WVDEP ISSUES ENFORCEMENT GUIDELINES DURING
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
On Monday, March 30, 2020, The Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia received notice of temporary environmental enforcement and compliance guidelines that will immediately be instituted by the WV Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) in conjunction with those issued on March 26 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and entitled “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program”. The USEPA guidelines are retroactive to March 13, 2020. Click here to read.
Working in unison with the West Virginia Manufacturers Association, please be advised that:
- The WVDEP has contacted all labs and engineering firms used by permittees and have been advised that all are operating normally at this time.
- WVDEP inspectors continue with day-to-day inspections while observing social distancing and other safety measures.
- The WVDEP also plans continue with regular inspections of major source NPDES permittees.
- The agency is sensitive to compliance issues and payment of fees related to COVID-19 and is committed to working with individual companies on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate path forward. Companies are advised to contact the division directors with details when seeking extensions.
- Additional information from the USEPA may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/enforcement-policy-guidance-publications
For more information about COVID-19 prevention and more, call the State’s toll-free hotline at 1800-887-4304 or visit www.Coronavirus.wv.gov.
For more WVDEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter, Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/depwv/, and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.”
