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Southwest District's Office of the Director

The Southwest Regulatory District is one of six districts that provide a regional presence for the department’s regulatory divisions. Our district office is located in Tampa, FL. We proudly serve eight counties in Southwest Florida including Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk.

The Southwest District promotes environmental protection through regulatory consistency, accountability and partnerships in support of a growing economy and healthy community. In addition to issuing various kinds of program-specific permits, our office conducts the majority of the day-to-day environmental inspections, including the performance of compliance assistance and enforcement functions.

District Director Kelley Boatwright provides guidance and oversight to the program areas, while Assistant Director Pamala Vazquez coordinates the district’s compliance functions. The district’s three program areas include:

  • The Office of Business Planning
  • Permitting Program
  • Compliance Assurance Program

Regulatory divisions centralized in Tallahassee provide guidance for policy and consistency between each of the districts.

The vision of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystems. The department is focusing on six strategic goals to help achieve this vision:

  • Focus taxpayer resources on projects that provide a direct benefit to the environment and local communities.
  • Establish and consistently use clear metrics to evaluate and strengthen the department’s programs, activities and services.
  • Partner with communities and businesses to protect natural resources and promote economic growth.
  • Improve the quality of natural resources through long-term planning, restoration and maintenance.
  • Empower employees to solve problems through innovation and efficiency.
  • Proactively communicate a clear and consistent message both internally and externally.

In addition, the Southwest District is focused on ensuring our team is properly cross-trained and highly proficient in multiple topic areas, upholding the highest standards of quality and professionalism, and increasing educational outreach and pre-application assistance in order to maintain the highest possible levels of environmental regulatory compliance and compatible economic growth throughout the district.

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