UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

OFFICE OF WATER

MEMORANDUM

I want to thank you and your staff for hosting us and contributing to an engaging and productive Water Regional Program Dialogue. In particular, thank you for your personal involvement in setting the agenda and ensuring state participation from Oregon. I also want to commend Robert Robichaud and Lisa Lundin for their tireless efforts to make this meeting a success.

The Regional Program Dialogue is important from several aspects, and I believe the agenda that we crafted together enabled us to accomplish a number of objectives. First, our performance discussion across all areas of the Region 10 water program provided a full exchange on the issues you face as you manage the program. Secondly, the opportunity to discuss Regional grant issues and your efforts to improve Region 10 grants management laid a solid foundation to move forward in this area. But most importantly, these discussions demonstrate our commitment to implement the President's Management Agenda, focus on budget and performance integration, and use program results as a management tool.

For the first time, our Regional Dialogue incorporated a grants discussion. Grants management is a high priority for OW and the Agency, and our discussions on the many new grant requirements and the challenges that lie ahead in maintaining sound grants management were very productive. We will continue to work with you and your staff as we implement all grants policies and requirements. I want to note your efforts to improve grant oversight, and to build grants management capacity through such tools as training, performance evaluation, executive reviews, and the circuit rider program. It is clear that Region 10 is embracing the Agency's emphasis on linking grants performance with the Strategic Plan. Your work with Alaska is critical to establish and refine outcome measures, data collection and reporting procedures to achieve an effective Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) score and to satisfy the environmental outcome requirement for EPA grant awards for the Alaska Native Villages (ANV).

As discussed on the last day of the review, we agreed to develop a list of action items stemming from our time together. That list is attached. These items will be used as a guide for continuing discussions between Headquarters and your office.

Thank you again for making our time together successful. I believe that the outcome of the visit – putting the Agency's management themes into real practice – is invaluable. Please contact me or call Tim Fontaine at (202) 564-0318, if you have questions.

Attachment

Reference Information | Web Satisfaction Survey

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us