The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced a significant reduction in the backlog of permits awaiting processing.
The DEP has been able to achieve this success by hiring 15 additional staff members dedicated to processing permits and increasing the use of overtime staff. The additional staff members have enabled the DEP to clear the backlog of nearly 800 permits and reduce the overall number of permits awaiting processing to approximately 900.
The DEP has also made changes to its online permitting platform, allowing users to upload documents and payments for permit applications electronically. This new service, known as Public Upload, has been in operation since December 2023 and has received more than 7,100 documents, totaling more than $600,000 in revenue.
The department has also launched a pilot program to evaluate new procedures that are aimed at improving the quality of submissions and review efficiency of Chapter 102 Individual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit applications. This pilot program is expected to reduce the review timeframe by up to 73 business days and improve the quality of applications received.
To support these improvements, the DEP has created a Permit Application Consultation Tool (PACT) to better inform potential applicants of the permitting process and the specific permits they need. The department is also conducting research on user experience to continuously evaluate and improve the applicant experience and reduce bottlenecks in review.
The DEP is committed to continuing its efforts to modernize and improve its permitting processes to ensure that Pennsylvania remains open for business and environmental protection.