Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced the first approved permit under the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program to ensure a significant mixed-use development in York can deliver new townhomes, apartments, and storefronts on time for the community. The permit approved under the SPEED program is a major modification for an existing Chapter 102 Stormwater Management permit for the Towns at York Creek in York, PA.
“Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, we have worked hard to cut bureaucratic red tape to better serve Pennsylvanians. SPEED demonstrates that DEP is committed to getting stuff done and moving at the speed of business with our partners,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Not only have we been successful in speeding up DEP’s permitting review, but we were able to do it while still protecting the environment. A DEP-approved qualified professional conducted the initial review of the application, allowing for a more efficient environmental review by DEP staff and a faster decision.”
From the date the application was submitted to the date it was approved, DEP was able to review the permit in 51 days, which included the mandatory 30 calendar-day period for public comment – less than half of the time that allotted for review of Chapter 102 Stormwater Management permits under the Governor’s PAyback program, a first in the nation program that allows eligible Pennsylvanians to receive a refund for their permit is not completely processed by the Commonwealth in a set timeframe.
The permit will benefit both the local economy and the environment. Not only will it increase the housing supply in the community – a top priority for the Shapiro Administration – but will help manage stormwater runoff in the building’s development to make sure that more pollution does not flow into the nearby creek when it rains.
DEP launched the SPEED program in June for Chapter 102 Stormwater Management permit applications, and has since expanded SPEED to include permits for certain Air Quality Plan Approvals, earth disturbance, dam safety, and individual water obstruction and encroachment permits. Just last week, Governor Shapiro secured an additional three new permit types that will be reviewed as part of SPEED – storage tank site specific permits, Mining GP-103 Small Projects permits, and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation permits – through the signing of the 2025-26 budget.
DEP continues to modernize its permitting process by investing in new technology and reviewing processes to identify and eliminate bottlenecks to better serve the people of Pennsylvania. In January, DEP launched a Permit Tracker to allow applicants and residents to monitor the progress of permits as they move through the review process – and thanks to the 2025-26 budget, DEP will soon have a public tracker and database of the permits that are being specifically processed through the SPEED program.
Click the image below to watch the recording of the announcement.
DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley speaks at the Towns at York Creek in York, PA
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