&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60604
October 1998
EPA 905-K-98-003 I/
Agenda
For Action
-------
VISION
Environmental
A sustainable environment where air, water, and land resources
are restored and protected to benefit all life
Operational
Together, we can solve environmental problems with communities in
common-sense ways.
MISSION
Our mission is to:
Protect human health and preserve natural resources.
Prevent and abate pollution to improve the environment.
Serve the public with education, innovation, action, and
results.
Lead the way in restoring and protecting the Great Lakes and
all midwestern ecosystems.
-------
September 1998
To All Region 5 Staff
As we approach a new millennium, we must continue our commitment to solving
environmental problems to improve the quality of life. This has been a very productive
year throughout the Region, and all of us can take pride in the roles we have played in our
overall success.
The five regional environmental priorities and EPA's national program priorities
remain the focal point of Region 5's Agenda for Action. This year, we have fine-tuned our
regional priorities to more clearly reflect their alignment with the national priorities, aimed
at helping us advance toward the 10 goals set out in EPA's Strategic Plan. This focus will
help us to identify and solve the new and challenging environmental problems that await
us in the 21st century.
This Agenda for Action also more clearly defines the role of our programs and teams,
how they fit into the bigger picture of the work carried out in support of our priorities, and
how they contribute to the environmental progress of the Region. It also clearly recog-
nizes that our partnerships with the States, local governments, tribes, and other stakehold-
ers continue to be key in environmental improvement and in our success as a Region.
With emphasis on enforcement and compliance, as well as community-based ap-
proaches, we believe the greatest level of environmental progress can be achieved. By
integrating our efforts as individuals, programs, teams, and partner agencies, we can
successfully identify environmental problems, set priorities, and take action to solve these
problems
At the same time, we will continue to focus our efforts on workforce development
Internally, the implementation of our Diversity Action Plan is our highest priority. We have
a quality, diverse workforce and want to expand opportunities for all people to advance
and play a significant role in our success
Each year, we are faced with new and challenging issues, but I strongly believe that
with team effort, renewed commitment, and efficient use of our resources, we can move
into a new century of environmental progress with confidence. Let's work together to
make this a reality.
David A. Ullrich
Acting Regional Administrator
-------
EPA's mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment — air, water, and
land. To more effectively focus on its mission, EPA has developed 10 strategic, long-term goals that
express the environmental outcomes we are all working toward: clean air, water, and land, safe
food, homes, and workplaces; global environmentalism, sound science, greater compliance with
environmental laws, and management integrity and access to environmental information for all
Americans. Embodying these 10 goals, EPA's Strategic Plan sets the course for EPA in the coming
years and defines the standards against which EPA's progress will be judged.
This plan is dynamic and flexible. The goals respond to the many complex and varied environmen-
tal problems we seek to deal with. As a blueprint for progress, the Strategic Plan allows EPA to focus
on priority environmental problems and to sustain environmental protection in the future.
This edition of Region 5's Agenda for Action demonstrates our commitment to the Strategic
Plan and the 10 National Goals. Regardless of Division or Office, all of the Region's work can be
linked to one of the 10 goals. These goals support the multimedia approach that will be needed to
cope with the increasingly serious environmental problems we face. Regional offices, individually
and as a group, do not play a role in every aspect of every National Goal. This Agenda for Action
highlights where Region 5, working with and through its State, local, and tribal partners, will
significantly contribute to the overall achievement of these goals
EPA Region 5 has identified a number of challenging environmental issues facing the Midwest: the
ubiquitous presence of toxic substances, the continuous urban expansion into rural and agricultural
areas, the resulting abandonment of urban Brownfields areas, the loss of critical habitat, the
disproportionate exposure to environmental risks of children and some minority populations, and
the challenge of cleaning up contaminated sediments. These regional priorities will require
coordinated efforts which move beyond any single legislative authority. Comprehensive,
multimedia responses, which combine multiple agencies and resources with public support and
commitment, will lead to successes in these regional priority areas and ultimately make solid
contributions toward achieving the Strategic Goals.
Reducing Toxics
Releases of toxic substances have caused serious adverse effects in humans and damage to
the environment. High levels of toxic contaminants, particularly mercury and PCB's in fish, have
resulted in advisories for restricted consumption of sport fish and threaten the health of populations
-------
that rely heavily on the Region's fisheries for
subsistence. Increasing evidence points to
certain hormone-mimicking substances as
primary suspects in the inability of native fish
populations to reproduce naturally.
