3EPA
EPA 100-F-96-002
                            Community-Based
                            Environmental  Protection
                              United States Environmental Protection Agency
                                       Introducing CBEP

      Over the past twenty-five years EPA has achieved remarkable progress using nation-wide standards to protect
      the environment. We recognize, however, that even if there were perfect compliance with all environmental laws
      and regulations, we would still see many disturbing environmental trends. One reason is that many problems
      result from a multitude of dispersed sources of pollution (for example, automobiles or run-off from cities, suburbs
      and agriculture). These problems are more difficult to control with traditional "end of the pipe" regulation than
      are large, industrial sources of pollution. Another reason is that we recognize the need to treat all the resources
      in a place - air, water, land, and living resources - as inter-connected parts of a system. And finally, not all parts
      of the country have the same problems or need the same kind of solutions. To continue our progress, we therefore
      must lay the foundation for a new generation of environmental protection.

      Community-Based Environmental Protection (CBEP) is  an approach that EPA is taking to improve the
      effectiveness of our nation-wide regulations and other environmental programs.  Our goals are to assess and
      manage the quality of air, water, land and living resources in a place as a whole, to better reflect regional and local
      conditions, and to work more effectively with our many partners in environmental protection - public and private.

      EPA's role in the CBEP approach will vary from place to place  and issue to issue - just as it has under past
      approaches to environmental protection. In some places (e.g., those which cross state boundaries or which are
      nationally important) EPA may lead the effort. In other places, EPA will be an active partner in designing and
      implementing effective environmental solutions. In many places, EPA will support and assist the efforts of others
      by providing environmental information, monitoring systems, scientific analysis and other types of assistance.
      How CBEP Works: The CBEP approach tailors
      environmental programs to address the problems of
      a particular watershed, ecosystem, or other place.
      CBEP is designed to maximize the use of scarce
      resources, encourage local support, and consider the
      economic well-being of communities.

      Description: The following are key components of
      Community-Based Environmental Protection:

      •  A Geographic Focus  allows  for  a more
        comprehensive   approach  to  environmental
        protection.  EPA staff from various program
        offices will work together to assist our many
        partners with priority environmental problems
        whether they be air, water, or land issues — or a
        combination of these concerns.
                                                            A Focus on Environmental Results is made
                                                            easier by geographic boundaries.  Our goal is to
                                                            measure environmental improvement in the area
                                                            of concern,  hi many cases this means looking
                                                            beyond facility-by-facility progress and identi-
                                                            fying overall environmental improvements and
                                                            trends.

                                                            Partnerships and Stakeholder Involvement.
                                                            CBEP partnerships may include representatives
                                                            from all levels of government, public interest
                                                            groups, industry, academic institutions, private
                                                            landowners, concerned citizens, and others. We
                                                            envision that these relationships established with
                                                            regional and community organizations will bring
                                                            about a better understanding of environmental
                                                            problems as well as more effective solutions.
      CBEP FACT SHEET SERIES
                                        w.o. c-Mvirunmeniai rroieciion
                                        Region 5, Library (PL-12J)
MAY 1996

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Progress to date:
• All  EPA Regional Offices  and Headquarters
   Program  Offices, submitted Action Plans  for
   supporting CBEP in December, 1995.
• EPA Headquarters offices are supporting  the
   Regional CBEP efforts by providing additional
   budget flexibility to the Regions.
• An important aspect of CBEP is working more
   closely with state and local organizations. Each
   Regional CBEP Action Plan described ways to
   be more responsive to state and local needs.
• EPA  is  working to  develop Performance
   Partnerships  Agreements with states to work
   together to tailor the programs' requirements to
   individual state and local/community needs while
   emphasizing a more  integrated approach to
   environmental protection.
• Efforts to develop effective  information  and
   technical tools for  CBEP  are under  way
   throughout the country.

Examples of CBEP Projects:  Projects are under
way in  major  cities  and smaller rural  areas.
Examples include:

Clear  Creek,  CO - a partnership  of  local
organizations, private citizens, industry, and several
agencies  to protect the  Clear Creek Watershed
which covers roughly 600 square miles.  Actions
taken to restore the river include Superfund remedial
actions and voluntary cleanups, wetlands planning,
mapping of endangered  species, land use plans,
water quality projects, and an emergency dial-down
system to inform water users when spills have
occurred in the creek.

St Louis, MO and East St Louis, IL - an effort to
enhance communication and coordination among the
many agencies involved in environmental issues in
the St. Louis Metropolitan area. The goal is to
promote  creative  solutions  to  environmental
problems such as hazardous and radioactive sites,
poor air quality, wetland and riparian management
issues, and water quality issues.  Actions taken
include creating multi-media teams within EPA to
work on issues in the area, as well as hiring an on-
site liaison in response to community requests for
more regular contact.
  Brunswick, GA - an initiative to use regulatory and
  non-regulatory   approaches  to   assess  the
  environmental condition of the area and respond to
  environmental problems.  Issues include mercury
  and PCB contamination in creeks, hazardous waste,
  and potential air quality problems.  Actions taken
  include a strategy to reach across  media-specific
  programs in  a coordinated ecosystem protection
  manner; expanded site assessments; and sampling
  of surface water, sediments, fish  tissue, private
  wells, and marshes in the area.

  Henryetta, OK - a partnership with city and  state
  agencies and a citizens advisory group to address
  concerns about: the redevelopment of an abandoned
  mining and  smelter site owned by the city; solid
  waste collection and recycling issues; and drinking
  water and wastewater delivery systems.
   For More Information:

   Visit EPA's CBEP Internet Home Page at:
   http://earthl.epa.gov/ecosystems/

   Region 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
   Rosemary Monahan (617) 565-3551
   Region 2 (NJ, NY, PR, VI)
   Rabi Kieber (212) 637-4448
   Regions (DC,DE,MD,PA,VA,WV)
   Dominique Lueckenhoff (215) 566-2738
   Region 4 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)
   Cory Berish (404) 347-3555 x6770
   Region5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
   Marilou Martin (312) 353-9660
   Region 6 (AR, LA, MM, OK, TX)
   Cindy Wolfe (214) 665-7291
   Region 7 (IA, KS, MO, NE)
   Donna Sefton (913) 551-7500
   Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY)
   Karen Hamilton (303) 312-6236
   Region 9 (AZ, CA, HI, NV, AS, GU)
   Denise Zvanovec (415) 744-1612
   Region 10 (AK, ID, OR, WA)
   Rick Parkin (206) 533-8574
   Headquarters: (202) 260-4002
 CBEP FACT SHEET SERIES
                                           U.S.

                                           77 w
 Environmental Protection Agency
•n  5-Library (PL-12J)
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                                MAY 1996

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