Formed January 1, 1993 Annual budget 59.3 million USD | Website www.deq.state.ok.us Founded 1 January 1993 | |
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Employees 482 classified76 unclassified Ministers responsible Gary Sherrer, Secretary of the EnvironmentJennifer Galvin, Chair of the Board Agency executives Scott Thompson, Executive DirectorJimmy Givens, Deputy Executive Director Profiles |
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is a department of the government of Oklahoma under the Governor of Oklahoma. It is responsible for protecting human health and for safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land. DEQ is chiefly responsible for the environmental policy of Oklahoma. It is governed by a thirteen member Environmental Quality Board appointed by the Governor, which in turn appoints an Executive Director to administer the Department.
Contents
The Department was created in 1993 during the term of Governor David Walters.
Mission
The mission of the Department of Environmental Quality is to provide quality service to Oklahomans through comprehensive environmental protection and management programs designed to assist citizens in sustaining a clean, sound environment, and to preserve and enhance our natural surroundings.
Leadership
The Department is administered by the Secretary of the Environment. Under Governor Mary Fallin, Gary Sherrer is serving as the Secretary.
State Environmental Quality Board
The governing body of the Department is the State Environmental Quality Board, which is composed of thirteen members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate. The membership of the Board must be composed of the following:
All members serve renewable five year terms.
Organization
The Department is divided into six major divisions, with each division (excluding the Administrative Services Division) being headed by a Division Director.
Budget and Staffing
The Department of Environmental Quality, with an annual budget of over $70 million, is one of the larger employers of the State. For fiscal year 2014, the Department was authorized 548 full-time employees.