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    Bureau of Permitting Coordination

    Major Projects Permitting Division

    Formerly the Regional Permit Coordination Office

    The Major Projects Permitting Division (MPPD), formerly the Regional Permit Coordination Office, is a centralized permitting office within the Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Permitting Coordination. The Division supports regional offices with permitting under Chapter 102 (Erosion Control and Stormwater Management) and Chapter 105 (Wetland, Stream and Floodway Encroachments) and provides statewide technical support and coordination. The Division was originally established as the Regional Permit Coordination Office in January 2019 and began operating as the Major Projects Permitting Division on January 12, 2026.

    What does the Division do?

    The Division is responsible for the review and decision-making associated with complex and multi-region projects, including FERC-regulated natural gas transmission pipelines, large-scale linear infrastructure, transportation projects, and projects involving complex engineering or geologic considerations. Reviews are limited to activities requiring authorization under Chapter 102 and/or Chapter 105 and typically involve projects that span multiple counties or DEP regions, require coordinated review across DEP programs, or present elevated technical complexity.

    The Division also supports the review of select major economic development projects where coordinated review, technical complexity, or workload redistribution is necessary to ensure timely permitting decisions under Chapter 102 and/or Chapter 105.
     

    Primary Functions

    The Division’s primary functions include:

    • Project Review and Decision-Making
      Reviewing and making decisions on construction stormwater and stream/wetland encroachment permits for complex projects regulated under Chapter 102 and Chapter 105, including multi-county or multi-region linear infrastructure, pipeline, and transportation projects.

    • Engineering and Technical Support
      Providing statewide engineering and technical support on complex permitting issues, including projects involving trenchless technology, geologic hazards, contaminated sites, complex bedrock conditions, landslides, coal ash, and acid-producing rock.

    • Cross-Program Consistency and Alignment
      Assisting with cross-program consistency and alignment among DEP programs with authority to process permits and authorizations under Chapter 102 and Chapter 105, including Regional Offices, Oil and Gas, Dam Safety and Flood Protection, Mining Programs, and delegated County Conservation Districts.

    • Bureau Coordination and Technical Support
      Providing technical support to DEP regional offices and delegated County Conservation Districts on Chapter 102 and Chapter 105 permitting matters, in conjunction with established bureau personnel, including the:
    • Transportation Project Oversight
      Managing transportation-related coordination responsibilities under Memorandums of Understanding with PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, including statewide oversight, interagency coordination, and technical support.
      • For Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission projects, permit reviews on behalf of DEP are conducted by transportation-funded staff within the Division.
      • For PennDOT projects, permit reviews are conducted by transportation-funded staff within the appropriate regional offices, with Division support provided as needed.
         
    • Policy and Guidance Development
      Assisting with the development and maintenance of policies, guidance documents, technical manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and permit application materials related to Chapter 102, Chapter 105 permitting, and Section 401 Water Quality Certifications.
       

    Staffing and Organization

    The Division is staffed similarly to DEP regional programs responsible for Chapter 102 and Chapter 105 permitting and consists of a team of engineering and environmental reviewers. The Division does not include field staff; therefore, inspections, compliance, and enforcement activities remain the responsibility of DEP regional offices and delegated County Conservation Districts, with coordination and communication maintained as needed.

    Specialized staff roles supporting these responsibilities include:

    • A Transportation Coordinator to manage obligations under MOUs with PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
    • A Licensed Professional Geologist to support projects involving complex geologic conditions
    • A Water Program Specialist to assist with program coordination, consistency efforts, and compliance-related coordination for large or complex projects
    RPCO Regions Map

    Contact Information

    Address:
    PA Department of Environmental Protection
    Major Projects Permitting Division
    400 Market Street
    10th Floor Rachel Carson State Office Building
    Harrisburg, PA 17101
    Email: RA-EPREGIONALPERMIT@pa.gov
    Phone: 717-772-5987