The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has launched what it claims is the first online air quality permitting and payment process.
It hopes to use the fully automated internet site, developed with Virginia-based American Management Systems Inc., to help large and small companies apply for permits, from large petrochemical manufacturers down to service stations.
New Jersey said it hopes the ease of use of the website and the short approval time (about 6 min, it estimates) will encourage environmental compliance.
The new process requires no paperwork or manual intervention by NJDEP staff.
NJDEP is already planning to expand its internet-accessible processes to include online renewal of air permits, electronic reporting of excess air emissions reports, submittal of additional types of general air permits, submittal of annual public right-to-know surveys, and registration of underground storage tanks.
"This innovative partnering of technology and environmental permitting advances Gov. Christine Todd Whit- man's goal of making New Jersey the 'online' state," NJDEP Commissioner Bob Shinn said. "With this project, we are able to reduce paperwork, shorten approval times, encourage environmental compliance, and refocus our staff on issues that have a greater environmental benefit."
"With the creation of this general air permits application, we now have a way to get timely approvals for small pieces of equipment at our facilities," said J. Russell Cerchiaro, manager, environmental regulatory affairs and program development for Schering-Plough Corp.
"And through an online process, with digital signature capabilities, our permits can be transmitted with the required authentication simply with the click of a mouse."