Finally, decreasing populations of and
increasing deformities among amphibians in the
Region are believed to be linked to low but
pervasive levels of toxicants in the environment.
Region 5 has made the reduced release of
toxics into the environment a priority And
continues to assure the public that efforts of the Region, States, tribes, and other groups to reduce
toxicants reflect a multimedia perspective, are as effective as possible, and use sound
science and technology. In particular, the Region will undertake actions outlined in the recently
developed Binational Strategy for the Virtual Elimination of Toxic Substances, and will pursue
sector-specific approaches, such as the recently concluded Memorandum of Understanding between
EPA and the American Hospital Association on pollution prevention in health care facilities.
Promoting Sustainable Urban
Environments and Redeveloping Brownfields
Urban land use has exploded over the past few
decades without significant increases in
population. For example, from 1970 to 1990,
Cleveland's population fell 11 percent, while
surrounding urban land increased by 33
percent From 1980 to 1990 in Northeastern
Illinois, population rose by 41 percent, while
land used for residential development increased
by 46 percent and land used for commercial and
industrial development increased by 74 percent.
This trend is expected to continue throughout
the Midwest Only slight population increases are predicted in the urban cores, while
expansion into metropolitan Greenfield areas continues at double-digit rates. These patterns
increase our dependency on the automobile (resulting in more air pollution), degrade or
-------
destroy natural areas and habitats, increase flooding and nonpoint-source water pollution,
and take away resources needed to deal with problems in older communities. One of the
many environmentally conscious alternatives to such runaway, unplanned expansion is the redevel-
opment of abandoned urban industrial sites— Brownfields. Actual and perceived environmental
contamination, and the threat of incurring cleanup liability, leave thousands of these sites ignored in
most redevelopment schemes, feeding the perception of social abandonment, as well as
furthering industrial decline Other environmentally conscious development alternatives, or smart-
growth techniques, exist in every location - from urban core to exurban fringe Working with State
and local governments, other Federal agencies, and regional authorities, we can help identify strate-
gies that can lead to more sustainable development and a higher quality of life for communities.
Protecting People at Risk, especially
Children and Environmental Justice Communities
Over the last decade, concern about the impact of environmental pollution on certain population groups
has been growing Studies have shown that children, low-income groups, and minority populations are
most likely to suffer disproportionately from environmental pollution The Region is committed to
answering the human health and environmental needs of these population groups. Through
-------
increased education and community outreach, targeted health and environmental research, com-
pliance assurance, improved public access to information, and the creation of stakeholder partner-
ships, the Region aims to achieve its environmental justice goals
Cleaning Up Sediments
Polluted sediments are the largest major
source of contaminants to the Great Lakes
food chain, and over 2,000 miles of
the shoreline are considered impaired The
Region 5 sediment inventory lists 346
contaminated-sediment sites. Fish
consumption advisories remain in place
throughout the Great Lakes and many
inland lakes. Contaminated sediments
also cause restrictions and delays in the
dredging of navigable waterways, which
in turn can negatively affect local and regional economies. Contaminated sediments must be
cleaned up — before they move downstream or into open waters, which makes them
inaccessible and cleanup impossible.
Protecting and Restoring Critical Ecosystems
As the Midwest has grown in population and
economic strength over the last 150 years,
nearly 88 percent of its wetlands, 70 percent of
its forests, and 98 percent of its prairies have
been lost due to industrial growth, agricultural
uses, invasion of alien species, and human
habitation in cities and towns. Therefore, the
remaining ecosystem remnants must be protected
or restored for the survival of many species,
including humans. A healthy economy and
healthy ecosystems can coexist. We will inventory
and assess the Region's most important ecosystems and, with our partners, we will identify problems
and take action to protect and restore these natural areas
-------
To help develop and carry out the kind of innovative solutions needed to solve these environmental
problems, Region 5 has selected nine priority geographic areas in which to focus its efforts. They
are the Great Lakes (particularly Lakes Erie, Superior, and Michigan), Upper Mississippi River,
Northwest Indiana, Greater Chicago, Southeast Michigan, Northeast Ohio, and Gateway-East St Louis.
In these key geographic areas, EPA works in partnership with communities to reach common envi-
ronmental goals
Region 5
Regional Implementation of Critical Approaches
To solve environmental problems most effectively, Region 5 supports EPA's critical approaches to
problem-solving, which reinforce how work gets done. Although every approach is not
applicable to every environmental priority or principal place, the use of these tools will greatly
enhance our ability to achieve better environmental results The critical approaches are:
-------
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance: Provides strong enforcement and ensures
compliance through an array of traditional and innovative approaches, to deter future
violations and protect public health and the environment.
