SACRAMENTO COUNTY

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where Government fosters Environmental
Quality and the Economic Success of Businesses!
Sacramento Countys Business Environmental Resourc
e Center
Environmental Assistance at its BestUsing the
Carrot Incentivizing Compliance and P2
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(No Transcript)
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The BERC model

• Non-regulatory environmental compliance
  assistance for business and government
• No-cost services
• Confidential help line and on-site consultations
• Educational workshops
• Environmental recognition programs including
  Annual Pollution Prevention Awards and a
  Sacramento Area Green Business Certification
  Program
• Promoting business success and enhancing
  environmental quality by providing a free
  technical resource center on behalf of local
  government

What BERC offers
BERCs mission
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BERC HQ Mather, CA
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BERC Funding Partners
Electric Utility
County Dept. of Water Resources
County Dept. of Solid Waste
County Dept. of Building/ Planning
EPA Cal/EPA CIWMB
Air Quality Management District
City of Sacramento Utilities Dept.
CUPA Haz Mat
County Dept. of Water Quality
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Why ?(or How to Incentive)

• BERCs underlying goals create a focus on helping
  businesses with regulations
• Assume the best (not guilty before innocent)
• Deal with respect
• Realize the bigger picture (Econ Dev)
• Cant regulate business without business
• What may seem to be recalcitrant is often fear
  and lack of understanding
• The hammer is not the first tool

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BERC Connections
County Economic Development
Sacramento Trade Organization
Sacramento Metro Chamber
University
Business Licensing
BERC
SBDC, SBA, BICs
SBO/SBAP
Community Service Districts
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BERC Goals
Assist businesses in adopting cost-effective compliance strategies
Find equitable solutions to regulatory challenges
Provide education and outreach
Promote economic development
Serve as advocates for agencies and clients
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Client Assistance

• Helpline, agency referral, industry peers,
  publications, advertising presentations
• Confidential
• consultation and
• site visits

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Client Follow-up

• Determine outcomes
• Client satisfaction survey
• Gather compliance metrics
• Future outreach opportunities

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Ombudsman Role

• Mediation to resolve complaints
• disagreements
• Facilitation to find
• equitable solutions
• Strive for win/win outcomes

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Education Outreach

• Industry-specific mailings
• Industry-specific technical guidance documents
• Media-specific training seminars and workshops

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Informing the Public
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Economic Development
Promote a positive business climate

• Expedited permit processing
• Response teams
• Incentives
• Troubleshooting

Goal To attract, expand, and retain businesses
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Advocacy Role

• Foster dialogue between
• business and agencies
• Review and comment on
• proposed regulations
• Propose compliance
• alternatives
• Keep businesses ahead of the curve through
  outreach

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Programs used to Incentivize Business

• There are numerous ways to incentivize business
  to become compliant and go beyond!
• Pollution Prevention Awards
• Green Business Program

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Pollution Prevention Awards

• Honors environmental performance above and beyond
  compliance
• Recognizes award recipients as leaders who serve
  as a positive role models
• 13 years of continuous awards program

• Key Attributes
• Multi-media
• Ad Campaign
• Award Ceremony
• Workshops

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P2 Awards Selection

• Decided by committee of local regulatory and
  utility agencies
• Typically 35 nominations from business and local
  agencies
• Selection process leads to 10 awards

Companys selected based on largest environmental
gains overall
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P2 Recognition

• Provide free media coverage/outreach and
  advertising for winners
• Conduct awards ceremony with local celebrities
  and political leaders

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Beyond Compliance
P2 Excellence
Increased Compliance
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Green Business Program

• Sacramento Area Green Business Program
• certifies promotes
• businesses
• open to all businesses
• Benefits
• free advertising/promotion
• cost savings through
• energy, water and waste reduction

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4 Main GB Criteria
Pollution Prevention Solid Waste Reduction
Water Conservation Energy Efficiency
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Projected GB Benefits
In 2005 eight GBs in Sacramento
Recycled 65,000 lbs. of solid waste 33,000
lbs. of haz waste Conserved 85,650 gals. of
water 86,000 KWH of electricity
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Projected GB Growth
Budget - 75 K from partner agencies Expected
Growth Plan to add 15 new businesses by end of
2006 Expected to increase by 125 per year with
stable funding
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• For more information contact
• Robert White
• Division Director
• at 916-364-4110
• www.sacberc.org