DEP To Revise Permit Review Public Participation Policy

The Department of Environmental Protection notified the Citizens Advisory Council Tuesday it is in the process of updating the agency’s public participation policy on permit reviews.
DEP’s permit review public participation policy guides when and how the public is involved in decision-making in the agency on individual permit applications. It was last updated in 2005.
The policy addresses how and when public comment periods are held, when public information meetings and hearings are encouraged, how access to permit files is managed and requires the agency to respond to public comments.
The Council, as the primary body in DEP charged by statute to oversee public participation issues in the department, strongly requested DEP to make the Council its first stop for input in developing the new policy before it is published for public comment.
DEP said they hope to have the new policy ready for comment by the end of the year.