted, within 30 days of the operative date of this section. The department shall utilize the permit application fee to pay for all or a portion of the department’s cost of processing incidental take permit applications pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2081 and Section 2080.1. If the permit application fee is insufficient to complete permitting work due to the complexity of a project or timeline delays, the department may collect an additional fee from the owner or developer to pay for its actual costs, not to exceed an additional seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000).

(c)

For an eligible project seeking site certification, pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 25500) of Division 1 of the Public Resources Code, by the Energy Commission, as defined in Section 2099, the owner or developer shall pay the permit application fee directly to the department. The permit application fee paid to the department shall fund the department’s participation in the Energy Commission’s site certification process as the state’s trustee for natural resources. The permit application fee shall be in addition to any application fees collected directly by the Energy Commission. The permit application fee shall be due and payable within 30 days of the operative date of this section.

(d)

Permit application fees paid pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and shall be eligible for expenditure by the department pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2081 and Section 2080.1.

(e)

The sum of one million six hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,650,000) is hereby appropriated to the department from the Fish and Game Preservation Fund for the purposes of this section. These funds shall be available for expenditure through June 30, 2011.

(f)

If an owner or developer withdraws a project within 30 days after paying the permit application fee, the department shall refund any unused portion of the fee to the owner or developer.