DEP cuts permit backlog 98% with tech, new programs

• DEP cut permit backlog by 98%, from 2,400 to fewer than 50

• Over 58,000 inspections completed to ensure environmental compliance

• New SPEED and PAyback programs modernize permit process and guarantee timely reviews

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reduced permit backlog by 98% in 2025, launched SPEED and PAyback programs, and completed 58,000 inspections to protect clean air and water.

According to a release, during the first six months of 2025, the DEP has reviewed and acted on 19,977 permit applications between Jan. 1 and June 30. The permit backlog has decreased from over 2,400 permit applications to fewer than 50.

DEP has also conducted more than 58,000 inspections of regulated facilities to ensure compliance with environmental laws. DEP inspections include both scheduled and unscheduled on-site visits to permitted facilities, as well as document reviews to verify compliance with environmental laws and regulations. On-site or operational inspections ensure that air emissions stay within air quality standards, drinking water remains safe, and rivers and streams are protected from pollution, per the release.

“The Shapiro Administration is committed to getting stuff done – moving our permit reviews at the speed of business without sacrificing environmental protections,” DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley said in a statement. “With new tools like the permit tracker and programs like Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) DEP will continue provide certainty for Pennsylvania businesses and environmental protection for Pennsylvania communities.”

The SPEED program was launched by the DEP on June 30 for Chp. 102 permit applications. Applications will be accepted later this summer for certain Air Quality Plan Approvals, earth disturbance, dam safety, and individual water obstruction and encroachment permits.

DEP is modernizing its permitting process by investing in technology and reviewing processes to identify and eliminate bottlenecks. A Permit Tracker was launched by the DEP in January to allow applicants and residents to monitor the progress of permits as they move through the review process. Since 2023, DEP has also added 225 employees to carry out critical functions like public health and safety inspections and permit application reviews.

Three of the six DEP regional offices (Southwest, South Central, and Southeast) have eliminated their permit backlogs entirely.

DEP reviews more than 45,000 permit applications every year. These include permits for land clearing activities for construction projects, air quality permits for factories and power plants, permits to upgrade drinking waters systems to remove chemicals like PFAS, and permits for oil and gas wells.

DEP has also implemented the PAyback program, which went into effect in November 2023 that assures a moneyback guarantee for permit applicants if their application is overdue for review by DEP. Since going into effect, DEP has evaluated and decided on more than 68,000 permits without having to refund a single application fee.