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DEP outlines remediation process improvements and PFAS response tools
Summary
Assistant Commissioner David Hames described reorganization of remediation divisions, faster permitting via certification checklists, public-subsidy pathways for affected private wells and ongoing PFAS soil surveys; the Contaminated Site Explorer and technical guidance updates aim to speed cleanup and public visibility.
David Hames, assistant commissioner for contaminated‑site remediation, told attendees the remediation program was reorganized to consolidate licensing, remedial action permitting, technical support, field operations and enforcement to improve effectiveness. He said the department has approximately 13,000 active cases and processes roughly 3,000–4,000 cases annually.
Hames described a remedial process improvement initiative that introduced certification checklists for LSRPs and PRCs; when a certification meets checklist criteria, the bureau can process a permit in roughly 30–40 days rather than the prior average measured in months. "As opposed to 300 plus days, we're getting these certifications processed ... in approximately 40 days," he said.
On PFAS, Hames summarized a state soil survey (≈157 samples across urban and rural sites) that found PFAS at high frequency but with most concentrations below the lowest levels of regulatory concern; some sporadic exceedances of migration-to-groundwater standards were observed. He also described interim and forthcoming PFAS soil and groundwater standards (PFNA, PFOA, PFOS, GenX) and a financial‑relief policy for homeowners: private wells that exceed specified financial‑relief concentrations can apply to the spill compensation fund for point‑of‑entry treatment or waterline hookups.
Why it matters: The combination of faster permitting pathways, clearer technical guidance, financial relief mechanisms and public GIS tools aims to speed remediation outcomes and make status information accessible to communities and practitioners. The transcript records DEP timelines for specific guidance and rule adoptions; those remain subject to the formal proposal and public‑comment processes.
