Stewarding Our Natural Resources, Ensuring A Sustainable Economy Commissioner Patricia Aho MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Protecting Maine’s Air, Land Water
Without our natural resources, we won’t have fishing, farming, or forestry. Without our natural resources, we wouldn’t be “Vacationland” or “The Way Life Should Be. ” Without the views of our mountains, lakes, coast, or our rolling fields – we won’t have tourism. We won’t be Maine. MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
DEP By the Numbers 410 staff Four offices -Central Maine Regional Office/Commissioner’s Office (Augusta) -Southern Maine Regional Office (Portland) -Eastern Maine Regional Office (Bangor) -Northern Maine Regional Office (Presque Isle) $60. 4 million spending (less than 10% from general fund) MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
DEP By the Numbers Issue 5, 000+ licenses/permits Respond to nearly 3, 000 oil and hazmat spills Partner in training, funding the 2800 inspectors who conducted 76, 000+ courtesy boat inspections in 2011 Facilitated and partially-funded creation of 20 community water districts $1. 3 million in enforcement in 2011 ($600 K to SEPs) Oversee: 45 active landfills/230 active transfer stations 882 gravel pits/100 in UTs 500+ long-term remediation sites MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
PRIORITY: IMPROVE PERMITTING PROCESS Permit Area 2010 Average 2011 Average Land (W/PBRS) 30 Days 27 Days Land (W/O PBRS) 78 Days 64 Days Solid Waste 196 Days 169 Days • Since May 2011, the Air Bureau has reduced its license backlog (dating back to 2006) by 71% MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
“Working with the DEP on our expansion project was much easier than I anticipated. I prepared for the worst and was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly it went. From the timely site inspection to the quick meeting date for the application review, all went without a hitch. I expect our expansion to be completed on time with DEP’s help. This addition will allow us to house five new machining centers and create a minimum of 15 new, good-paying jobs with excellent benefits. ” -Kevin Nelson, VP of Operations, Mid-State Machine Products, Winslow MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
“I would like to express what a quick turnaround means for everyone involved. Many municipalities in Maine will not issue site plan approval contingent on approval of a Stormwater Management Law Application. That means we must have a DEP permit in hand before the municipality will give site plan approval. Some even go as far to require a permit be submitted four weeks in advance of any final site plan meeting. As you know, this creates timing nightmares for Developers and other applicants that can delay construction for 4 -6 months depending on the season. To get our permits quicker means municipalities will begin to collect taxes earlier, local contractors in the area will go to work earlier, and 12 -15 employees of the TSC store will be employed earlier. ” -Chris Kettler, Michigan-based developer of seven Tractor Supply Stores in Maine MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
Priority: Enhance Culture of Cooperation • Senior team has private & public sector experience • Refocused Office of Assistance/Assistance Hotline • Launched facility manager pilot project • Launched in-house cross-media licensing team • Relaunch of Governor’s Awards for Env. Excellence • Overhaul of DEP website MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
New Website MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
Priority: Regulatory Reform • In-house rule audit (existing 200 rules) • LD 1 authorized OC routine technical rulemaking – Repealed five rules outdated due to newer state or fed regulations & improved technology – Adopted six rules (including beneficial reuse of wood ash and isopropyl alcohol) – 10 +/- currently in process at DEP/3 major substantive at BEP MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
Regulatory Reform Continued – Storage of lobster traps on docks – NRPA amendments regarding sand dunes – Beneficial reuse – IWWH Permit-By-Rule – Shoreland zoning clarifications, flexibility – Minor source air permits from five to 10 years – Clarifications, exemptions to site law – Overhauling wastewater discharge fee system MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
Where We Are Headed • Focus on core priority implementation • Reassignment of LURC and SPO duties • Create efficiencies (internal and external) • Development a more multi-media trained staff – Assess pilot project results and implement recommendations • Predictable, pragmatic regulatory process • Encouraging engagement in Augusta MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
Stewarding our natural resources, ensuring a sustainable economy All of us here today share an appreciation for and have a collective commitment to Maine’s environment and natural resources. We also share the belief that we can have both a strong and healthy environment and a robust and sustainable economy. Thank you for joining us to move Maine forward together. MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www. maine. gov/dep
WWW. MAINE. GOV/D EP
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