PA DEP Southwest Office Says Permit Backlog Down 75% Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 One of the long-running complaints from shale drillers across Pennsylvania has been the amount of time it takes the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue a simple permit–like an erosion and sediment control permit. Please Login to view this content. (Not a member? Join Today!) Related