Regional Management System

1
Regional Management System
Virginia Regional Environmental Management
System (V-REMS) Briefing North Carolina
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources Raleigh, North Carolina
May 2, 2007
2
Overview

• Regional Management System (RMS) Approach
• V-REMS as a Successful Model
• Supports Key Priorities Business Case
• V-REMS Accomplishments Partner Benefits
• Process How Does the Partnership Work?
• Keys to Success
• Applicability to NCDENR

3
RMS Approach

• Connects diverse constituents (regulatory
  agencies, private sector, military) to form
  collaborative working relationships
• Establishes a framework to help shape appropriate
  policies, share best practices, and leverage
  resources
• Synergizes existing initiatives under regional
  umbrella (e.g. SERPASS, SMEIWG )

4
What is V-REMS?

• DoD installations
• Local, state, and federal agencies
• Private industry
• Community organizations in the greater Richmond,
  Virginia area

An innovative regional partnership of over 50
entities, based on a management system approach
5
Diversity of Participants

Founding member
6
Partnership Process
Improve communication, trust, and support between
regional stakeholders
Address local and regional community and
environmental priorities
Address Priorities
Improve Communication
Achieve Results
Leverage Resources
Leverage resources ( and in-kind) and share
environmental best practices and information
Achieve on the ground results more efficiently
than any existing mechanism
7
Process Evolution
Ongoing - Collective Targeting of Regional
Sustainability Priorities
Initial Formation, Communication, and Best
Practices Sharing
City
City
Private Company
FederalFacility
Private Company
FederalFacility
Communication Trust/Relationship Building
Best Practices Sharing
Address Economic, Environmental, Social/Equity Iss
ues
State DEQ
State DEQ
County
County
Military Installation
Military Installation
Private Company
Private Company
Township
Township
8
Addresses Key Priorities

• Supports VA Commonwealth and EPA Region III
  Priorities
• Active participation in V-REMS by both
  organizations
• Compliance role remains separate and distinct
• Supports Environmental Council of States
  (ECOS)/DoD Task Force objectives
• Supports CEQ sustainability objectives (Executive
  Order 13423)

9
Business Case for Partners

• Leverages resources (over 1MM in 2006) and
  collective expertise
• Establishes a positive framework for dialogue on
  regional sustainability issues
• Addresses individual and regional environmental,
  social, and economic priorities
• Improves information exchange and best practices
  sharing, leading to cost-effective environmental
  management

10
Accomplishments

• Environmental Improvement
• Partnership won EPA Clean School Bus USA grant
  worth 274,000 plus 14,000 in VA-DEQ
  contributions
• Partnership awarded Department of Energy grant to
  fund up to 12 E-85 fueling stations for a total
  effort of 767,000
• City of Richmond, National Guard, DSCR reduced
  emissions by switching to low-VOC paint
• Cost Savings
• Hopewell Wastewater increased revenue by 500,000
  through stormwater management
• Through shared best practices and workgroup
  communications partners saved over 470,000
  annually in lighting efficiencies
• Community Recognition
• DSCR won 2005 White House Closing the Circle
  Award
• Several partners (e.g. US Navy, DSCR, and Ukrops
  Supermarkets) received Chesapeake Businesses for
  the Bay Excellence Award
• National and state program recognition for many
  partners

11
How does the partnership work?

• Regular communication between partners
• Monthly phone calls 3-4 meetings annually
• Workgroups form to focus on specific initiatives
• Reporting and metrics
• V-REMS website www.vrems.org
• Communication and outreach tool (includes
  intranet)
• Neutral facilitator staffs partnership needs
• Level of partner effort 4-5 hrs/month

12
Keys to Success

• Includes state and federal regulatory agency
  participation and endorsement
• Partners focus on individual and regional goals
• Emphasizes building trust among partner
  organizations
• Relies on an informal participation process
• Promotes creative and innovative voluntary
  approaches to environmental challenges

13
Keys to Success

• Helps partners build a solid business case
  regarding their own environmental initiatives
• Allows participants to take leadership roles
• Recognizes and acknowledges success
• Measures and tracks the partnerships progress
• Benefits from the support of facilitator

14
RMS Approach Replicable Success

• Transferable process
• - Midland, MI-RMS Replication
• - USMC Base Camp Pendleton Briefing
• Can be championed by public and private
  organizations
• Demonstrates quantifiable performance improvement
• Operationalizes sustainability

15
Regional Approach

• How Would a Regional Environmental Management
  System Support NCDENR?

16
Applicable Examples for NCDENR

• Advancing Communicating State Priorities
• Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP)
  Over half of V-REMS partners participate in DEQs
  VEEP (E2, E3, E4) measuring and reporting
  results
• Open Communication DEQ frequently updates the
  partnership with Virginias strategic objectives
• Trust Building V-REMS enables cooperative
  working relationships between participants and
  state agencies

17
Applicable Examples for NCDENR

• Aligning with State Environmental Priorities
• Air Quality Bus retrofits and anti-idling
  policies through V-REMS Clean School Bus Project
  improve air quality for over 20,000 children
• Stormwater/Water Quality Workgroup actively
  engages regulatory community regarding programs
  tools to tackle Chesapeake Bay watershed issues
• Protecting Natural Resources Partners placed
  over 1,300 acres into protective easement
  supporting Governor Kaines Land Conservation
  Initiative

18
Contact

• Contact with questions
• Jimmy Parrish (DSCR)
• Jimmy.Parrish_at_dla.mil