Environmental Protection

Transformation at Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has a very serious job – protect our land, water, air, natural and historical resources for years to come.  Unfortunately, the DEP was more well-known for being a bureaucratic nightmare.  Permits for even simple site expansions that had no environmental impact could take months or even years.  Companies feared the DEP not because of their environmental enforcement powers, but because their involvement could stall a construction or renovation project, costing New Jersey money and jobs.

Under the Christie Administration, the DEP is undergoing a serious transformation from an agency filled with red-tape to a department willing to break down unnecessary hurdles while still enforcing some of the toughest environmental laws in the nation.  Since January of 2010, DEP has released several strategic documents highlighting their ideas for reform. 

Major points to note from the documents are:

“It is crucial to understand how actions of this agency can impact the State’s economic growth, to recognize the interconnection of the health of New Jersey ’s environment and its economy, and to appreciate that environmental stewardship and positive economic growth are not mutually exclusive goals.”  - DEP Vision Statement

“A top priority for the DEP will be to establish a culture that performs efficiently, elevates customer service and manages through the effective use of metrics.” – DEP Vision Statement

“We must eliminate unnecessary functions that are not critical to the Department’s mission, and reallocate resources to functions that are mission critical.” – DEP Transformation Plan

“We must enable ourselves to have greater flexibility withour regulations. Too often, we tie our own hands by adopting regulations that were developed using a one-size-fits-all approach.” – DEP Transformation Plan

Below are links to the full documents of DEP’s 2010 Vision Statement and their Transformation Plan. 

Department of Environmental Protection 2010 Vision Statement

Department of Environmental Protection Transformation Plan