(a) The district board shall adopt, by regulation, a schedule of fees to be assessed on areawide or indirect sources of emissions that are regulated, but for which permits are not issued, by the district to recover the costs of district programs related to these sources.
(b) That fee schedule shall be designed to yield a sum not exceeding the estimated cost of the administration of this chapter and mitigation of emissions, and for the filing of applications for variances or to revoke or modify variances. All applicants shall pay the fees required by the schedule, including, notwithstanding Section 6103 of the Government Code, an applicant that is a publicly owned utility.