Glossary of Common DEEP Terms

An Environmental Permitting Fact Sheet

The following terms are frequently used by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Many of these terms are defined in a statute or regulation. This glossary is only intended to assist you in using these fact sheets.

Term Definition
Applicant A person who files an application with the Department
Application A request for a Department license or renewal thereof, for a modification of a Department license if the modification is sought by the licensee, for certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Section 1341, or for a variance
CAA Federal Clean Air Act - The original CAA was passed in 1963, but our national air pollution control program is actually based on the 1970 amendments to the Act. Today, federal and state governments are working with the most comprehensive amendments, the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, which have eleven titles addressing such issues as attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, mobile sources, hazardous air pollutants, acid rain, permits, stratospheric ozone protection, enforcement, research, etc.
CEPA Connecticut Environmental Policy Act
CERCLA Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), as amended
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CGS Connecticut General Statutes
COC Cost of Cleanup
COP Certificate of Permission
CPPU Central Permit Processing Unit
CWA Clean Water Act
Commissioner The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection or the Commissioner's agent
Connecticut Coastal Management Act CCMA:  CGS Sections 22a-90 to 22a-112
Contested Case A proceeding, including but not restricted to rate-making, price fixing and licensing, in which the legal rights, duties or privileges of a party are required by statute to be determined by an agency after an opportunity for hearing or in which a hearing is in fact held, but does not include proceedings on a petition for a declaratory ruling under CGS Section 4-176 or hearings referred to in CGS Section 4-168
DEEP Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DPH Department of Public Health
ECAF Environmental Condition Assessment Form
EIE Environmental Impact Evaluation
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EPA Environmental Protection Agency - Federal Agency responsible for overseeing environmental laws enacted by congress
Environmental Equity The Department has developed an environmental equity policy that states: no segment of the population should, because of its racial or economic makeup, bear a disproportionate share of the risks and consequences of environmental pollution nor be denied equal access to environmental benefits.
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FIFRA The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. 135 et seq., as amended by the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act of 1972, 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq., and as may be amended from time to time
FOIA Freedom of Information Act (Connecticut's laws dealing with Public Records and meetings are codified in CGS Chapter 3; CGS Section 1-19 specifically deals with access to public records.)
FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact
FWPCA Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. section 466 et seq. as amended
GIS Geographic Information System
Hazardous Waste As defined in CGS Section 22a-448, any waste material which may pose a present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported or disposed of or otherwise managed including waste identified in accordance with Section 3001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 USC 6901 et seq.).
Hearing Officer An individual appointed by an agency to conduct a hearing in an agency proceeding; such individual may be a staff employee of the agency.
Intervenor A person, other than a party, granted status as an intervenor by an agency in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of CGS Section 4-176 or subsection (b) of CGS Section 4-177a.
IWRD Inland Water Resources Division
LEP Licensed Environmental Professional (CGS Section 22a-133v)
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards - The maximum concentrations of pollutants permitted in the ambient air for six "Criteria Pollutants" as required in the Clean Air Act to protect public health and the environment. The Criteria Pollutants are: carbon monoxide, lead, oxides of nitrogen, ozone, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide.
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
Non-attainment Area A geographical area considered by the EPA to have air quality which fails to meet the NAAQS for a given pollutant. In Connecticut there are two ozone non-attainment areas. The southwestern part of the state is in the "severe" category and the rest of the state is in the "serious" category. The state is also currently in non-attainment for carbon monoxide in certain towns.
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System under the FWPCA
OLISP Office of Long Island Sound Programs
PERD Water Permitting, Enforcement and Remediation Division of the Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance (presently is known as WPED - Water Permitting and Enforcement Division)
Pollution Prevention Taking action to reduce the use of toxics and other potentially harmful materials at the beginning of a process or operation; pollution prevention is also referred to as "P2".
Pesticide Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest, or any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant
POTW Publicly Owned Treatment Works
RCRA Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.)
RCSA Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (These are the regulations promulgated under the authority of CGS.)
Recycling The processing of solid waste to reclaim material for reuse
RRF Resources Recovery Facility
Rules of Practice This refers to the rules that govern practice in all DEEP proceedings, including regulation-making, declaratory rulings, licensing, and contested cases; see RCSA Sections 22a-3a-2 through 22a-3a-6.
SCEL Stream Channel Encroachment Lines
SIP State Implementation Plan - Plans and programs developed by the State to achieve and maintain the NAAQS, as required by the CAA
SDWA Federal Safe Drinking Water Act 42 U.S.C. section 300f et seq. as amended
Solid Waste Unwanted or discarded solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous material, including, but not limited to: demolition debris; material burned or otherwise processed at a resources recovery facility or incinerator; material processed at a recycling facility; and sludges or other residue from a water pollution abatement facility, water supply treatment plant or air pollution control facility
Transfer Act CGS Sections 22a-134a to 22a-134d
UAPA Connecticut's Uniform Administrative Procedure Act, CGS Chapter 54 Sections 4-166 through Sections 4-189
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The Federal agency that regulates certain activities in wetlands and waterways.
WEED Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division of the Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance
WPED Water Permitting and Enforcement Division of the Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance
WQC Water Quality Certification/Certificate
WQS Water Quality Standards
Contact Information Permit Assistance Office
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106-5127
860-424-3003
This overview is designed to answer general questions and provide basic information. You should refer to the appropriate statutes and regulations for the specific regulatory language of the different permit programs.

 

Fact Sheet: DEP-FS-007


Content Last Updated on November 7, 2011

 

Users Guide to Environmental Permits