Environmental Stewardship Guidance: Keys to Qualifying for Recognition

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Environmental Stewardship GuidanceKeys to
Qualifying for Recognition

• Updated 5/12/08

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Question 1

• ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES - Do any
  site activities "go beyond" the minimum
  regulatory requirements and serve as examples of
  Environmental Stewardship or Sustainability?

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Question 1

• Youll need to understand the categories and
  qualifications in order to answer.
• If youre not sure, review our guide and be
  prepared at the next inspection.
• If the site isnt currently qualifying, consider
  suggestions to your management on changing
  practices to qualify.

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Question 2

• UPDATES Are any updates required to reflect
  additions or subtractions of qualifying
  Environmental Stewardship activities based on
  previous survey results for the site? (Y/N)

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Guidance to Inspectors for Question 2 Updates

• If program is successful we expect many
  updates/additions over time
• Need to acknowledge when activities stop or
  expand
• Expect qualifications to get more difficult over
  time in some cases because of new rules.
• for example possible Greenhouse gas legislation

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General Rules (A)Compliance distinct from
Stewardship

• Violations dont automatically disqualify
  stewardship
• DEP documents good (stewardship) and bad
  (violations)
• Reports will reflect and publicize both
• public can make judgments on full site results
  and history
• Stewardship not recognized for egregious
  violators
• history of disregarding regulation
• major court cases
• DEP seeking shutdown

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General Rules (B)Voluntary actions only

• beware of things that may be required
• Activities NOT allowed when triggered by
• orders, settlements, SEPs, etc.
• requirements from other programs of DEP
• SRP, Water Allocation, etc.
• requirements from other Agencies
• EPA, Agriculture, Soil Conservation
• a requirement imposed as a condition of approval
• Generally Allowed
• An innovative action beyond compliance even if
  a permit is required to carry it out
• better than state of the art
• clean-up or restoration well beyond minimum
  standards
• actions ahead of regulatory compliance deadlines

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General Rules (C) Time Aspect of Activities

• Activities being recognized must be ongoing or
  have occurred within a year
• Anything older than a year must produce ongoing
  benefit
• Acquired natural land more than 1 year ago
  still providing habitat, recharge - Yes
• Outreach more than 1 year ago one time benefit
  No
• One exception 5 year time limit for energy
  saving steps
• Energy efficiency improvements are expected
• Improvements continuously driven by costs
• Affects three questions
• Green building Implementation - question 12
• Process Energy question 18
• Transportation Energy question 19

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Question 3

• ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY - Is the site operated under
  a comprehensive written environmental policy,
  signed by the current senior officer of the
  organization addressing more than just compliance?

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3. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Keys to Yes

• Written document Inspector must see it!
• Defined and executed by management
• Ideally signed , but ok if obviously
  endorsed/promoted
• Employees aware of policy
• Ideally public, but ok if posted or obviously
  shared at site
• Commitment to environmental performance beyond
  just regulatory/legal compliance

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Question 4

• ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Is the site
  operated utilizing an Environmental Management
  System (EMS)? If yes, describe system
  employed, list any certifications

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4 - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Keys to
Yes

• Environmental Policy (Yes to Question 3)
• Site should have a Comprehensive EMS document or
  plan
• more than just compliance
• Annual Report
• can be internal use environmental report
• not necessarily published, could be Yes or No to
  Quest. 5

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Question 5

• ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT -Does the site
  publish an Annual Environmental Report?

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5 ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT Keys to Yes

• Show/provide latest report
• must be within 1 year
• Measures improvements or elements beyond just
  compliance
• Public document required for credit under this
  question
• Ideally online, alternately posted or promoted in
  public spaces
• If the public cannot easily view it, its not
  public
• Very small organizations may qualify with less
  formal reporting
• Think gas stations, dry cleaner, mom pop, etc.

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Question 6

• GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CALCULATION - Has the
  site calculated its greenhouse gas emissions?
  If yes describe method used.

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6- GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CALCULATION Keys to
Yes

• Site should have documentation/report of
  greenhouse gas emissions generated by all site
  activities/energy use.
• Must explain methodology/standard used
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol or others
• must note method in comments
• Disclosure to public
• voluntary, but encouraged.
• if publicized note in comments and record any
  links

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Question 7

• ENVIRONMENTAL PURCHASE POLICY- Has the site
  implemented an "Environmental Purchasing Policy"
  resulting in the purchase of products and office
  supplies that are recognized as environmentally
  responsible? If yes, describe.

