For the purposes of the Oklahoma Uniform Environmental Permitting Act:

1. 1. “Application” means a document or set of documents, filed with the Department of Environmental Quality for the purpose of receiving a permit or the modification, amendment, or renewal thereof from the Department. Application includes any subsequent additions, revisions, or modifications submitted to the Department which supplement, correct, or amend a pending application;
2. 2. “Council” means any advisory council authorized by the Legislature to recommend rules to the Environmental Quality Board;
3. 3. “Draft permit” means a draft document prepared by the Department after it has found a Tier II or III application for a permit to be administratively and technically complete, pursuant to the requirements of the Oklahoma Environmental Quality Code and rules promulgated thereunder, and that such application may warrant the issuance, modification, or renewal of the permit;

4. 4. “Permit” means a permission required by law and issued by the Department, the application for which has been classified as Tier I, II, or III by the Board. The term “permit” includes but is not limited to:

   1. a. specific types of permits and other Department authorizations including certifications, registrations, licenses, and plan approvals, and
   2. b. an approved variance from a promulgated rule; however, for existing facilities the Department may require additional notice and public participation opportunities for variances posing the potential for increased risk;
5. 5. “Process meeting” means a meeting open to the public which is held by the Department to explain the permitting process and the public participation opportunities applicable to a specific Tier III application;
6. 6. “Proposed permit” means a document, based on a draft permit and prepared by the Department after consideration of comments received on the draft permit, which indicates the Department’s decision to issue a final permit pending the outcome of an administrative permit hearing, if any;
7. 7. “Qualified interest group” means any organization with twenty-five or more members who are residents of this state;

8. 8. “Response to comments” means a document prepared by the Department after its review of timely comments received on a draft denial or draft permit pursuant to public comment opportunities which:

   1. a. specifies any provisions of the draft permit that were changed in the proposed or final permit and the reasons for such changes, and
   2. b. briefly describes and responds to all significant comments raised during the public comment period or formal public meeting about the draft denial or draft permit;
9. 9. “Tier I” means a basic process of permitting which includes application, notice to the landowner, and Department review. For the Tier I process a permit shall be issued or denied by a technical supervisor of the reviewing Division, a local representative of the Department, or the chief engineer of the Department provided such authority has been delegated thereto by the Executive Director;

10. 10. “Tier II” means a secondary process of permitting which includes:

    1. a. the Tier I process,
    2. b. published notice of application filing that contains information on how the public may view documents, subscribe to updates, and receive electronic notice of public participation opportunities related to the pending application and agency decision,
    3. c. preparation of draft permit or draft denial,
    4. d. electronic notification and publication of draft permit or draft denial on the Electronic Environmental Permit Application Docket on the Department’s website and opportunity for a formal public meeting,
    5. e. public meeting, if any, and

    6. f. preparation of the Department’s response to comments, if any.

       For the Tier II process, a permit shall be issued or denied by the Director of the reviewing Division or the chief engineer of the Department provided such authority has been delegated thereto by the Executive Director; and

11. 11. “Tier III” means an expanded process of permitting which includes:

    1. a. the Tier II process except the notice of filing shall also include an opportunity for a process meeting,
    2. b. denial of application or preparation of a proposed permit,
    3. c. electronic notification and publication of denial of application or proposed permit, response to comments, and opportunity for an administrative permit hearing on the Electronic Environmental Permit Application Docket on the Department’s website, and

    4. d. administrative permit hearing, if any.

       For the Tier III process a permit shall be issued or denied by the Executive Director.

Laws 1994, SB 997, c. 373, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 1994; Amended by Laws 1995, SB 247, c. 285, § 12, emerg. eff. July 1, 1995; Amended by Laws 2015, HB 1450, c. 35, § 1, eff. November 1, 2015 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2026, SB 1246, c. 192, § 1, eff. November 1, 2026 (superseded document available).