Wyoming Department Of Environmental Quality

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) is a state agency responsible for protecting and enhancing Wyoming's environmental resources through comprehensive regulatory and management programs. As a critical state-level environmental protection organization, WDEQ works closely with federal agencies to manage and improve air, water, land, and waste management across the state. Through its various divisions, the agency provides essential environmental services that support federal environmental protection goals, primarily by receiving and implementing federal grant awards that address critical ecological and public health initiatives.

WDEQ has consistently received federal grants from multiple agencies, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) being the primary funding source. These grants have supported a wide range of environmental programs, including water quality management, nonpoint source pollution reduction, underground storage tank remediation, brownfields assessment and cleanup, air quality monitoring, and abandoned mine land reclamation. Specific grant-funded projects have included developing water quality protection plans for areas like the Boysen Reservoir, conducting environmental site assessments, implementing best management practices to reduce pollution in watersheds, monitoring particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting the cleanup of contaminated sites. The agency has also worked with sub-recipients like the State of Wyoming Office of Statelands to remediate leaking underground fuel storage tanks. Other significant federal partners have included the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, which has funded regulatory programs and abandoned mine land reclamation efforts, demonstrating WDEQ's comprehensive approach to environmental protection and restoration across multiple critical domains.