HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania’s environmental agency says it has pulled off a feat years in the making: wiping out a massive permit backlog while pushing through tens of thousands of applications and inspections — and then turning around days later to invest more than $4.1 million to keep edible food out of landfills and on tables across the state.
The Department of Environmental Protection said it reviewed and acted on more than 40,000 permit applications in 2025 and conducted more than 116,000 inspections of regulated facilities, calling the year a milestone for permitting efficiency and reform. DEP said it also eliminated its longstanding permit application backlog — a list that stood at more than 2,400 permits in November 2023 — reducing it to zero by October 2025. As of the end of January 2026, the backlog remained at zero, the agency said.
“The past year was huge for DEP’s permit efficiency efforts, including launching the brand new Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program, eliminating the historic permit backlog, and reviewing and acting on more than 40,000 permits,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “DEP will continue to build on this momentum going into 2026 as we launch a new Bureau of Permitting Coordination and add new permit types to the SPEED program. We also conducted more than 116,000 inspections last year to ensure that Pennsylvanians’ environment is safe.”
DEP said the new Bureau of Permitting Coordination will include two divisions: the Major Projects Permitting Division and the SPEED Division.
The Major Projects Permitting Division will handle permit applications for large-scale projects such as pipelines and electric transmission lines that can span multiple counties and DEP regions, the agency said. The SPEED Division will focus on applications submitted through the SPEED program, which launched in June and applies to certain permits, including some Air Quality Plan Approvals, earth disturbance permits, dam safety permits, and individual water obstruction and encroachment permits.
DEP said the first SPEED permit application was approved in November 2025 for a new housing development in York. The agency said it reviewed the permit in 51 days from submission to approval, a span that included the mandatory 30-day public comment period and was less than half of the time allotted for review of Chapter 102 Stormwater Management permits.
In calendar year 2025, DEP said it received 39,444 permit applications and took action on 40,450. The agency tied the backlog elimination to Governor Josh Shapiro’s PAyback program, saying the permit list had stood at 2,402 in November 2023 when the initiative launched. DEP also said that since PAyback began in 2022, the department has reviewed more than 485,000 permits eligible under the program and has not missed a deadline.
DEP said inspections in 2025 totaled 116,364 and included both scheduled and unscheduled on-site visits, as well as document reviews to verify compliance with environmental laws and regulations. The agency said inspections help ensure air emissions stay within standards, drinking water remains safe, and rivers and streams are protected from pollution.
The department also reported awarding more than $90 million in grants in 2025 for programs ranging from local recycling and waterway restoration to environmental education and abandoned mine land repair and reclamation. DEP’s Emergency Response Team responded to 283 environmental emergencies in 2025 — incidents that can range from fuel spills at traffic accidents to mine subsidence — providing on-scene coordination and follow-up to assess and implement cleanup measures, the agency said. DEP urged residents to report environmental emergencies by calling 1-800-541-2050.
Days after releasing its permitting and enforcement update, DEP announced it was investing $4,125,923 through the Food Recovery Infrastructure Grant Program to help nonprofits such as food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens reduce wasted food and fight hunger.
“This program is all about getting good, fresh food to the Pennsylvanians who need it most instead of going to waste in landfills,” Shirley said. “Nonprofit organizations such as food banks and soup kitchens play a vital role in providing sustenance to Commonwealth communities, so it’s important that the food they provide is transported and stored properly.”
DEP said the grants reimburse equipment costs, including refrigerators, freezers, vehicles, stoves, and microwaves used to store, transport, or prepare recovered food so it can be redistributed. Grants up to $50,000 were available per applicant, with special consideration for projects serving Environmental Justice areas, the agency said.
DEP also pointed to the environmental stakes of food waste, saying it releases greenhouse gases as it decomposes and represents a major portion of landfill material. The department cited estimates that food waste is the largest single component of Pennsylvania’s waste stream at nearly 1.6 million tons disposed, and an Environmental Protection Agency estimate that in 2018 more food was sent to U.S. landfills than any other material.
Across Chester County, DEP said five organizations received Food Recovery Infrastructure Grant awards: the Chester County Food Bank ($50,000), Kennett Area Community Service DBA KACS ($13,844), Phoenixville Area Community Services Inc. ($50,000), Safe Harbor of Chester County Inc. ($25,541), and the West Chester Food Cupboard ($8,728).
Statewide, DEP listed dozens of recipients across more than 30 counties, awarding funds to groups ranging from regional food banks to small community pantries and churches, with many receiving the maximum $50,000 allotment.
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