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7 ENVIRONMENTAL PURCHASE POLICY- Keys to Yes

• A site must provide one of the following
• Written policy
• or
• Documentation of preferred products purchased and
  quantity
• or
• Demonstration of substantial environmentally
  preferred products
• In all cases environmental aspect should be
  obvious or easily explained by site rep.

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Question 8

• VENDOR/SUPPLY CHAIN REQUIREMENTS - Does the site
  require that businesses in their supply chain
  subscribe to environmentally sound business
  practices? If yes, explain method.

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8 VENDOR/SUPPLY CHAIN REQUIREMENTS -Keys to
Yes

• Written policy agreement with vendors
• Specify environmental criteria for vendors
• - manufacturing with non-toxic materials
• - conservation of resources during
  manufacture
• - minimal packaging of products
• - environmentally sound product design
• Establish a vendor auditing system
• How do they know what suppliers are doing?

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Question 9

• MENTORING TO OTHER BUSINESSES - Does the site
  offer mentoring to other businesses? If yes,
  describe mentoring program and any available
  contact information the site can provide.

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9 MENTORING TO OTHER BUSINESSES Keys to Yes

• Must be Environmentally based
• Be able to describe
• who they are mentoring or willing to mentor
  (generally)
• how others can contact them or participate
• direct providing contact to DEP for publication
• through association membership
• Must not be profiting (not a paid consultant)
• Minor fees might be ok to cover costs

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Question 10

• COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM - Does the site have
  an outreach program that offers assistance to
  community leaders, local schools, neighborhood
  groups, etc. to address/improve environmental
  challenges within the community. If yes,
  explain program.

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10 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Keys to Yes

• Significantly ENVIRONMENTAL education or
  assistance within the community
• Not a company self-promotion or recruiting effort
• Must be currently available (contact provided and
  published) OR have occurred in the last year.

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Question 11

• GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION - Has the site
  registered or received certification for any new
  construction or major building renovation project
  from a recognized green building organization
  such as LEED or Green Globes? If yes, describe
  registered or certified green building
  construction projects at the site.

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11 GREEN BUILDING
CERTIFICATIONKeys to Yes

• To qualify must be -
• Listed as registered site working toward
  achieving certification
• or
• Actual certification document or award recipient
• - LEED rating from accredited 3rd party
• - Green Globes from EC3 Global

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Question 12

• GREEN BUILDING IMPLEMENTATION - Has the site
  undertaken any projects supportive of green
  design concepts or does the site incorporate
  green building design criteria for new
  construction/renovation projects? If yes,
  describe projects or provide written policy.

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12 GREEN BUILDING IMPLEMENTATION Keys to Yes

• Following green bldg. principles without applying
  or qualifying for full certification
• Can be small and narrowly focused, provided
• - obvious or demonstrable envir. benefit
• - took thought, effort or cost beyond standard
  practice

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Question 13

• LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTS - Has the site conducted a
  Life Cycle Assessment of any products or
  services, and based on findings implemented
  actions to reduce the environmental impact(s)?
  If yes, describe.

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What is a Life Cycle Assessment?

• The systematic evaluation of the environmental
  impacts of a given product or service throughout
  its life span.
• Focus on environmental aspects only
• Not a Cost or Performance (QA)
• evaluation of a Product or Service.

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13 LIFE CYCLE ASSESMENT Keys to Yes

• Must be able to elaborate on the product,
  environmental assessment findings and outcome
• what changes took place?
• What decisions were made?
• Provide product description and brief statement
  regarding LCA outcome to record in comments
• LCA is a costly and time consuming cradle to
  grave evaluation, and is not undertaken
  casually. A site that has done one should be able
  to describe it at length- certainly well enough
  to demonstrate it occurred.
• LCA is not a product QA evaluation.

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Question 14

• HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REDUCTION - Has the site
  implemented a change in operations and/or product
  formulation resulting in reduction or elimination
  of hazardous materials used/disposed of at the
  site? If yes, describe.

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14 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REDUCTION Keys to Yes

• Site should be able to back up reductions with
  data or demonstrations
• Ideally already a goal tracked in EMS and obvious
  in annual reporting
• manifests or other reporting may suffice
• obvious process change observed
• Production adjusted reduction (not from slow
  business cycle)
• Reduced risk with same volume or amount can
  qualify (swap high hazard for low hazard)

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Question 15

• WATER USE REDUCTION - Has the site employed a
  program to substantially reduce or reuse water?
  If yes, describe.