Pollution Prevention: Advances the widespread implementation of pollution prevention
practices as a first choice within public and private sectors
Risk and Science-Based Environmental Protection: Supports the generation
and consideration of technically sound, publicly accessible scientific information.
Measuring and Managing for Environmental Results: Evaluates conditions, identifies
problems, sets environmental priorities, and measures performance as needed to
solve environmental problems.
Partnerships with States, Local Governments, other Federal Agencies, and other
Nations: Uses the partnership concept for collaboration and sharing in environmental
areas of common interest.
Community-Based Environmental Protection: Improves EPA's ability to achieve
the best environmental results, by collaborating with others to solve environmental
problems in specific places.
Trust Responsibility for Indian Tribes: Carries out environmental programs on Indian
lands, where tribes do not have authority or infrastructure to do the work on their own.
Regulatory Innovation: Develops and provides new approaches to the existing regulatory
framework— approaches that are more efficient and flexible, reward creativity
and outstanding performance, and more effectively protect human health and the
environment.
Human Resource Investment for Change: Invests in employees through recruitment,
training, and education, among other things, to ensure the necessary leadership in
environmental programs and the retention of a high-quality, diverse workforce.
Customer Focus: Provides the best service possible to our customers, through enhanced
public communications and improvements based on feedback.
Region 5 programs - Air and Radiation Division, Water Division, Superfund Division, and Waste,
Pesticides, and Toxics Division — administer the principal environmental laws These laws remain the
primary means for environmental management, and our Division and Office organizational
structure generally reflects the most significant program elements The Great Lakes National
Program Office, housed in Region 5, takes the lead in developing and carrying out a broad range of
programs for restoring and maintaining the integrity of the Great Lakes Basin.
-------
Many of our priorities, key areas, and critical approaches operate as multimedia teams, meaning
they take into account air, water, and land pollution in a given area. The teams work with many agencies
at all levels of government and with communities to establish goals and priorities based on local needs.
Region 5 includes several organizations that are critical to the success of the program Divisions
and Offices, Teams, and the Regional Senior Leadership Team. Our Resources Management
Division provides resource servicesto employees, as well as contract, grant, and finance mechanisms to
external partners. Our Office of Public Affairs provides public education, information,
and involvement services Our Office of Strategic Environmental Analysis frames emerging issues,
pilots new multi-media programs, and develops environmental management approaches, such
as community-based environmental protection and regulatory innovation. Our Office of Interna-
tional Activities coordinates environmental technical assistance to other countries. Our Of-
fice of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance serves as the regional focal point for enforcement
and compliance assistance. In addition, the Office of Regional Counsel provides legal servicesto the
Region, and the Office of Inspector General does audits and investigations, to ensure that our
partnerships and approaches remain legal and defensible.
Recognizing that our employees are our most important resource, Region 5 works
cooperatively with the American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing
regional staff, to further our goals for employee diversity and development. Region 5 also uses
Special-Emphasis Program Managers to coordinate and promote diversity in our workforce, serving
as liaisons between management and staff.
To be successful, we must work with the Region 5 States, local agencies, and tribes
in partnerships, which take advantage of each organization's experience, individual priorities, and
common goals As public funds continue to decrease, greater cooperation and coordination are
needed to make the most of the strengths and resources of each agency. Developing and sustaining
relationships with each of these partners is critical to ensuring thai the National Goals are achieved
This Agenda for Action is a roadmap of EPA's regional and national priorities as they exist today.
Although Region 5 is a unique entity, with conditions and circumstances perhaps seen nowhere
else, our priorities and problems are part of the larger vision of a sustainable environment where air,
water, and land resources are restored and protected to benefit all life. In keeping with this vision, all
regional programs and teamwork have been linked to their appropriate National Goals and described
in the following sections. To keep this document manageable, we have focused on major program
areas and new initiatives. Individual plans supporting the priorities, places, and approaches have
been developed and are available through the contact list in the back of this document
-------
In 1995, EPA embarked on a far-reaching reinvention plan to change basic approaches to planning,
budgeting, performance measures, and accountability. The purpose of this effort was to more clearly
define the linkages between EPA's policy goals and measure environmental results and resources in
a manner that allows the American public to assess our accomplishments and provide useful feed-
back for making future decisions. EPA developed a Strategic Plan as a result of these reinventions, as
required under the Government Performance and Results Act This plan describes EPA's mission and
10 specific national goals which serve as the framework for EPA's planning and resource allocation
decisions Using this framework, we can ensure that our programs and day-to-day activities support
the achievement of our goals. EPA's Strategic Plan shows a willingness by EPA to identify and use
alternative approaches, to complement traditional regulatory measures, resulting in greater
environmental improvements in a more cost-effective manner.
