Agency of Natural Resources – Online Permitting

Vermont brings environmental permitting online


Situation

With stricter environmental legislation and regulations comes the need to manage a greater number of environmental permits, certifications, and licenses. With the volume of permit applications increasing each year, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) needed a plan. Without a more efficient way to address the permitting process, DEC staff would soon be overwhelmed simply by trying to manage the applications for permits – not to mention monitoring and enforcing permits that were granted.

To meet this need, DEC and Competitive Computing (C2) worked together to create eDEC. As the welcome page states, eDEC is “a secure site for submitting environmental permits, transmittals, certifications, and reports electronically to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).” Phase 1 includes applicant and DEC administration functionality for two permits – the Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permit and Underground Storage Tank Permit.

Results

eDEC serves the Vermont constituency with greater online capabilities and creates efficiency within DEC permit programs by automating many of the processes related to permit applications. eDEC is integrated with the programs’ permit databases as well as with the Business Office which allows for permit fees (paid by credit or debit card) to automatically flow from eDEC to a third-party payment processor to the State of Vermont financial system.

Phase 1, while launching functionality for two specific permits, also provided the foundation for the nearly forty permits not yet brought online. The next phase, currently underway, will add Waste Water On-Site Permit functionality.

Learn more about C2's e-Government Services.