DEP Secretary: Open Letter To Stakeholders On Reorganization

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer sent the following "open letter" email to agency stakeholders in connection with the announcement of a reorganization of DEP to more efficiently regulate Marcellus Shale drilling and return the agency to its core mission--

Dear Partners,

I am pleased to announce a reorganization and new face for the PA Department of Environmental Protection. This reorganization will boost our institutional ability and agility to fulfill the department’s mission of protecting Pennsylvania’s air, land and water, enforcing our environmental laws and providing for the health and safety of our citizens.

I brought some ideas to the department with me when I got here and since arriving, I have spent a lot of time talking with many of you and listening to your ideas, suggestions and concerns. After several months of planning and a thorough analysis of all our programs and daily operations, we are now well positioned to take the next steps as an agency.

As you are aware and as many of you have experienced, the Department over the past few years began, to some degree, to drift away from its core mission of environmental protection. I know that as a partner and stakeholder, you want to see the Department move back to essential environmental protection practices and permitting functions, or “back to basics.”

This reorganization will improve coordination among programs; enhance communication between program development and implementation staff; and ensure statewide consistency throughout the agency. We will also be refocusing our efforts toward the Department’s core mission and get us back to basics. In addition, we are focusing on policy initiatives that are important to the Governor and to me.

Here is the essence of the salient features of this DEP Reorganization:

-- New Oil and Gas Deputate. The Oil and Gas Bureau moves from Mineral Resources and becomes its own deputate as the Office of Oil and Gas Management. The Deputate, which will be headed by an Acting Deputy Secretary, will integrate and unify Harrisburg and Regional personnel in this program into one structure to provide for unified regulation of the oil and gas industry. This move is a reflection of the Governor’s and my recognition of the importance of proper, vigorous and unified oversight of this industry and the role it promises to fill in Pennsylvania for years to come. We will also be able to provide for consistent and robust enforcement of our rules and regulations. This deputate will be divided into a “strategic” arm and a “tactical” arm. The Bureau of Oil and Gas Planning and Program Management will provide long-term strategic development. The District Oil and Gas Operations will be responsible for day-to-day implementation of regulatory operations and consistency of application of rules in the field. The District Oil and Gas Operations will be a single point of contact for permitting, compliance questions and regulatory interpretation questions.

-- New Office of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields. A new Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields will be established within the newly named Deputate for Waste, Air, Radiation and Remediation. This Bureau will bring under one roof and one Director all of our site remediation efforts and programs. This move is a reflection of the Governor’s and my belief in the importance of Brownfields development to Pennsylvania. Brownfields redevelopment is a “win-win” for everyone. We get community revitalization and new environmental protection both at the same time. Pennsylvania has the best and most agile site redevelopment program in the United States and this will help us focus our efforts in getting more sites redeveloped and attracting more capital to Pennsylvania to do so. The Office of Community Revitalization and Local Government Support is being disbanded. Obviously, its Community Revitalization functions are being significantly improved and taken up by the new Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields. Its local government support function has been being well served by our new Special Deputy for External Affairs since February.

-- New Bureau of Conservation and Reclamation (Acid Mine Drainage Program). The Bureau of Conservation and Reclamation will be formed and placed in the Water Management Deputate. This is our Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Program which had been grouped with our Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR). The AMD program’s focus is water; it does great work cleaning up water and waterways. It’s natural home is our Office of Water Management.

-- Programmatic Realignment, New Office of Program Integration. We are realigning our Harrisburg and Regional structures to match each other. We need to enforce the law in a consistent manner throughout the Commonwealth.

To put action behind the structural realignment, we are creating an Office of Program Integration headed by a Director whose job will be to develop and coordinate the implementation of initiatives and programs as well as to examine and improve program efficiency.

-- New Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance. We are creating an Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance which will be housed under the Special Deputy Secretary for External Affairs. This new Office will take over the role of the former Office of Energy Technology and Deployment. The Governor and I both believe in the importance of pollution prevention and compliance assistance and this Office will take the lead in those efforts, which involve outreach to all of you, our external stakeholders. Of course, the Commonwealth’s Energy Office will continue as it has been as a function within our Special Deputy for External Affairs.

These changes are in addition to earlier improvements in our organizational structure, including the creation of the Office of External Affairs and the placement of all environmental programs under the direction of an Executive Deputy Secretary for Programs. These changes and reorganization will not result in any layoffs.

As an agency, we are committed to working as partners with individuals, organizations, governments and businesses to prevent pollution and restore our natural resources through practices that balance economic growth with strong environmental stewardship. This reorganization will be the vehicle to achieve this balance through the uniform administration of the Department’s programs.

Please visit the Department’s website for more information and copies of the new organization chart.