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    Department of Environmental Protection

    Apply for a Department of Environmental Protection Blasting Permit

    You must have a permit to conduct blasting activities in Pennsylvania. For non-mining blasting activity, apply for a Blasting Activity Permit.  

    Download Application
    Download Application Instructions

    Overview

    You must have a permit to conduct blasting activities

    You can get a Blasting Activity Permit (non-mining) or Blast Plan as part of an active mining permit.

    Certain blasting activities that have a limited scope and impact may be eligible for a Permit-by-Rule (see below).

    All activities must be done by a Pennsylvania Licensed Blaster.

    How to Apply for Blasting Activity Permits

    To get a Blasting Activity Permit (BAP), a licensed blaster must submit the application. This permit is issued by the District Mining Office. 

    Contact your local Blasting and Explosives Inspector at the local District Mining Office

    The Permit-by-rule provision can be used for low-risk blasting only with the following conditions:

    1. Design and perform the blasts for a scaled distance of 90 or greater.
    2. During delays of less than 8 milliseconds, detonate no more than 15 pounds (6.81 kg) of explosives.
    3. The total charge weight per blast does not exceed 150 pounds (68.18 kilograms).
    4. The person has notified the DEP by approved means

    A Blasting and Explosives Inspector (BEI) will review your Permit-by-Rule. If the risk is too high for a Permit-by-Rule, authorities will ask you to submit at Blasting Activity Permit application instead.

    e-Blasting online applications are available for blasting activity permits and permit-by-rule. To use e-Blasting, you must first complete the securtiy request from for eBlasting.

    Permits for Blasting and Explosives

     
    • A person may not place explosives in or on the waters of this Commonwealth without a permit from the Fish and Boat Commission.
    • Blasting near streams is restricted. If it may change the stream's course, you need a permit from the DEP to do so.
    • You must have a permit to conduct blasting activities. A Blasting Activity Permit is used for non-mining purposes. For mining permits, include a Blast Plan as part of an active mining permit. Certain blasting activities that have limited scope and impact may be eligible for a Permit-by-Rule.
    • Before any excavation work (including blasting), contact the Pennsylvania One Call System as required by law. If the Blasting Activity Permit applicant is not the designer or primary contractor for the excavation, they must ensure that the designer or contractor contacts the Pennsylvania One Call System.
    • The PA One Call Work Request Form must specify blasting as the excavation method. This is to inform utility owners as required by law. Notify PA One Call to fulfill mandated utility owner notification requirements.

    Authorities must approve a site security plan for all explosive storage sites before issuing a storage license. We keep the locations of explosive storage sites secret.

    You can find Commonwealth regulations about above-ground explosives storage in Title 25 PA Code § 211(opens in a new tab.

    You can download applications for explosives storage licenses from our eLibrary. See “Apply for or Renew Department of Environmental Protection Explosives Storage License."

    Blast plans for individual mining permits are approved as  part of the mining permit application or they can be added at a later date through a revision. 

    You can download mine permit authorization packages from our eLibrary.

    Contact Us

    Contact the Explosives section of Bureau of Mining Programs via email at RA-EPExplosives@pa.gov or your local District Mining Office for more information.