House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

Posted:	February 17, 2021 05:35 PM
From:	Representative Jonathan Fritz
To:	All House members
Subject:	Transparent Framework for DEP Permit Decisions, Predictability

Please join me as a co-sponsor of legislation to establish a permitting framework at the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to ensure that decisions on permits are rendered reliably and in a timely manner. Under this legislation, DEP permit applications would be deemed to be administratively complete if accompanied by a professional engineer’s affidavit attesting to the sufficiency of the application. Unless DEP shows evidence before a neutral referee that the application is not sufficient, the permit would be deemed approved. For a permit or authorization that is not accompanied by an affidavit by a professional engineer, DEP would be required to render its decision within 45 days. This legislation does not reduce any legal requirements or environmental protection measures for the issuance of any permits, nor does it weaken the ability of DEP to review permit applications; it simply provides a more reliable, predictable framework for the issuance of permits. Unnecessary and unsubstantiated permit delays result in lost time and money. If we want Pennsylvania to make an unprecedented turnaround following COVID-19, we need state government to work with investors, not against them, to provide Pennsylvanians good-paying jobs and opportunities. I look forward to working with you on this proposal, which is part of the "Commonwealth’s COVID Comeback Legislative Package."
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Introduced as HB604