Organization of Environmental Agencies

States organize their health, energy, environment and natural resource programs in different ways. Five states have the environmental duties as part of the health agency (CO, ND, KS, SC, HI). The rest of the states have either separate environmental agencies and natural resource agencies, or some level of a combined environment-natural resource agency. The table below shows the authorities of those agencies that combine environmental responsibilities with one or more natural resources duties.

Overview of Other State Government Structures, December 2010

by Joseph P. Koncelik, Frantz Ward LLP
see: http://www.ohioenvironmentallawblog.com/2010/11/articles/federal-and-state-developments/ohio-epa-odnr/
Used with permission.

Single Agency Structure: 

Rhode Island is the only state that has its natural resources, environmental protection and agricultural authorities combined into a single agency. 

However, in an interesting twist on combining agencies, Massachusetts created the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.  The Executive Offices provides overall management to several Departments- Department of Agricultural Resources, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Energy Resources, Department of Fish and Game and Department of Utilities. 

Two Agency Structure: 

Ten states have combined their basic natural resources functions with environmental protection into a single agency.  Each has a separate Agricultural department.

• Michigan:  Department of Natural Resources and Environment [proposed for reorg in 2011-Editor]
• Connecticut: Department of Environmental Protection
• Delaware: Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
• Georgia:  Department of Natural Resources
• Iowa: Department of Natural Resources
• Kentucky:  The Energy and Environment Cabinet
• Massachusetts:  Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
• New Jersey:  Department of Environmental Protection
• New York:  Department of Environmental Conservation
• North Carolina:  Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• Vermont:  Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
• Wisconsin:  Department of Natural Resources

Three-Agency Structures

At least nine states operate under a three-agency structure (natural resources, environment and agriculture).

• California:  Natural Resource Agency, Environmental Protection Agency
• Colorado:  Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency
• Illinois:  Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency
• Indiana:  Department of Environment, Department of Natural Resources
• Maryland:  Department of Environment, Department of Natural Resources
• Minnesota:  Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency
• Missouri:  Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency
• Ohio:  Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Natural Resources  [proposed for reorg in 2011-Editor]
• Utah:  Environmental Quality Agency, Department of Natural Resources

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