Special permit; trucks transporting earthen materials for government funded levee projects

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the secretary shall issue a per project special overweight permit for each truck transporting earthen materials for government-funded levee projects. Each per project permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. B. The permit shall be issued in accordance with the following provisions: (1) Upon application for a special permit, the applicant shall designate the specific routes to be utilized for transporting the materials and identify the project for which they are transporting materials. (2) The fee for the permit shall be one thousand dollars per project. However, if the project exceeds the one-year validity of the permit, a new permit shall be required. (3) The permit shall authorize the operation of the vehicle or straight truck at a gross weight not to exceed seventy thousand pounds for which twenty-two thousand pounds for steering axle and forty-eight thousand pounds for tridum group while operating on any state-maintained highway except on the interstate system. Nothing contained in this Section shall preempt municipal or parish ordinances from regulating weight limits on municipal or parish streets or roads. C. The secretary shall impose a penalty for each violation of the weight limit pursuant to R.S. 32:388. D. As used in this Section, "earthen materials" includes minerals, rocks, and soil. E. The secretary may promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act as are necessary to enforce the provisions of this Section.