The Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) works
to successfully advance its core mission through robust waste management
programs, regulatory compliance activities, environmental initiatives and
strategic operational improvements. We achieve this by fostering environmental
stewardship, maintaining high performance standards, and cost-effective
practices to protect human health and safeguarding the air, water and land. There are three branches:
Energy and Quality Branch (EQB)
In 2025, the Energy and Quality Branch was established as a new branch through the merger of the former Sustainability Branch and the former Energy Team. The Energy and Quality branch manages the following programs: Utility Energy Service Contract (UESC), Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC), energy metering, energy reporting, cold storage equipment, environmental design, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NIH Green Zone Newsletter and outreach event
Environmental Compliance Branch (ECB)
Manages regulatory inspections, environmental monitoring activities, permits and plans. Provides services to support facilities and research operations by following applicable regulations, performing required monitoring and cleanup, disseminating information, meeting with regulators and working with NIH staff to promote compliance.
Air emissions: Guidelines to follow if a project, or activity, release exhaust from equipment or particulates into the air.
Fuel Tank Management: Installation and/or removal of storage tanks (above and underground) require coordination with Maryland's Department of Environment.
Decommissioning: The process to properly vacate and survey hazardous substances in building components and equipment in facilities identified for renovation or demolition to remove hazardous materials (i.e. heavy metals, lead-based paint, asbestos, PCBs, fuel oil) for disposal.
Spill Response: A detailed plan that outlines who to notify and proper procedures to prevent substances that are petroleum based, lubricants, and/or oil from entering storm drains and pervious surfaces.
Water management program: The NIH water management program covers drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and water conservation. The goal of the program is to ensure the quality of drinking water meets the Safe Drinking Water Act requirements; wastewater discharged from the campus meets regulatory requirements; reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff and the pollution it causes; reduce the amount of water used across all campuses; and protect the quality of local water sources.
- Stormwater management: The stormwater program addresses liquid discharges to ground and/or stormwater and soil erosion. The program pursues objectives to meet the comprehensive compliance requirements of the state's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II program.
- Drinking water: NIH Bethesda campus utilize drinking water from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) without additional treatment. NIH Animal Center in Poolesville, MD pumps and treat groundwater on campus for consumption by the population working on this campus.
Waste & Resource Recovery Branch (WRRB)
Responsible for the supervision, management and conduct of the NIH waste management program. Provides professional and technical support in the collection, transport, treatment, recycling and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous chemical, medical pathological (MPW), general or solid and mixed wastes.
Chemical Waste: Detailed guidelines on the treatment and disposal of chemical waste, proper procedures for the management of chemical waste, and associated chemical waste compliance programs.
Medical Pathological Waste: Detailed guidelines on the proper management of MPW including pickup, transportation, and disposal.
Solid Waste Services: Detailed guidelines on the proper management of all non-hazardous solid waste generated at interior and exterior containers, including building dumpster services and construction dumpster services.
Recycling: Detailed guidelines on proper management of all recyclable materials.