[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 21, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54182-54183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21291]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7264-2]


Assistance for Local Governments That Wish To Develop and 
Implement Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice; announcement of a program to assist local agencies that 
wish to voluntarily develop and implement environmental management 
systems (EMS); request for applications.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces its 
intention to assist up to ten local government organizations that wish 
to develop and implement environmental management systems (EMS). While 
no direct financial assistance would be provided to participants. Other 
assistance, in the form of training workshops, on-site visits, and 
electronic materials/consultation would be provided. EPA would provide 
partial funding for this program through a cooperative agreement with 
the Global Environment and Technology Foundation (GETF), a non-profit 
organization that specializes in EMS training and implementation, 
located in Annandale, Virginia, but the majority of the funding would 
be provided by the participants through individual agreements with 
GETF. GETF will then work closely with each participant throughout the 
life of the program and provide training, technical assistance, site 
visits, and other materials designed to help each participant develop a 
complete EMS, using the ISO 14001 International EMS Standard as a 
baseline. Participants would also be asked to communicate and share 
information with local stakeholders as their EMS is developed. Each 
participant would also provide data about their EMSs, including a short 
case study, to a National Clearinghouse of EMS Information that is 
designed to help a wide range of public agencies develop EMSs for their 
operations. This clearinghouse is located at www.peercenter.net.
    This initiative is similar to and builds on the successes of two 
previous projects sponsored by EPA. More information on these projects 
can also be found at www.peercenter.net. The initiative is also 
consistent with EPA's overall policy position of encouraging EMS 
adoption in key sectors. This statement was recently signed by the EPA 
Administrator and can be found at www.epa.gov/ems.
    This initiative is being led by EPA's Office of Water and co-
sponsored by the Office of Air and Radiation and the Office of Solid 
Waste.

DATES: Letters of Application from interested organizations should be 
submitted no later than September 30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Letters of application should be submitted in writing or 
faxed to: Craig Ruberti, Global Environment and Technology Foundation 
(GETF), 7010 Little River Turnpike, Suite 460, Annandale, Virginia, 
22003, (703) 750-640, FAX (703) 750-6506.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Horne, U.S. EPA, Office of 
Wastewater Management, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 20460, (202) 564-
0571, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Over the past 8-10 years, there has been increasing evidence that 
organizations that adopt environmental management systems (EMS) for 
their operations can realize significant benefits in terms of improved 
environmental performance, including but not limited to environmental 
compliance, prevention of pollution, increased operational efficiency, 
and improved relations with regulatory agencies. Originally adopted in 
the private sector, EMSs are now proving to be a powerful tool that can 
also help public agencies, especially local governments. EMSs do not 
impose new technical requirements, nor do they act as a substitute for 
existing regulatory requirements. EMSs provide a powerful and 
replicable method for an organization to more effectively manage its 
environmental obligations and, as a result, improve its overall 
environmental performance, including areas not subject to legal 
requirements. EMSs can also help organizations reduce unnecessary 
costs.
    Since 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has led 
a major effort to assist and build partnerships with public agencies, 
primarily local governments, voluntarily adopt environmental management 
systems (EMS) for their operations, using the ISO 14001 International 
EMS Standard as a baseline. These initiatives have documented a series 
of important benefits for the 23 organizations that have participated 
including improved environmental performance, cost savings, and better 
community relations. The experiences of these agencies have also helped 
to demonstrate the value of EMSs in the public sector, provided much 
valuable information that can

[[Page 54183]]

help other public agencies in the future, and pointed out the need for 
EPA to continue to build strong partnerships with local governments 
that wish to adopt EMSs. Organizations interested in applying for the 
program described below are encouraged to learn more about the benefits 
that previous participants have realized through their EMSs by going to 
www.peercenter.net.
    As a result of the successes of these efforts, EPA has recently 
launched the Public Entity EMS Resource Center Initiative (PEER). The 
PEER Initiative consists of two major components--(1) A national 
clearinghouse of EMS information geared to the particular needs of 
public agencies, especially local governments, located at 
www.peercenter.net and (2) a group of eight EMS Local Resource Centers 
(LRCs) around the country, housed in academic and other non-profit 
institutions, that can provide EMS assistance and training for public 
agencies in different areas around the country. A listing of these 
Local Resource Centers can be found at the Web site listed above. The 
national program described in this notice will compliment the work of 
the Local Resource Centers, help provide additional valuable for the 
information in the national clearinghouse described above, and maintain 
momentum for EMS adoption in the public sector.

II. Program Description

    Participants in this program would be required to:
    (1) Develop an environmental management system (EMS) for an 
operation of their choosing, using the ISO 14001 International Standard 
as a baseline. Participants will be provided with information on the 
process, costs, and benefits of achieving 3rd party certification for 
their EMS, but will not be required to achieve certification;
    (2) Communicate and share information with local stakeholders as 
the EMS is developed;
    (3) Adopt performance objectives for the EMS that address 
compliance, environmental performance beyond compliance, and pollution 
prevention;
    (4) Share information about their EMS and other relevant 
information through the national clearinghouse of EMS information for 
public entities described above (www.peercenter.net).
    The Global Environment and Technology Foundation (GETF) , through a 
cooperative agreement with U.S. EPA, will work closely with each 
participant to help them meet these requirements, over a two year 
period beginning in late 2002. GETF will provide this assistance 
through regular workshops involving all participants, site assistance 
visits for each participants, regular conference calls, and other 
written and electronic materials. In addition, participants will 
receive informal mentoring, as appropriate, from agencies that have 
participated in the two previous local government EMS initiatives 
sponsored by U.S. EPA.

III. Guidelines for Application

    Organizations wishing to apply for this program need to:
    1. Submit a letter of application to the person listed above in the 
summary of this Notice no later than September 30, 2002;
    2. This letter should be signed by the head of the organization and 
contain the following information:

--A brief description of the organization and its responsibilities;
--The name of a top management representative who will have the 
responsibility and authority for ensuring that the EMS is developed 
based on the program description provided above. This person should be 
available to travel and participate in up to four workshops with other 
participants over the life of the project. These workshops will be held 
approximately every six months;
--A preliminary, non-binding indication of the particular operation for 
which the EMS will be developed (i.e. wastewater treatment plant, 
public works department, transit operation, etc.). If necessary, a 
final determination of the operation for which the EMS will be 
developed can take place once organizations have been selected for the 
program;
--A description of the reasons the organization wishes to participate 
in the program and some of the benefits it hopes to realize from 
adopting an EMS;
--Finally, a clear assurance that top management in the organization 
will provide the necessary visibility, staff time, and other resources 
necessary to successfully develop and implement the EMS through an EMS 
implementation team. Ongoing top management support is the most 
critical factor for ensuring a successful and sustainable EMS.

    EPA funding will be provided through GETF and used to offset some 
of the costs of participating in the program, such as travel to 
workshops. However, participants will be asked to pay the majority of 
the costs of participation, through an agreement with GETF. This 
funding can be provided on a yearly basis. EPA believes the costs of 
participation are competitive with costs incurred by other local 
governments to develop EMSs and that participation in this national 
program will provide significant benefits to each participant.
    Once all applications are received, follow up interviews will be 
conducted by GETF with each applicant to discuss the information 
contained in their letter of application in more detail, along with any 
other information needed before final decisions on program 
participation are made. GETF will consult with EPA before final 
decisions are made. These final decisions are expected no later than 
November 20, 2002, after which GETF will work with each participant to 
schedule the first program workshop.

James A. Hanlon,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 02-21291 Filed 8-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P