BETTER USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN COMPLIANCE MONITORING ACTIVITIES

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BETTER USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN COMPLIANCE MONITORING
ACTIVITIES
Field Activity Compliance Technology
Strategy FACT Strategy

• Phyllis Flaherty, Chief
• Dan Klaus, EPS
• National Compliance Monitoring Policy Branch
• CAMPD/OC/OECA
• U.S. EPA
• April 14, 2009

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BETTER USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN COMPLIANCE MONITORING
ACTIVITIES

• Overview
• Software Developed for PCB Inspections for use on
  Tablets - Demo
• Expansion of PCB Pilot
• Field Activity Compliance Technology (FACT)
  Strategy Overview
• Next Steps Other Programs
• What You Can Do

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Benefits of Portable Personal Computers and
Software

• Increase efficiencies (Enter information once,
  populate many fields).
• Improve timeliness and accuracy of data
  collection and entry
• Reduce time and improve consistency in preparing
  inspection reports
• Capture senior inspectors insight and expertise
  of the inspection program thru software
  development - Knowledge Management
• Uniformity in the inspection process

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Benefits - continued

• Accessibility to reference materials during the
  inspection (permit information, compliance
  information, regulations, inspection manuals).
• Real time ability to transfer information from
  the field including photos
• Increased speed for submitting inspection
  reports/documentation
• Ability to notify laboratories from the field
  that samples are being sent for analysis

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Portable Personal Computers

• Options on What to Automate for Compliance
  Monitoring
• Pre-Inspection Targeting, Facility Information,
  Background Materials
• Inspection Note Taking, Document Collection,
  Photographs and Diagrams, Printing Forms
• Post Inspection Data Entry, Report Writing,
  Statute References, Case Development

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Portable Personal Computers

• Options on What to Automate for Compliance
  Monitoring
• Pre-Inspection Targeting, Facility Information,
  Background Materials
• Inspection Note Taking, Document Collection,
  Photographs and Diagrams, Printing Forms
• Post Inspection Data Entry, Report Writing,
  Statute References, Case Development

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TSCA PCB PILOT

• The goal of the Pilot was to develop software for
  Tablets to
• Prepare for an inspection.
• Collect handwritten notes, make drawings, and
  generate the required inspection forms.
• Auto-fill/print necessary TSCA forms that are
  required by statute to be given during the
  inspection.
• Produce a nearly complete inspection report based
  on the notes entered during the inspection.

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TSCA PCB Pilot

• NCMPB, Region 5, Indiana, and a contractor worked
  together to identify an agreed upon workflow
  process for conducting PCB inspections.
• OECA and its contractor used the results to
  develop inspection templates (MS Access) for use
  on the Tablet to prepare for, conduct, and
  self-populate multiple inspection templates.

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Portable Personal Computers

• Primary hardware used for data collection in the
  field are PDAs and Tablet PCs.

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Equipment Used in Pilot

• Tablet Slate Convertible (1800 - 3000)
• Mobile Ink Jet Printer (350)
• Portable CD-RW Drive (200)
• Portable Scanner (200)
• USB (thumb) Drive (25)
• Extra batteries for Tablet (150)
• Environmental Cover (90 - 200)
• Equipment Case (90 - 200)

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PCB TEMPLATE

• DEMONSTRATION

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Expansion of the PCB Pilot

• OC has provided hardware packages for one to two
  TSCA PCB inspectors in each region. Hardware
  includes Tablet, scanner, printer, CD writer.
• OC will continue to provide TSCA Compliance
  Monitoring STAG money to states to purchase
  Tablets and attend training
• NCMPB will provide software, training, and
  technical support.
• Regions will need to provide data on time/cost
  savings.

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Field Activity Compliance Technology (FACT)
Strategy

• Part 1 Overall Strategy for Making Better Use of
  Technology
• Part 2 Overview of OECA Activities
• Part 3 Portable Personal Computers in the Field
  Overview of Hardware/Software Options Currently
  Available
• Part 4 Results of Survey and Research on Use of
  Portable Personal Computers Within EPA and by
  Other Government Agencies
• Part 5 Application of the Key Elements from the
  Fact Strategy OECAs Pilot Projects Using
  Portable Personal Computers
• Part 6 Strategy for Expanding the Use of
  Portable Personal Computers to Other Programs or
  Functions
• Part 7 Leveraging Resources and Expansion
  Options
• Part 8 Conclusions and Recommendations

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Part 1 of the Fact Strategy

• Overall Strategy Identifies a series of
  iterative steps for incorporating technology into
  work processes.

