keepingSCORE January 2012 - BIPAC

Budget Energy Environment Health Care Infrastructure Labor Legal Tax Workforce
DEFINING SUCCESS
Any state legislative or regulatory policy to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions must stem from federal legislative authority;
be based on sound science; recognize that a diverse
fuel source is a necessary component of Pennsylvania’s
economy; rely on market driven solutions to identify technologies;
and provide sufficient time to bring enabling energy
technologies to market.
As the state moves to finalize a state water plan, and works
to consider and implement regulatory programs from the
variety of basin commissions and compacts involved in managing
water in the Commonwealth, it must be done in a manner
that does not advantage one sector of the economy to
the detriment of another.
In September, the Corbett Administration announced a major reorganization of the Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP). Secretary Michael Krancer and his team evaluated the agency’s existing structure
to assess its operational efficiency, improve coordination, and enhance communication to improve its
ability to protect the Commonwealth’s environmental resources. The reorganization announced in September
is intended to move DEP’s focus back to essential environmental protection practices and permitting
functions. The reorganization at a glance consists of the following points:
Office of Oil and Gas Management. This new entity is created by transforming the Bureau of Oil
and Gas Management to provide better oversight of the natural gas industry. The integration of
both central staff and field staff under the same management structure will enhance the uniformity
of DEP’s administration of the oil and gas industries.
Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields. The restructuring ensures that all site remediation
activities conducted under PA’s Land Recycling Program are closely coordinated. This
new Bureau will allow DEP to incorporate all aspects of site cleanup under one structure to reflect
environmental cleanup programs statewide.
GETTING IN THE GAME
Keep up-to-date with environmental news by bookmarking DEP’s
newsclips. Click here for the page.
Office of Water Management. This restructured office will integrate programs operating under
the same set of state and federal regulations for a uniform management structure. All of DEP’s
stream restoration will be combined under a new Bureau of Conservation and Restoration to
enhance communication among restoration programs.
Office of Program Integration. This new office will develop and coordinate the implementation of
initiatives and programs within DEP. This office will assist Field Operations by creating a consistent
approach to statewide initiatives and policies.
Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance. The Office of Energy and Technology Deployment
is restructured and renamed the Office of Prevention and Energy Assistance. This office
will continue to foster the deployment of alternate energy sources plus it will work with regional
staff to reach out and help companies achieve greater pollution prevention, energy efficiency,
and improved compliance efforts.
Pennsylvania Business Council 116 Pine Street, Suite 201 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101 717-232-8700 www.pabusinesscouncil.org