The air in every American community will be
safe and healthy to breathe In particular,
children, the elderly, and people with
respiratory ailments will be protected from
health risks of breathing polluted air.
Reducing air pollution will also protect the
environment, resulting in many benefits,
such as restoring life in damaged ecosystems
and reducing health risks to those whose
subsistence depends directly on those
ecosystems
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
The purpose of this program is to achieve the health based NAAQS for carbon monoxide (CO),
nitrogen oxides (NOX), ozone, sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulates, and lead. Through control
programs affecting large industrial sources, mobile sources, and a wide array of smaller facilities,
significant progress has been made in areas that had not met the NAAQS for a given pollutant.
Recently, the State of Minnesota submitted a plan that shows the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
meeting the CO standard. And Illinois no longer has any SO2 nonattainment areas. All remaining
SO2 nonattainment areas in Region 5 have ambient SO2 levels below the standards and are expected
to be redesignated as attainment in the near future
-------
Region 5 is also working with tribes as to what, if any, Clean Air Act authorities they wish to have
under the Tribal Authority Rule. Until such programs are approved, Region 5 will directly implement
the act's requirements on tribal lands
Ozone
Areas Violating the
;-Hour Ozone Standard
Ozone nonattainment is the most widespread air
quality problem in Region 5. In 1997, a new ozone
standard was adopted, based on the most recent
scientific studies, which indicate that long-term
exposure to lower levels of ozone can be bad for
your health It is expected that many areas in Region
5 will violate the new 0 08 parts per million, 8-hour
standard Recent air quality modeling has shown
that transport of ozone and its precursors— volatile
organic compounds (VOC's) and NOX— over long
distances block the efforts of attaining the ozone
standard in many areas Based on this modeling, EPA
is requiring 22 States in the eastern half of the coun-
try to reduce emissions of NOX, particularly from larger
power plants, in an effort to lower the amount of
ozone transported to other Regions. For many ar-
eas, this should result in attainment of the ozone standard without any further local controls. Region
5 will continue to help States and the public on development of the NOX reduction plans and associ-
ated emissions trading programs, as well as any other control programs, to reach the desired reduc-
tions in NOX emissions
Monitoring, especially PM 2.5
A fundamental component of air quality programs is the underlying monitoring network that provides
information on ambient air quality. One of the EPA's highest priorities is the establishment of a
monitoring network to measure concentrations of fine particles (usually products of combustion) in
the air. This data is necessary to use the newly established NAAQS for fine particles, which have been
shown to cause lung disease. Region 5 is helping our States create a network of more than 200
monitors to measure background concentrations, such as those in more rural areas, as well as
concentrations in our industrial urban settings This information will help determine which areas will
need to develop control strategies to reduce emission of particulates.
-------
Proposed PM 2.5
Monitoring Network
Air Toxics
Because many toxic pollutants are also VOC's, existing ozone control programs have already
helped reduce regional emission of toxics. For example, reductions have come from the intro-
duction of enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, and cleaner, reformulated
gasoline, just to name a few. An analysis of monitoring data from two sites along the shores of
Lake Michigan in Wisconsin showed about a 50 percent reduction in ambient benzene
concentrations from 1994 to 1995, especially in late July and August. Reformulated gasoline—which
is required in the Greater Chicago and Milwaukee ozone nonattainment areas during summer
months to help cut ozone levels — is believed to be responsible for this reduction.
Emission standards to reduce air toxics from 174 source categories of industrial facilities are also
being developed. Region 5 will oversee implementation of these standards to the States and provide
technical assistance and training as each standard is developed. Illinois and Wisconsin now have full
authority, and Region 5 is working with Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio to achieve full State
implementation.
