BISMARCK — The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality was officially established effective Monday. This is the first state agency created since 2009.

During the 2017 legislative session, lawmakers voted to separate the Environmental Health Section from the North Dakota Department of Health to create NDDEQ. The agency’s mission remains the same: to conserve and protect the quality of North Dakota’s air, land and water resources following science and the law.

“Preserving our natural resources is a top priority,” said Gov. Doug Burgum. “In the spirit of reinventing government, this new agency gives our environmental team the autonomy it needs to be more efficient, flexible and better able to implement federal regulations.”

NDDoH and NDDEQ are continuing to share services such as human resources, payroll and accounting.

NDDEQ Director Dave Glatt said, “We are grateful for the working relationship we have with the Department of Health and value this partnership as we strive to safeguard our state’s environmental resources for current and future generations.”