The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proposing to revise fees in the Food Safety and Sanitation program regulations. DEC proposes to increase annual permit and plan review fees across all permit types and to eliminate certain discounts so that fees represent the direct cost of those regulatory services.
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health (EH), proposes to adopt regulation changes in 18 AAC 31 (Alaska Food Code) of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with fees for retail food establishments, including the following:
Amend 18 AAC 31.050(a) to increase the amount of annual permit fees for each separate type of food establishment.
Amend 18 AAC 31.050(c) to increase the amount of plan review fees for each separate type of food establishment.
Amend 18 AAC 31.050(d) to eliminate the discount for plan review fees for three or more operations within a single establishment.
Amend 18 AAC 31.050(e) to eliminate the discount for annual permit fees for a facility that serves food and includes a beverage-dispensing portion of a bar or tavern that are located within the same establishment.
Amend 18 AAC 31.050(f) to eliminate the discount for annual permit fees for facilities that only sell hot beverages, nonpotentially hazardous beverages, and prepackaged, nonpotentially hazardous food.
Amend 18 AAC 31.050(i) to eliminate the discount for annual permit fees when there is a change in operator.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Christina Carpenter, Director, Division of Environmental Health, at 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. Additionally, the Department of Environmental Conservation will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 269-7510
and by electronic mail at DEC.EHfeeregulations@alaska.gov . Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 5:00pm on Friday, August 26, 2016.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Christina Carpenter, Division Director, by email at DEC.EHfeeregulations@alaska.gov or at 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Environmental Conservation will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and at www.dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/index.htm.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Natalie Wolfe at natalie.wolfe@alaska.gov or (907) 269-0291 not later than Friday, August 12, 2016 to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System (attached) and by contacting Dorothy Melambianakis, Program Coordinator, by email at dorothy.melambianakis@alaska.gov or by phone at (907) 269-6066.
After the public comment period ends, the Department of Environmental Conservation will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. YOU SHOULD COMMENT DURING THE TIME ALLOWED IF YOUR INTERESTS COULD BE AFFECTED. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.
Statutory authority: AS 17.20.005; AS 44.46.020; AS 44.46.025; AS 17.20.180
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 44.46.025
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
Date: 7/21/16
/s/
Larry Hartig
Commissioner
Additional Regulation Notice information is attached.