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ARTICLE · 23 JANUARY 2026

PA Budget Legislation Expands SPEED Program And "Deemed Approvals" For Certain Permits

Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox
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This past year, part of the Pennsylvania budget compromise signed by Governor Shapiro expands the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program...

United StatesEnvironment
Todd D. Kantorczyk
Todd D. Kantorczyk

This past year, part of the Pennsylvania budget compromise signed by Governor Shapiro expands the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program and adds a new deemed approval process for eligible permits. Regarding the SPEED program, Act 45 added three new permits that are eligible to have an initial review of specific environmental permits conducted by qualified professionals approved by PADEP. The three new permits are:

  • Storage tanks permitted under Chapter 245
  • Short-term construction permits for non-coal surface mines permitted under Chapter 77, and
  • Concentrated animal feeding operations permitted under Chapter 92

Act 45 also requires PADEP to issue decisions on the current set of air quality general permit plan approvals and permits within 30 days of application, so long as PADEP identifies any technical deficiencies within 20 days of application and the applicant responds to the technical deficiencies within 25 days

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