Governor Shapiro’s administration is introducing two new programs to enhance the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) permitting processes, thanks to investments from the 2024-25 bipartisan budget. The Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Economic Development (SPEED) program and the Chapter 105 Joint Permit Pilot Program are designed to reduce permit backlogs, accelerate application processing, and ensure that the state’s economy keeps moving efficiently.
These initiatives build on previous efforts to modernize DEP’s permit processes, including the successful pilot program for construction permits in 10 counties, which reduced review timelines by 73 days. The SPEED program allows applicants to have a DEP-verified professional conduct initial application reviews, while DEP retains final authority over decisions. The Chapter 105 Pilot Program aims to reduce errors and speed up processing times for individual joint permits, prioritizing publicly funded energy and environmental restoration projects.
Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, DEP has already made significant progress in reducing permit backlogs by 60 percent and improving overall efficiency. With these new programs, the Shapiro administration continues to streamline processes to better serve businesses and communities across Pennsylvania while maintaining strong environmental safeguards.
