Agency Overview
With a biennial budget of approximately $174 million and 264 authorized employees, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) contributes to Wyoming’s quality of life through a combination of monitoring, permitting, inspection, enforcement and restoration/remediation activities, which protect, conserve and enhance the environment while supporting responsible stewardship of our state’s resources. By minimizing pollution, enabling responsible economic development, and restoring previously polluted and contaminated sites, DEQ provides benefits not just to businesses, but to all citizens of Wyoming, as well as all visitors who benefit from the quality of life we share in this great state.

Agency Background & Structure
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was established by the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act and Industrial Development Information and Siting Act pursuant to W.S. §§ 35-11-101 through 2001 and W.S. § 35-12-101 through 119 respectively. As Wyoming’s environmental regulatory agency, DEQ is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of delegated federal programs under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, as well as other state environmental regulatory programs.

DEQ consists of seven divisions; Air Quality, Water Quality, Solid and Hazardous Waste, Land Quality, Industrial Siting, Abandoned Mine Lands, and Administration. DEQ has 264 employees located in Cheyenne, Sheridan, Lander, Casper, Rock Springs and Pinedale. Approximately, 64% (170) FTE are located in the Cheyenne office. Together we ensure that Wyoming’s natural resources are managed to maximize the economic, environmental and social prosperity of current and future generations. DEQ does this through a combination of monitoring, permitting, enforcement, remediation, and restoration activities which protect conserve and enhance the environment while supporting responsible stewardship of Wyoming’s resources. Other important DEQ functions include human resources, accounting, and emergency response. Together DEQ’s programs serve over 5,000 businesses operating thousands of facilities across the state.

To effectively deal with legislative mandates and new and on-going environmental management requirements, DEQ continually works to identify efficiency opportunities in programs to optimize staffing and other resources.  DEQ continues to develop and maintain IT initiatives, implement LEAN management principles, and optimize internal span of control to improve performance and efficiency of the agency. DEQ continually looks for opportunities to re-structure programs and collaborate with stakeholder groups to make the permitting process more effective and efficient.