Improvements Seen Under Pa. DEP Permitting Reform Plan

A plan implemented by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) early last year to improve permit reviews and add online functions is showing early success, according to the agency.

A recent DEP release indicates that implementation of the Shapiro administration’s PAyback program in conjunction with its 10-point plan to improve permit reviews has resulted in a “drastic reduction in the permit backlog.”  The DEP hired 15 new employees dedicated to processing permits and also had some staff working overtime to address the backlog. As a result, DEP has reduced the backlog by 41% - or 900 individual permits – as of March 1. DEP issues nearly 800 different permits covering various activities, including oil and gas drilling, power and industrial plant emissions, and waste management. that have an effect on the environment, including air and water quality.

The agency also noted that it has not had to refund a single application fee, as called for in an executive order issued by Gov. Josh Shapiro early in his administration pledging that applicants for state-issued permits, certifications, or licenses will hear back from the permitting agency within an allotted amount of time, or they will have their application fees refunded.

DEP had come under increasing pressure to improve its review process for permits in various areas, including oil and gas activities and air and water quality. The DEP has been handcuffed by underfunding and staff shortages, but received funding in the 2023-24 state budget to hire the additional staff.

Other results from the DEP’s 10-point modernization plant include making it easier for businesses to upload documents and make permit application payments online through a new online service. Since DEP’s Public Upload system was launched in December, more than 7,100 documents have been submitted and more than $600,000 has been collected electronically.

DEP is also working on more initiatives, including formalizing a pre-application meeting process so that potential project developers will be better informed about the permitting process and the specific permits they must obtain, and doing research with “key stakeholders” to understand and improve what they need and value in the application process and reduce review bottlenecks. Those projects are expected to be completed in the coming months.