APA – Administrative Procedures Act
Approval – An approval is any type of permission to perform an activity that the Department issues such as a permit, registration, certification or license. An approval can also be a particular type of permission to perform a particular function where the Department reviews an activity and that activity is being performed in accordance with Departmental methods and accepted procedures.
ARA -  Air and Radiation Administration (formerly ARMA - Air and Radiation Management Administration)
ASE – Automotive Service​ Excellence
BPW – Board of Public Works
CAA – Clean Air Act
CAFO – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
CERF – Certified Emissions Repair Facility
Certification – A certification is an approval mechanism that recognizes an individual or a facility as having met special qualifications.
CFR – Code of Federal Regulations
CHS – Controlled Hazardous Substance
COMAR – Code of Maryland Regulations
CWA – Clean Water Act
EMP – Emergency Preparedness Manual
Environment Article – The Maryland Environmental Statute/Law is contained in Title 26 of the Environmental Article.
ESA – Environmental Site Assessment
Final determination – The final decision of the Department on the conditions in an approval that will appear in the issued approval.
FIS – Fleet Inspection Station
General Permit – A general permit is a generic document crafted to be appropriate for a group of similar entities where the same permit conditions are applicable. A particular general permit is issued using procedures, including public participation, similar to individual permits. Once issued, entities can be included under the general permit by submitting a “Notice of Intent to Comply” (NOI) with the particular general permit. Not all programs or activities have the ability to use the general permit strategy.
HAPs – Hazardous Air Pollutant
LAER – Lowest Achievable Emission Rate
License - A permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful.
LMA - Land and Materials Administration (formerly Land Management Administration)
MAP – Model Accreditation Plan
MCET – Master Certified Emissions Technician
MDE – Maryland Department of the Environment
NAAQS – National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NESHAPS – National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
NOI – Notice of Intent
Notification – In several cases, an owner or operator of a facility or piece of equipment may have to send a notification to the Department of the completion, commencement or stoppage of an act, operation, emission or discharge.
NOx – Oxides of Nitrogen
NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NRC – U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NSR – New Source Review
NSR – New Source Review
Permit - An authorization, license, or equivalent control document issued by EPA or an approved state agency to implement the requirements of an environmental regulation; e.g. a permit to operate a wastewater treatment plant or to operate a facility that may generate harmful emissions.
PFRP – Process to Further Reduce Pathogens
PM – Particulate Matter
Pollution Prevention - a proactive approach to environmental management by eliminating pollution prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. Examples of P2 measures include equipment and process modifications, changes in product design, substitution of raw materials, improved housekeeping, preventative maintenance, employee training, and inventory control.
PSD – Prevention of Significant Deterioration
PSRP – Process to Significantly Reduce Pathogens
RCRA – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Registration – Formal listing.
RSC – Regulatory Services Coordination
SMW – Special Medical Waste
TDF – Tire Derived Fuel
Tentative determination – A draft approval that contains the conditions the Department intends to include in the final approval. The tentative determination is usually the subject of a public notice and may be modified as a result of a public hearing or other comments by stakeholders.
TSCA – Toxic Substances Control Act
TSD – Treatment, Storage or Disposal
TSP – Total Suspended Particulate
UST – Underground Storage Tank
VCP – Voluntary Cleanup Program
VOC – Volatile Organic Compounds
WSA – Water and Science Administration (formerly WMA - Water Management Administration)  
WQC – Water Quality Certification