18469_Authority_June

municipalauthorities.org | 53 G etting S tuff D one : DEP R educes P ermit B acklog by 88% and H as A lready R eviewed M ore T han 9,000 P ermits T his Y ear • DEP conducted more than 28,000 inspections in the first three months of 2025 • DEP reviews more than 45,000 permits each year – for everything from clean drinking water to the energy projects that power our communities – and the Department is processing permits more quickly under the Shapiro Administration Harrisburg, PA – During the first three months of 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reviewed and acted on more than 9,000 permit applications and ensured those permits were enforced properly by conducting more than 28,000 inspections of regulated facilities. Thanks to permitting modernization efforts under Governor Shapiro, DEP also continues to make progress on its permit backlog – announcing that it has reduced the backlog by 88%, from 2,400 permits to 300. DEP reviews more than 45,000 permit applications every year. These include permits for land clearing activities for construction projects, air quality permits for factories and power plants, permits to upgrade drinking waters systems to remove chemicals like PFAS, and permits for oil and gas wells. With more efficient permit review from DEP, businesses in Pennsylvania can put shovels in the ground more quickly while still ensuring their projects meet standards to protect clean air and clean water. DEP also conducted more than 28,000 inspections through March 31, 2025. DEP inspections include both scheduled and unscheduled on-site visits to permitted facilities, as well as document reviews to verify compliance with environmental laws and regulations. These inspections—whether on-site or operational—ensure that air emissions stay within air quality standards, drinking water remains safe, and rivers and streams are protected from pollution. “Under the leadership of the Shapiro Administration, DEP is committed to moving at the speed of business while ensuring that Pennsylvanians are getting the environmental protections that they deserve,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “We are working through the thousands of permit applications that we receive so that businesses in Pennsylvania know that they will get a decision on their application in a reasonable amount of time. At the same time, we are ensuring that the environmental protections in those permits are followed through our inspections.” DEP is modernizing its permitting process by investing in new technology and reviewing processes to identify and eliminate bottlenecks. In January, DEP launched a Permit Tracker ( pa.gov/services/dep/track-an-environmental-permit- application.html ) to allow applicants and residents to monitor the progress of permits as they move through the review process. Since 2023, DEP has also added 225 employees to carry out critical functions like public health and safety inspections and permit application reviews. DEP is working to implement the SPEED program, which was part of the bipartisan 2024-25 budget signed by Governor Josh Shapiro. The SPEED program offers increased flexibility, allowing permit applicants to have a DEP-verified and qualified professional conduct the initial review of the application. DEP staff will review the recommendations of the qualified professional and either make a final permit decision or identify technical deficiencies to the applicant. DEP will have final authority over all permit decisions. Applicants for eligible permits will agree to pay any review fees incurred by the qualified professional, in addition to permit application fees.