DEQ director outlines agency programs, permitting workload and legal challenges before Senate committee

Bismarck — Department of Environmental Quality Director Dave Blott used his committee testimony to give an overview of the agency’s programs, recent accomplishments and several operational challenges, including permitting workload for large energy projects and litigation with federal regulators.

Blott described the DEQ as organized into seven divisions — Air Quality, Water Quality, Municipal Facilities, Waste Management and Chemistry, plus the Director’s Office and Accounting — and said the department employs about 173 FTEs across engineers, scientists, chemists, technicians and administrative staff.

Why it matters: The overview explains how the state implements federally delegated environmental programs, where the agency is relying on state primacy agreements, and how staffing and federal funding shifts affect permitting and oversight for major projects.

Primacy and permitting: Blott told the committee the DEQ…