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EPA's National Strategy for Agriculture: Attachment A - Sample Performance Measures
Highlights
Full text of EPA's National Strategy for Agriculture
Attachment A – Sample Performance Measures
Goals listed in the Agency Strategic Plan include contributions from all industrial sectors of which agriculture is one. Below are some examples of goals from the strategic plan whose accomplishment agriculture has the potential to contribute to and performance measures by which to measure them. Development of additional goals may be necessary to fully address contributions from agriculture to environmental protection.
Each of these performance measures has a component for which agriculture can contribute to attaining the goals. This can happen through a variety of EPA, USDA and other programs. Notable examples include the use of 319 funds to decrease nutrient loading on the Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico, development and implementation of nutrient management plans under the CAFO Rule, and the retrofit and electrification of diesel engines as part of the Agency’s National Clean Diesel campaign.
Water Quality/Quantity Activities:
Performance Measure: EPA will make water safer for swimming by implementing a three-part strategy to protect the quality of the Nation’s recreational waters. P.40. Objective 2.1: Protect Human Health. Sub-Objective 2.1.3: Water Safe for Swimming.
Performance Measure: By 2008, reduce levels of phosphorus contamination in rivers and streams so that phosphorus levels are below levels of concern established by USGS or levels adopted by a state or authorized tribe in a water quality standard in 30 percent of test sites for farmland streams (1992-98 Baseline: 25%). P.41. Objective 2.2: Protect water quality. Sob-Objective 2.2.1; Improve Water Quality on a Watershed Basis.
Performance Measure: By 2008, working with partners, achieve a net increase of 400,000 acres of wetlands with additional focus on biological and functional measures. P.94. Objective 4.3: Ecosystems. Sub-Objective 4.3.2: Increase WetlandsPerformance Measure: By 2008, reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads entering the Chesapeake Bay from 1985 levels. P.95 Objective 4.3: Ecosystems. Sub-Objective 4.3.4: Improve the Aquatic Health of the Chesapeake Bay
Performance Measure: By 2015, reduce releases of nutrients throughout the Mississippi River Basin to reduce the size of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico to less than 5,000 km2, as measured by the 5-year running average of the size of the zone. P.95. Objective 4.3: Ecosystems. Sub-Objective 4.3.5: Improve the Aquatic Health of the Gulf of Mexico
Air Quality Activities:
Performance Measure: By 2010, reduce mobile source emissions of nitrogen oxides by 3.4 million tones from the 2000 level of 11.8 million tons; volatile organic compounds by 1.7 million tons from the 000 level of .7 million tons; and fine particles by 122,400 tons from the 2000 level of 510,550 tons. P.13. objective 1.1: Healthier Outdoor Air. Sub-objective 1.1.1: More People Breathing Cleaner Air.
Performance Measure: By 2010, working with partners, reduce air toxics emissions and implement area-specific approaches to reduce the risk to public health and the environment from toxic air pollutants. P.13. objective 1.1: Healthier Outdoor Air. Sub-Objective 1.1.2: Reduced risk from Toxic Air Pollutants.
Performance Measure: Outside the regulatory arena, work to reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions by developing new cleaner technologies and promoting the use of those developed by others. P.142. Cross Goal Strategies. Innovative Approaches for Achieving National Goals
Prevent/Reduce Pesticide Risks
Reduce exposure to toxic pesticides
Performance Measure: Through 2008, systematically review pesticides in the marketplace to ensure that they meet the most current safety standards: reregistration, tolerance reassessment and registration reviews. P. 80. Objective 4.1: Chemical, Organism, and Pesticide Risks. Sub-Objective 4.1.1: Reduce Exposure to Toxic Pesticides
Performance Measure: Each year through 2008, protect endangered and threatened species by ensuring that none of the 15 species on the EPA/USDA/FWS priority list of threatened or endangered species will be jeopardized by exposure to pesticides. P. 80. Objective 4.1: Chemical, Organism, and Pesticide Risks. Sub-Objective 4.1.1: Reduce Exposure to Toxic Pesticides
Performance Measure: By 2008, decrease by 30 percent the occurrence of residues of carcinogenic and cholinesterase-inhibiting neurotoxic pesticides on foods eaten by children from their average 1994-1996 levels. P. 80. Objective 4.1: Chemical, Organism, and Pesticide Risks. Sub-Objective 4.1.1: Reduce Exposure to Toxic Pesticides
License pesticides meeting the latest safety standards.
Performance Measure: By 2008, at least 11 percent of acre treatments will use applications of reduced-risk pesticides. P. 81. Objective 4.1: Chemical, Organism, and Pesticide Risks. Sub-Objective 4.1.2 License Pesticides Meeting Safety Standards
Performance Measure: Each year through 2008, expedite the registration of 4–6 new active ingredients that meet the criteria for reduced-risk pesticides or organophosphate alternatives to make safer pest management tools available sooner. P. 81. Objective 4.1: Chemical, Organism, and Pesticide Risks. Sub-Objective 4.1.2 License Pesticides Meeting Safety Standards
Performance Measure: Each year through 2008, maintain the timeliness of Section 18 emergency exemption decisions. P. 81. Objective 4.1: Chemical, Organism, and Pesticide Risks. Sub-Objective 4.1.2 License Pesticides Meeting Safety Standards
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