State ProgramNEPT Interface Sharon K. Baxter Virginia DEQ

1
State Program/NEPT InterfaceSharon K.
BaxterVirginia DEQ
2

• Background
• Tools that facilitate State/EPA coordination
• Results of Virginia/EPA coordination
• Future directions

3
Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP)
Background

• Started July 2000
• Focused on environmental management systems,
  pollution prevention and moving beyond
  compliance
  
• Rewards top performers (E3) and motivates others
  just beginning (E2)
  
• No specific statutory or regulatory authority

4
VEEP Background

• Two levels of participation
• E2 facilities interested in beginning or in the
  early stages of implementing an EMS
  
• E3 facilities with both a fully-implemented EMS
  and p2 program
  
• Open to all types of facilities

5
E2 Overview

• Requirements
• Environmental policy statement
• Evaluation of environmental impacts
• Objectives and targets to address impacts
• Description of p2 program
• Record of significant compliance
• Benefits
• Positive public recognition
• Single point-of-contact within DEQ

6
E3 Overview

• Requirements
• Facilities must document a fully-implemented EMS
  
  
• P2 program with documented results
• Record of significant compliance
• Benefits
• All E2 benefits
• Possibility of regulatory flexibility based on
  facilitys situation
  

7
Relationship of Programs
8
Current Status of VEEP NEPT

• VEEP 135 E2 facilities 20 E3 facilities
• NEPT 10 facilities
• Other p2 membership programs used as feeder
  programs
  
• Clean Marinas
• Businesses for the Bay
• environmentaLodging
• Virginia Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
• Virginia/DOD P2 Partnership
• Waste Minimization Program

9
Examples of Participating Facilities

• E2
• Richmond Fleet Mgmt
• Fairfax County (9)
• NOSTRA
• Fort AP Hill
• USMC AAAV
• Luck Stone (13)
• Graham White Mfg
• Litton Polyscientific
• Hyosung America
• Norfolk Naval Shipyard

• E3
• Airlie Foundation
• Security Storage
• Tetra Pak Tubex
• Augusta County

• E3 NEPT
• Stanley Furniture
• DuPont (3)
• City of Manassas (2)
• Nestle USA
• Lockheed Martin

10
Tools Facilitating State/EPA Coordination

• MOA with EPA Region III prior to program kickoff,
  July 2000
  
• MOA with EPA on coordination between VEEP and
  NEPT, April 2002
  
• Performance Partnership Agreement, July 2003
• High level of support from and communication with
  EPA Region III and HQ from the beginning

11
July 2000 Memorandum of Agreement

• 1998 Joint EPA/State Agreement to Pursue
  Regulatory Innovation
  
• Lays out specific review and consultation
  requirements for EPA and DEQ
  
• E3 review process includes opportunity for EPA
  Region III to review application conduct
  compliance screen
  
• Establishes the Environmental Excellence
  Agreement mechanism

12
April 2002 Memorandum of Agreement

• Coordinate application processes of VEEP NEPT
• Develop incentives to reduce members regulatory
  administrative burdens
  
• Coordinate delivery of incentives to maximize
  environmental benefit and minimize transaction
  costs

13
2002 MOA (continued)

• Identify high level POC for program members
• Produce co-marketing tools, conduct joint
  recruiting and recognition events
  
• Identify regulatory innovation opportunities
• Communicate measurable environmental results
  achieved by the both programs

14
July 2003 Performance Partnership Agreement

• Identify and determine feasibility of strategies
  (e.g., regulatory flexibility and/or
  non-traditional incentives) for encouraging
  voluntary environmental improvement and moving
  beyond compliance
• Current revision to use as a tool to affect
  change in media grant workplans for
  implementation of federal incentives

15
Results

• DEQ conducts compliance review for NEPT
  applications EPA conducts review for E3
  facilities
  
• RO play large role in negotiation of
  Environmental Excellence Agreements
  
• First EEA signed with DuPont Spruance December
  2003
  
• VEEP participants typically have a recognition
  ceremony - EPA has been involved in some

16
NEPT/VEEP Co-Recognition
Stanley Furniture NEPT/VEEP E3
DuPont Front Royal NEPT/VEEP E3
17
More Results

• Streamlined acceptance for NEPT members into E3
• NEPT/E3 members only submit one annual report
  renewal
  
• Permit fee discount reg development
• New projects
• DEQ/EPA coordination of data collection
• Defining and promoting state regional
  environmental priorities
  
• Developing a strategy for coordinated marketing
  and tracking of related voluntary programs

18
Future Directions

• Increased level of electronic reporting,
  application and tracking of state NEPT
  programs
  
• Increased coordinated marketing within EPA and
  state environmental agencies
  
• Increased coordination on the development and
  implementation of incentives and program
  management issues
  
• Others