DEP Secretary John Quigley Monday announced a major reorganization of DEP’s water management responsibilities to provide additional protection of Pennsylvania’s water resources. Under this new structure, the current Water Management deputate has been split into a regulatory focused deputate, and a resources and planning deputate.
The Office of Water Management has been renamed the Office of Water Programs. Dana Aunkst, who most recently served as the Deputy Secretary for Field Operations, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for this Office.
Kelly Heffner has been appointed Special Deputy Secretary for Water Resources Planning. Kelly most recently served as the Deputy Secretary for Water Management.
The renamed Office of Water Programs will be comprised of the Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands, the Bureau of Safe Drinking Water, and the Bureau of Clean Water (formerly named the Bureau of Point and Non-Point Source Management).
In addition, we have created a dedicated Chesapeake Bay Office. DEP has also established a TMDL and Stream Restoration Division in the Bureau of Clean Water, which will be comprised of staff from the Bureau of Clean Water and the former Bureau of Conservation and Restoration.
Additional changes within this deputate include renaming the Bureau of Clean Water’s Planning and Conservation Division to the Planning and Permitting Division; and renaming the Bureau of Safe Drinking Water’s Planning and Conservation Division to the Permits Division.
Heffner will take the lead on water resource planning and partner outreach efforts, overseeing the Compacts and Commission Office (formerly the Interstate Waters Office), and a Planning and Conservation Division, which include staff from the former Bureau of Conservation and Restoration as well as the Bureau of Safe Drinking Water. This division will coordinate efforts with county conservation districts.
The acid mine drainage abatement and stream restoration function is being reassigned to the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, in a newly created Acid Mine Drainage Division.
The Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation is located in the Active and Abandoned Mine Operations deputate.
Although DEP is dissolving the Bureau of Conservation and Restoration, no staff positions have been lost through this reorganization. All staff members have been reassigned.
As part of this restructuring, the six regional offices in Field Operations will, until further notice, report directly to John Stefanko, Executive Deputy Secretary for Programs.
Elsewhere in the department, the Office of Environmental Advocate is renamed the Environmental Justice Office; and the Local Government Liaison Office is being moved to the Legislative Office.
These changes are effective immediately, and are part of Secretary Quigley’s ongoing work to ensure that our organizational structure continues to meet our operational needs.
A copy of DEP’s new organization chart is available online.
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