Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

8 Pages 1923 Words

re fully prepared to accept responsibility for our actions.
Protection - We are responsible for the protection of the air, land and water of the Commonwealth. We carry out our jobs in ways that will promote measurable environmental improvement, cooperation, innovation and sustainable development so future generations may share our wealth.
Teamwork - We recognize that, as a Department, our responsibilities are great and our numbers few. Just as our air, land and water together make up our environment, our goals can only be accomplished if we work cooperatively and support each other in the achievement of our common purpose.
Communication - We encourage the broadest two-way communication possible with all our constituencies by involving the public in decision-making opportunities through such techniques as regulatory negotiation and stakeholder groups and by disseminating information through all means possible.
Pollution Prevention - We promote the goal of zero discharge through pollution prevention and encourage compliance assistance and problem solving to stop pollution before it starts.
In this first year of the new millennium, DEP made great strides with our partners to improve and preserve Pennsylvania’s watersheds through new and innovative initiatives, literally returning Pennsylvania to its own natural heritage.
In the first year of Gov. Ridge’s historic Growing Greener initiative, DEP invested more than $80 million to bring environmental benefits to every county. Approximately $90 million in local matching funds doubled the impact of this investment.
Volunteers used their Growing Greener grants to form more than 50 new watershed groups, and restore 4,079 acres of wetlands and 137 miles of streamside buffers. In addition, 389 miles of streams impacted by acid mine drainage are being cleaned up, and 108 miles of stream improvement structures are being built.
In another emerging environmental issue, DEP joined the depar...