SMG POV

Some of my most exciting work at SMG is to manage environmental permitting for new facilities or facility expansions.  Identifying all of the permits and registrations required is no simple job, especially when the site is located in a jurisdiction where we have not had previous projects.  It is common to have federal, state, and local environmental permits required for a project.  Environmental permits have processing time frames which range from a week to a year or more, so identifying the permits required and their regulatory time frames is a crucial step in project planning.

There are a number of common permits including air quality construction and operating permits, stormwater construction permits, stormwater operational permits, industrial wastewater discharge permits, floodplain construction permits, water withdrawal permits, and when water bodies, wetlands or streams are involved water quality certifications and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits.  There are also a number of required registrations and compliance plans for hazardous waste handling and material storage and handling for industrial facilities.  Specialized industries, such as waste treatment or energy generating units, have additional permitting and siting requirements.  Sites which are being developed often also require evaluation for threatened and endangered species and cultural and historic resources.

The Kentucky Division of Compliance Assistance (DCA) website has a great resource to identify common state permits for industrial facilities, application fees, and regulatory time frames.  The handout is located at this link on the DCA website.  This list is not a comprehensive list of state permits and does not address local or federal permits.  It is, however, useful for identifying those permits commonly needed by industry which are processed and issued by the Department for Environmental Protection.  I spend a majority of my time at Smith Management Group on permitting compliance, revisions, and permitting for new processes and facilities.  If you have a need for environmental permitting services, please contact me at 502-587-6482 x 211.