In October 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency authorized the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Department) to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater permitting program in the State of Florida. Costs to implement the Program have increased. Section 403.0885, Florida Statutes (F.S.), requires that fees collected by the Department are adequate to cover the entire cost to the Department for program management, for reviewing and acting upon any permit application, and to cover the cost of surveillance and other field services of any permits issued. To comply with this statute, it is necessary to increase NPDES Stormwater permitting and annual surveillance fees at this time. The rule, as amended, increases the following fees: Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction Activities No Exposure Certification for Exclusion from NPDES Stormwater Permitting Generic Permit for Discharge of Stormwater from Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) annual surveillance fees OGC #: 07-0440