Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality

Leadership

State Environmental Quality Board

• One member must be a certified or registered environmental professional
• One member must be selected from manufacturing industry executives within the state
• One member must be selected from the hazardous waste industry executives within the state
• One member must be selected from the solid waste industry executives within this state
• One member must be well versed in recreational, irrigational, municipal or residential water usage
• One member must be selected from among the petroleum industries being regulated by the Department of Environmental Quality
• One member must be selected from the agriculture industries regulated by the Department of Environmental Quality
• One member must be selected from the conservation districts of the state
• Three members must be members of any statewide nonprofit environmental organizations
• One member must be a member of a governing body of a city or town in the state
• One member must be from a rural water district

Organization

• Environmental Quality Board
• *Executive Director
• **Deputy Executive Director
• ***Administrative Services Division - responsible for providing overall department leadership including human resources, finance, and central records.
• ***Air Quality Division - responsible for implementing the state and federal Clean Air Acts. These laws lay out requirements and strategies for reducing emissions and improving air quality in Oklahoma in order to protect public health and the environment.
• ***Environmental Complaints and Local Services Division - responsible for bringing the environmental programs of the DEQ to the local level and has some role in nearly all of the programs administered by the DEQ. They provide regulatory inspections and technical assistance for all facilities with a DEQ permit. Manages on-site sewage program including soil tests, design of systems, inspection of system installations and regulatory oversight of certified installers and septage pumpers and haulers. Responds to all citizen complaints regarding environmental pollution.
• ***Water Quality Division - responsible for maintaining clean water for Oklahoma by regulating facilities that produce and distribute public drinking water and that treat, transport, store, and discharge wastewater. Also responsible—in cooperation with other state agencies—for maintaining water quality standards in Oklahoma's lakes, rivers, and streams.
• ***Land Protection Division - responsible for inspection and permitting hazardous waste and solid waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities, permits and inspects certain underground injection wells, manages radioactive materials, restores contaminated land to safe and useful conditions.
• ***State Environmental Laboratory Services Division - responsible for supporting customers inside and outside DEQ. Provides help by answering questions about programs for air, water and solid or hazardous waste. The organic and inorganic laboratories provide analytical support to various programs within DEQ, to other state agencies, to the state's 1,700 public water supply systems and to citizens who request services.

  Budget and Staffing