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Monday, September 27, 2004

Environment - Governor Kernan proposes reorganization

In a proposal for the reorganization of state government announced today, Indiana Governor Kernan has proposed nine cabinet offices, including one dealing with "cultural, natural, and environmental resources." (organization chart)

The proposal includes the creation of an Office of Environmental Permitting within the Cultural, Natural and Environment Resources Cabinet. (see p. 4 of this report). As explained in the document:

The Need. The state is responsible for issuing a range of environmental permits throughout Indiana. However, it is important that this direct service to business owners, residents, developers, local governments and others be as quick and efficient as possible, and without unnecessary hurdles. Currently, 25 permitting programs in two agencies have responsibility for issuing environmental permits. As a result, the permitting process is inefficient and confusing for Hoosier businesses and others. The state must take steps that guarantee a clearer process to make sure that laws and regulations are enforced consistently and at the mandated levels, as well as provide a quicker turnaround in permit applications.

Through the creation of the Office of Environmental Permitting, all of the state’s environmental permitting responsibilities will be coordinated through one agency. This will mean a “one-stop shop” for Hoosier business owners, residents, local governments and others seeking permits. This office will consist of a central group of staff that will be responsible for:

• Receiving, distributing, assigning, tracking and coordinating the processing of certain environmental permits;
• Streamlining and improving permit processing;
• Managing the public process for permits;
• Enhancing the use of technology for permit receipt and processing;
• Coordinating projects requiring multiple state permits (and federal permits);
• Establishing permit processing goals and accountability measures; and,
• Reporting information on permit processing to the public.

Additionally, this new office will allow for the coordination of enforcement staff currently spread throughout separate divisions of state government. This coordination will help make sure response times are quicker, that enforcement actions are consistent and better protect our environment.

The Governor's proposal is called The Peak Performance Project. The Indianapolis Star has a brief story this afternoon on its website.

[Update 9/28/04] Lesley Stedman Weidenbener has good coverage today in the Louisville CJ. The Indianapolis Star has expanded coverage. One brief Star story is particularly interesting, a call for a look at the "quasi-publics," a subject written about here many times.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 27, 2004 03:17 PM
Posted to Environmental Issues