Pennsylvania court rules against county’s hauler licensing fees

A Pennsylvania appeals court recently ruled that under state law, Lehigh County does not have the authority to charge recycling and licensing fees to haulers and landfills. The fees, which the county has charged since 2003, are used to fund a compost center and recycling operations, according to an article in The Morning Call. The county charges haulers $30 to $250 each year in licensing fees and $10 to $25 for each vehicle depending on the size of the truck. The ruling could result in a $700,000 loss in annual revenue for the county.