Office of Permitting and Registration

Dan Eden, Deputy Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

Air Permits
Permitting and Registration Support
Radioactive Materials
Waste Permits
Water Quality
Water Supply

The Office of Permitting and Registration is responsible for implementing the federal and state laws and regulations governing all aspects of permitting for the air, water, and waste programs. The office also oversees the investigation and cleanup of hazardous pollutants released into the environment, registers and manages the reporting requirements for certain facilities, and implements the petroleum storage tank reimbursement program. Office staffers in the agency’s bankruptcy program pursue debtors in United States bankruptcy courts for recovery of claims owed to the TCEQ.



Air Permits
Richard A. Hyde, P.E., Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

The Air Permits Division processes air permits and authorizations for facilities that, when operational, would emit contaminants into the atmosphere. The division does this through two major air permitting programs, New Source Review (NSR) Permits and Title V Federal Operating Permits.

New Source Review Permits
There are several potential air authorizations under the category of NSR Permits:
  • De Minimis
  • Permits by Rule (PBR)
  • Standard Permit (SP)
  • Construction, Modification
  • Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
  • Nonattainment
Title V Federal Operating Permits
There are two kinds of possible permits under the category of Title V Federal Operating Permits:
  • Site Operating Permit
  • General Operating Permit

Permitting and Registration Support
Dorca Zaragoza-Stone, Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

The Permitting and Registration Support Division promotes and supports various agency programs. Division responsibilities include the following:

Radioactive Materials
Susan Jablonski, P.E., Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

The Radioactive Materials Division performs activities associated with the licensing of facilities involved in the storing, processing, or disposing of one or more of the following: uranium ore, by-product radioactive waste, low-level radioactive waste, non-oil and gas naturally occurring radioactive waste (not oil and gas NORM waste), and radioactive waste generated from federal government activities.

The Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 401, authorizes the TCEQ to regulate the disposal of most radioactive substances in Texas. Also, the State of Texas is an "Agreement State" authorized by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to administer a radiation control program under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.

Waste Permits
Jacqueline S. Hardee, P.E., Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

The Waste Permits Division performs activities associated with the permitting and registering of facilities involved in the storing, processing, or disposing of one or more of the following: hazardous waste, nonhazardous industrial waste, municipal solid waste, special waste, and activities associated with the permitting, registration and authorization of Class I, III, and V wells in the underground injection control program. The division also:

  • performs technical analysis of notifications for waste management, including recycling of industrial and municipal solid waste;
  • performs technical analysis related to waste received from international sources;
  • performs technical analysis of submissions from regulated entities and
  • makes groundwater protection recommendations to the Railroad Commission of Texas and applicants for oil and gas wells, Class II injection wells, cathodic protection wells, and seismic programs.

Water Quality
L’Oreal Stepney, P.E., Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

The Water Quality Division is responsible for protecting the quality of water in Texas. This division:

Water Supply
Todd Chenoweth, Director
Staff: Address/Phone/Fax

The Water Supply Division is responsible for programs that ensure the efficient administration of surface water use; the production, treatment, delivery and protection of safe and adequate drinking water; and the provision of dependable, viable utility service at fair levels of compensation. The division performs the following functions:

  • Oversees public drinking water production, treatment, quality and delivery by implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
  • Assesses and protects sources of public drinking water.
  • Offers technical assistance on the design and operation of public water systems.
  • Guides public water systems on homeland-security preparation, response, and recovery.
  • Reviews applications for rate changes, certificates of convenience and necessity, utility sales, district creation, and district bond issues.
  • Reviews engineering plans for new or significantly modified public water systems or exceptions to TCEQ rules.
  • Assesses the financial, managerial, and technical capabilities of public water systems.
  • Reviews applications for surface water use, changes in water rights ownership, and use of riverbeds and riverbanks.
  • Supports interstate water compacts.
  • Maintains water-availability models for all river basins.
  • Evaluates water conservation plans and drought contingency plans.
  • Administers the Water-Saving Plumbing Fixtures Program.
  • Manages the Water Utility Database and the Water Availability Modeling Database.
  • Performs groundwater quality planning and assessments.
  • Supports the interagency Texas Groundwater Protection Committee Exit the TCEQ and the Texas Groundwater Protection Strategy.
  • Manages the state's plan for preventing groundwater pollution from pesticides and the state's program for the identification of priority groundwater-management areas.