GOVERNOR CRIST AND SECRETARY SOLE INTRODUCE NEW PERMITTING NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
March 20, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE
(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole launched a new system for e-mail notification of permit applications for the public. The Permitting Application Subscription Service, or PASS, allows the public to receive e-mail alerts when permit applications are submitted to DEP. The announcement, made during Sunshine Week, observed March 16-22, 2008, furthers the state’s commitment to open government and quality of life.
“Services like PASS are just one more way we are working to create a more open, transparent government for the people of Florida,” said Governor Charlie Crist. “Our goal is to increase access to government for all Floridians, and I am glad DEP is improving services for residents, business owners, and professionals in the field.”
PASS allows any interested party to access information about environmental permit applications received by the agency in any area of Florida. Users provide an e-mail address and identify locations of interest as well as activities of interest, and then will receive e-mail notification with more information when permit applications are received at DEP that match the specifications chosen by the member of the public. Subscribers will receive an e-mail identifying application information such as project ID, location name and ID, and permit application number as well as contact information for the appropriate permitting office.
“While many industries and individuals are already familiar with our regulatory permitting system at DEP, this new notification service will be enormously useful to all businesses, citizens, and professionals,” said DEP Secretary Sole. “This innovation will require a new step in review by our teams involved, and I am grateful to them for building and maintaining this new public service that supports open government at its best.”
As part of DEP Secretary Sole’s efforts to improve customer service, PASS offers a number of choices to allow users to personalize their subscriptions. PASS allows subscribers to create and modify multiple profiles for the same e-mail address, and provides several ways to specify geographical area of interest. For example, users can select all activities inside chosen counties, within a specified distance of an address such as a home, or within a specified distance from a given point on the map such as vacant land. In addition, subscribers can request electronic notification for 11 different permit groups representing 125 different types of permits that DEP facilitates under state regulatory law.
Earlier this year, DEP launched an online survey to collect public input and identify areas of improvement within the agency. The survey is available on the main page of the department’s Web site, www.dep.state.fl.us, and a link to the survey is included in all external e-mails from all agency staff. DEP Secretary Mike Sole also appointed an ombudsman for the agency last year, who oversees DEP’s Office of Public Services. Last year, to support Governor Crist’s open-government efforts and the Open Government Bill of Rights, a DEP team created an “open government” Web page to provide instant access to the answers for frequently asked questions with tailored contact information. For more information on the Office of Public Services or to request public records, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/ps/default.htm.
To access PASS, visit http://pass.dep.state.fl.us. For more information about DEP, visit www.dep.state.fl.us. To schedule a demonstration of this new service, please contact DEP at (850) 245-2112.
For more information about Governor Crist’s Office of Open Government, please visit http://www.flgov.com/og_home.
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