La DEQ now taking annual permit fees over Internet BATON ROUGE, LA. (AP) (wrkf) - Companies paying annual fees to the state Department of Environmental Quality can now do so online.

Karyn Andrews, the account manager for DEQ's financial services division, says the Web site will take both e-checks and credit cards.

She says the division collects about $49 million a year for environmental permits, from about 50,000 companies. Payments range from $54 to $350,000, with 90 percent of them less than $1,000.

Users will pay $1.95 per e-check and 2.25 percent of each credit card transaction the amounts charged by the company providing the Internet service.

It takes Master Card, Discover and American Express.

Andrews says that once these payments are working well, DEQ will begin working toward both providing permits and paying fines online. © Copyright 2009, wrkf