Pennsylvania DEP Opens Second Comment Period for Permit Decision Guarantee Policy

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Environmental Protection announced today the opening of a supplemental 30-day public comment period on the Permit Decision Guarantee policy as part of its annual review.

"In order to gather as much input as possible from stakeholders we have decided to open a second public comment period on this policy," DEP Acting Secretary Chris Abruzzo said. "The comments we receive after this first year of implementation will help shape the future direction of DEP's permitting."

Following the comment period, a comment response document and an annual report will be drafted detailing implementation highlights in the first year, as well as any changes made to the policy and associated permits as a result of internal and external comments.

Details on where comments can be submitted on the final policy will be provided when the technical guidance is published on Saturday, Nov. 2, in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, the commonwealth's official publication source for technical guidance.

In conjunction with the public comment period, DEP also released the fourth and final quarterly report on its revised permitting policies. The report shows that the policies have resulted in overall timelier permit decisions and more efficient decisions on applications.

Since permit improvement policies have been implemented, DEP now makes 95 percent of permit decisions within the guaranteed timeframes outlined in the Permit Decision Guarantee policy.

"One year has passed since Governor Corbett challenged DEP to improve our efficiency as it relates to permit applications. During that year, DEP staff rose to the occasion; came up with a plan; and have carried out that plan. This has allowed us to clear the backlog of permits without sacrificing the quality of our permit review process," Abruzzo said.

For more information or to view the quarterly report, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click the "Permit Decision Guarantee" button on the homepage.

To visit the Pennsylvania Bulletin website, visit www.pabulletin.com.

Media Contact: Lisa Kasianowitz, 717-787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

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