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EMS Action Plan: Goal 1
EPA’s Position on EMS
- EMS Position Statement
- Agency EMS Policies
- Executive Order 13148
- Federal Sector EMS Resources
Promote Wider Adoption of EMSs Across a Range of Organizations and Settings
An effective EMS can improve overall environmental performance by helping to maintain compliance with environmental laws and regulations and by preventing pollution. EPA has a vested interest in helping organizations develop and implement EMSs, and EPA has a unique role to play in encouraging their use.
Element 1: Develop Tools and Other Resources to Support EMS Implementation
EPA can encourage EMS use by providing tools and assistance to those interested in adopting EMSs. EPA has made numerous contributions in this regard, and will take additional steps to do more.
EPA’s products to support EMS use include the following:
- Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-sized Businesses;
- Integrated Environmental Management Systems: A Design for the Environment Approach, a guide for developing an EMS based on DfE principles and methodologies;
- Electronic tool boxes for companies to incorporate DfE approaches into their existing EMSs;
- A guide for implementing the Code of Environmental Management Principles for Federal Agencies;
- Fact sheets on ISO and the ISO 14001 EMS standards;
- A resource guide for information on federal and state EMS-related programs;
- Technical assistance (primarily through the States and other assistance providers) to support businesses in developing EMSs that go beyond compliance; and
- A template for EMS adoption by local governments.
Actions:
EPA will continue to develop tools and support other organizations committed to implementing EMSs. EPA will focus its efforts on developing tools and other resources that can be broadly used, but are not readily available or would be expensive to develop or procure, especially for smaller organizations. Such tools might include training programs, best practice manuals, and compliance and pollution prevention program modules. EPA will also establish an EMS Resource Center to provide a single dissemination point for these tools and resources. The EMS Resource Center will link existing networks of EMS assistance resources and serve as a clearinghouse of EMS information. It will be designed to supplement - but not duplicate - the functions of other public and private EMS assistance providers, including federal and state small business technical assistance centers and the Department of Commerce's manufacturing extension centers.
- Establish a web-based EMS Resource Center;
- Develop a chemical database to assist small businesses and other entities in integrating environmental risk into their EMS; and
- Develop a national PEER center to provide information to public agencies interested in adopting EMSs.
Element 2: Strengthen and Expand EMS Assistance Networks to Assist Small Organizations in EMS Implementation
EPA is currently working with the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation to design a series of workshops for EMS assistance providers. The workshops will be aimed at facilitating and improving assistance to small and medium-sized industries, municipalities, and non-profit organizations with their EMS implementation.
| Also, EPA is working to develop EMS Regional Resource Centers, possibly at colleges and universities. These centers would provide training and other educational opportunities to organizations interested in adopting EMSs. The focus would be on public agencies. Training could be provided both on-site and through distance learning approaches, and could be augmented by mentoring from organizations that have actually developed EMSs. | EPA Region 9’s Merit Partnership for Pollution Prevention program has been working with industry to evaluate EMS effectiveness. An EMS template was developed for the metal finishing industry that includes a comprehensive multimedia compliance checklist for federal, state, and local requirements and tools for identifying pollution prevention opportunities. EPA is now conducting a series of workshops, using the template, to assist metal finishers interested in incorporating EMSs into their operations. |
Actions:
- Provided funding to the University of Massachusetts at Lowell to develop an EMS Service Center;
- Continue sponsoring workshops with leading EMS assistance providers to identify best practices and opportunities to strengthen EMS assistance networks; and
- Develop up to four Regional Resource Centers, as part of the national PEER Center program
, to meet the EMS needs of public agencies.
Element 3: Provide Recognition and Incentives to Organizations with Effective EMSs
Because EMSs offer a comprehensive, multi-media approach to environmental management, and because of their potential for improving environmental performance, EMSs have been a major element in EPA's experimental programs designed to promote environmental leadership. EMSs were incorporated into the earlier Environmental Leadership Program and EPA Region 1's StarTrack program.
In the Aiming for Excellence report, referenced earlier, EPA indicated that EMSs had the potential to become the foundation for a permanent "performance track" program that would reward and encourage strong environmental performance. The initial phase of this program is the National Environmental Performance Track, which was launched in June 2000 and includes EMSs as a requirement for participation. EPA expects to incorporate EMS requirements into other programs that may be established to reward or encourage improved environmental performance in the future.
Action:
- Incorporated EMSs as a key element of the National Environmental Performance Track.
Element 4: Incorporate EMS Elements into Sector and Geographic Based Programs
Incorporate EMS Elements into Select Sector Programs:
EPA has been working with select sectors to incorporate EMSs into ongoing programs or to develop EMS tools tailored to their specific interests. For example, EPA recently completed an EMS demonstration project with municipalities, and another with screenprinters, to test an EMS guide and template designed for small businesses. EPA is also working with select sectors in the Sustainable Industry Program (Metal Casting, Meat Processing, Specialty-Batch Chemicals, Shipbuilding and travel and Tourism/Mountain Resorts) on sector-specific EMSs. In addition, EPA is supporting EMS efforts in the metal finishing sector and the biosolids management industry. EPA will continue promoting EMS use on a sector-basis, strategically selecting other industries for possible pilot projects in FY 2001. In doing so, EPA will focus on the sectors that have demonstrated the most need for and potential to benefit from EMS use.
Because so many EPA programs impact local governments, EPA will also actively promote the use of EMSs in the municipal sector. EPA will work to educate more local government stakeholders about the benefits of EMS use.
Actions:
- Provided specialized assistance and detailed process maps as part of an EMS pilot project being conducted with the Screenprinting and Graphic Imaging Association and seven screenprinting facilities;
- Supported National Academy of Public Administration's review of EPA Region 1's StarTrack Program;
- Evaluated the municipalities EMS demonstration program and issued final report;
- Evaluation of the DfE/EMS pilot as demonstrating the effectiveness of sector-based EMS;
- Initiated a second EMS assistance project for municipalities building on successes and previous lessons learned;
- Expand the use of the successful Merit Partnership EMS model to all EPA Regions participating in the Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program (SGP), ensuring resource support for regions to provide outreach and training to metal finishers in states that have signed up for the SGP;
- Consult with sectors in the Sustainable Industry Program on their current EMS needs and opportunities, and where appropriate, provide technical support for the development of EMS tools tailored to the needs of these sectors;
- Sponsor a major conference for U.S. and international guests to discuss the experiences of local governments that have implemented EMSs and to identify ways for EPA to promote EMS use among municipalities;
- Sponsor a workshop to promote trade association leadership in implementing the EMS developed through DfE among their members; and
- Identify other key sectors for EMS assistance or initiatives.
Target the Use of EMS in Select Communities and Geographic Areas:
Many of EPA's most challenging environmental problems require holistic strategies designed for implementation at the local or community level. Thus, given the holistic nature of EMSs, they can be an excellent tool for community-based environmental protection. EPA will identify opportunities to use EMSs to support community-based environmental protection and to address problems in specific geographic areas.
Actions:
- Work with U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) to train and assist local government entities in Mexico, along the U.S./Mexico border in EMS implementation using ISO 14001 as a baseline; and
- Identify opportunities for promoting EMS use through EPA's community or place-based programs.