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Steps Include

• Selection of Technology - Analysis, Actions
• If technology is ready to use, implementation.
• If not ready to use, technical research/work
  pilot phase and expansion phase.
• Once technology is ready to use either for the
  pilot or expansion phase, the steps for
  implementation of technology that is ready to use
  are repeated.

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Government Agency Survey Results

• Between 2005 and 2007 the National Compliance
  Monitoring Policy Branch (NCMPB) collected
  information on use of technology by
• Headquarters and Regional EPA offices that have
  inspectors.
• Over 30 different federal, state, local and
  foreign agencies.

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Examples of Quantified Benefits

• Broward County (FL) Environmental Protection
  Department
• Tablet PC use increases annual number of
  inspections 14 and decrease data errors 40
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental
  Management
• Tablet PCs create anticipated savings of
  200,000 per year compared to paper process based
  on 50,000 investment

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Steps Taken to Address Other Programs

• Announced NCMPB as OECAs National Coordinator on
  Technology for Inspections/Investigations
• FACT Strategy
• FACT Workshop
• Continued outreach at national meetings.
• Wiki
• STAG

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Steps Taken - FACT Workshop

• 50 EPA and 10 State attendees representing all
  media.
• Presentations on field software in use.
• Training on knowledge management and workflow
  process.
• Media break outs to develop workflow process.

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Next Steps - FACT Workshop

• Technical webinars.
• Follow-up with media breakout sessions on
  progress
• Demonstrations for HQ Offices
• NPDES Workshop Presentation (March 3-5)
• Supervisors Workshop (May)
• Region 6 Inspector Training Workshops (April
  14-16)
• Media-Specific FACT Workshop (Stormwater?)

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Next Steps - FACT Workshop

• Develop cross-media tools
• GIS tools
• Sample collection and chain of custody
• ICIS batch import of compliance monitoring data
• Work with media leads and regions to promote
  software development across more programs.
• Increase communication and collaboration between
  states and regions
• Leverage existing resources and initiatives

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Steps Taken - FACT Wiki

• http//wiki.epa.gov/FACT/
• Catalogue for State and EPA software in use by
  inspection program.
• Collaborative workspace to dynamically develop
  workflow process.

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Steps Taken STAG Funds

• Funded over 900K to six state agencies for
  software development
• MT (Air), OK (UIC FIFRA), OH (Water), KY
  (Multimedia), MD (RCRA)
• FY2009 solicitation in April

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NPDES Software - OECA

• OECA will support/coordinate existing efforts, to
  bring multiple parties together to develop a
  uniform approach for preparing for and conducting
  inspections and completing reports.
• Selected Stormwater for pilot software
  development.
• Workflow process is first step (all regions).
• Will work with 1-2 regions on pilot software.
• Leverage existing work.

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What You Can Do

• Contact us (NCMPB as the National Coordinator)
  regarding efforts to utilize this technology for
  inspections. Share experiences!
• Work with CAMPD to develop workflow process for
  Stormwater inspections.
• Work with states to promote interest in the
  Multimedia STAG Funds solicitation and be project
  officers for these proposals.
• Managers/Supervisors support staff in their
  efforts to adopt this technology make funds
  available for the purchase of Tablets/PDAs as
  software is developed.
• Give us your input!

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What You Can Do

• Identify participants interested in working with
  us to develop software for Stormwater
  inspections.
• Support your regional managers and staff that are
  interested in developing software for inspections
  or other compliance or enforcement workflow
  processes.
• Consider adopting Tablet PCs with docking
  stations as primary computer.

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What You Can Do

• Identify additional inspection program(s) for new
  technology implementation.
• Contribute to Wiki to define workflow processes.
• Participate in upcoming efforts on NPDES
  template. Workshop?