DEP Works Thru Pandemic: 621 More Permits, 1,164 More Inspections Since Last Week

From March 16 to June 23, Department of Environmental Protection employees have been teleworking and using COVID-19 mitigation measures to continue to fulfill its mission.  DEP staff have--

-- Conducted 19,227 inspections - 1,164 more than last week;

-- Processed 8,569 permit applications and authorizations - 621 more than last week;

-- Processed 94 percent of Permit Decision Guarantee applications and authorizations; and

-- Responded to 93 environmental emergencies, five more than last week.

DEP has also developed a process for companies to request suspension of regulatory or permit condition requirements to provide life-sustaining activities.

To date, DEP has granted requests to suspend a regulatory or permit condition to 38 entities so they may continue operating during the pandemic, one more than last week.

DEP is prioritizing field inspections that are critical to public health and safety. DEP staff are working remotely, and responding to complaints related to issues critical to public health and safety.

DEP will continue to respond in the field to environmental emergencies that present an immediate threat to public health and safety.

To report environmental emergencies, please call 1-800-541-2050.

Visit DEP’s Alert webpage for more information and updates.

Feedback Form

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting the public, businesses and local governments to rate their experience with the agency during the pandemic shutdown.

An online feedback form posted on its website allows users to rank their experience in five steps from very positive to very negative.

It also allows users to fill in written comments and identify what county they are from.

Click Here to fill out the online form.

Related Article:

DEP Launches Permit Application Upload Form To Expand Online Permit Application Submissions

[Posted: June 24, 2020]  PA Environment Digest