Stewarding Our Natural
Resources, Ensuring A
Sustainable Economy
Commissioner Patricia Aho
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and 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 ($600K 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/dep