DEP cites more efficiency
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Increased permitting and inspection efficiency were highlighted in the 2018 Oil and Gas Annual Report released Wednesday by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said the department attained new levels of efficiency in the permit application and review process and site inspections in 2018.
“We continue to seek new avenues to improve customer service and environmental protection,” McDonnell said. “Gov. Wolf and DEP have made permitting and inspection efficiency a priority — reducing overall permit backlog by more than 90 percent since 2016, and improving inspection efficiency while ensuring compliance with our environmental regulations.”
The reports shows DEP personnel completed about 585 more compliance inspections at conventional and unconventional well sites than in 2017 — bringing the total to 36,873 — in part to surface activities inspection processes being moved to tablet computers, making them much more efficient and getting the results to operators and the public faster.
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