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15 WATER USE REDUCTION Keys to Yes

• Site should be able to back up reductions with
  data or demonstrations
• Ideally already a goal tracked in EMS and obvious
  in annual reporting
• Water bill or other monitoring may suffice
• obvious process change observed
• Production adjusted reduction (not from slow
  business cycle)
• No credit for drought restriction steps

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Question 16

• WASTE EXCHANGE PROGRAM - Is the site an active
  participant in a waste exchange program and/or
  successfully reusing waste products generated as
  a result of site operations? If yes, describe.

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16 WASTE EXCHANGEKeys to Yes

• Site should be able to document type and quantity
  of waste exchanged.
• If not ongoing, last exchange must be within a
  year.
• Materials recycled must exceed requirements of
  state or local regulations.

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Question 17

• EMPLOYEE TRIP REDUCTION - Has the site
  implemented a successful employee trip reduction
  program? If yes, describe program and
  results or participation.

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17 TRIP REDUCTIONKeys to Yes

• Site should be able to show
• policy or program summary/rules
• records of participation or trip reduction

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Question 18

• PROCESS/OPERATIONS ENERGY USE REDUCTION - Has the
  site substantially improved its energy efficiency
  by implementing changes in production/manufacturin
  g operations? If yes, describe what was done,
  date initiated and impact on energy use.

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18 PROCESS/OPERATIONS ENERGY USE REDUCTION Keys
to Yes

• Changes in manufacturing or site operations
  should be observable or documented
• These should be changes with potential to
  noticeably reduce a sites total greenhouse gas
  emissions or carbon footprint
• Because efficiency is expected to steadily
  increase and carries automatic economic savings,
  improvements should be within last 5 years
  despite their ongoing contribution.

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Question 19

• TRANSPORTATION ENERGY USE REDUCTION Excluding
  employee trip reduction, has the site
  substantially improved its energy efficiency by
  implementing changes in the transportation
  utilized? If yes, describe what was done, date
  initiated and impact on energy use.

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19 TRANSPORTATION ENERGY USE REDUCTION Keys to
Yes

• Changes should be observable or documented
• These should be changes with potential to
  noticeably reduce a sites total greenhouse gas
  emissions or carbon footprint
• Because efficiency is expected to steadily
  increase and carries automatic economic savings,
  improvements should be within last 5 years
  despite their ongoing contribution.

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Question 20

• RENEWABLE ENERGY USE Does the site use
  renewable energy sources? If yes, identify the
  direct source (solar, wind, bio, etc.) or name
  the CleanPower supplier and characterize the
  amount.

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20 RENEWABLE ENERGY USE Keys to Yes

• Any installations should be functional
• CleanPower purchases should be clearly shown in
  energy bills
• Provide a general statement of quantity
• supply shed is solar powered
• boiler 1 runs only on 100 bio-diesel
• wind turbine supplies half of office energy
  needs
• No time limit on renewable installations

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Question 21

• ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS - Has the site
  undertaken an Environmental Enhancement Project
  that has resulted in the reclamation or
  improvement of land at the site or within the
  community? If yes, identify the project and
  the resulting improvement to the environment.

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21 ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS Keys to
Yes

• Required mitigation, SEPs, settlements do NOT
  qualify
• Site should be able to demonstrate project
• Plans do not count- must be completed or underway
• Record some sense of the project size
• i.e.2 acres of grassland returned to natural
  state

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Question 22

• INNOVATIVE PROGRAM - Has the site
  adopted/developed any innovative programs not
  captured in previous questions that
  improve/reduce the site's environmental impact
  and promotes environmental excellence within its
  organization? If yes, describe initiative.

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22 INNOVATIVE PROGRAM Keys to Yes

• Any voluntary activity or program that results in
  a benefit to the environment but does not easily
  qualify for recognition under the previous
  environmental stewardship checklist questions.
• Describe the benefit/positive environmental
  result.

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Question 23

• EPA VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS - Is the site
  participating in an EPA sponsored voluntary
  program? If yes, identify EPA program.

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23 EPA VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS Keys to Yes

• Site should be able to clearly identify any
  formal EPA program and describe their
  participation