Permitting
Air permitting programs provide the documentation necessary to cut emissions from industrial sources,
to help meet Clean Air Act goals The Title V operating permit program, for example, will, in one
document, define how the facility must be operated in order to be in compliance All Region 5 States
have full or interim Title V program approvals. While resolution of program concerns will continue,
-------
effective permit issuance is now the priority As of June 1998, some 8 percent of an expected 3,900 Title
V permits have been issued We expect the rate of permit issuance will increase in the near future
All Americans will have drinking
water that is clean and safe to
drink. Effective protection of
America's rivers, lakes, wetlands,
aquifers, and coastal and ocean
waters will sustain fish, plants, and
wildlife, as W'ell as recreational,
subsistence, and economic
activities Watersheds and their
aquatic ecosystems i-v /// be restored
and protected to improve human
health, enhance water quality,
reduce flooding, and pro\ ide
habitat for \\ildlife
Healthy Watersheds
One of our objectives is to restore and protect our watersheds so that 75 percent support healthy
aquatic communities by 2005. In Region 5, 28 percent of river and stream miles and 36 percent of
inland lake acres were assessed by the States for their 1996 water quality reports. Of those assessed,
67 percent of river and stream miles and 87 percent of inland lake are supporting healthy aquatic
communities The Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP) sets out a step-wise process to identify and
restore watersheds not meeting water goals and increases financial and technical assistance to States,
tribes, local governments, farmers, and others Other watershed restoration strategies include:
strengthening standards programs and implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative
(GLI), Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL's) implemented through permits and other actions, polluted
runoff reductions implemented through storm water permitting and targeting of the Clean Water Act
Section 319 program and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program funds, source water
protection programs, and advanced identification of wetlands.
-------
Section 319 Funding From 1990 -1998,
In Millions of Dollars
Section 319 of the Clean Water Act describes
EPA's involvement in nonpoint-source control,
which most frequently takes the form of
nonpoint-source assessment, management,
and grant award programs As a result of
increased State and Federal regulation on point
sources, nonpoint sources cause most of water
pollution problems in the United States today
Nonpoint-source pollution refers to runoff from
agricultural land, hydrologic modification
(including the installation of dams), urban
pollution such as street litter and road salt, and
improper use and disposal of lawn care, house-
hold, and automotive wastes. The resulting
pollutants, including metals, pesticides, nutrients,
sediment, and organic matter, can infiltrate the
ground-water supply and wind up in other
bodies of water. For FY 98, the national budget for Section 319 programs was $105 million,
with some 18 percent of that amount allocated to Region 5 The figure below shows the proportion
of Section 319 resources given to each State in Region 5. We will continue to provide funding, as well
as technical and program assistance to States for dealing with nonpoint-source pollution.
Coordination with other Federal agencies, and integration of our tools and approaches, will be
essential to our success We will work in partnership with our State regulatory agencies, the Department
of Agriculture, and representatives of the agricultural community to develop a Region 5 strategy to cope
with pollution from animal feeding operations. We will work to reduce air deposition of mercury through
a pilot TMDL We will continue to look at ways to integrate the authorities and strategies of the Clean and
Safe Drinking Water Acts so that we can take full advantage of their complementary goals For example,
we will encourage flexible use of the CWA State Revolving Fund (SRF) to reduce nonpoint-source
pollution And we will ensure that source water protection is considered bv the States in
the development of CWAP watershed restoration strategies.
New Drinking Water Rules and Regulations
We will work with our partners—States, tribes, and public water systems — to ensure the appropriate
uses of the Drinking Water SRF and to ensure the technical, financial, and managerial capacity of all
water supply systems, especially small systems, to help prevent noncompliance with drinking-water
standards Region 5 has 40 percent of the Nation's noncommunity systems, such as schools and
-------
day-care facilities. In keeping with our priority of children's health, we will ensure that these facilities
are in compliance with all safe drinking-water requirements.
We will work with States and tribes to develop source water assessment programs, due from
States to EPA for review in early 1999, and to encourage the development and implementation of
source water protection programs. We will increase our protection of ground-water resources by
effectively managing all Class I, II, and III injection wells where we are directly implementing the
program And we will increase our efforts to identify and deal with high-risk Class V wells in high
priority protection areas Successes in these and other efforts will help reach our goal: 95 percent of
the population served by community water systems whose drinking water meets all the health-
based standards by 2005
Tribal Programs
Region 5 will work with tribes to develop tribal water environmental programs and enhance their
capability to apply for Treatment as a State (TAS). We will use Tribal-EPA Agreements (TEA's) and
Tribal Blueprints to establish multiyear priorities and funding strategies and to identify those
aspects of the water program to be implemented by the tribe and those to be directly imple-
mented by EPA. We will provide training for tribes on nonpoint-source pollution and development of
Quality Assurance Project Plans. Finally, we will work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the States,
and tribes to identify, assess, and restore priority watersheds through implementation of the Clean
Water Action Plan.
Work in Principal Places
Region 5 will play a leadership role in assessing and restoring priority watersheds that cross junsdictional
boundaries The Upper Mississippi River, which forms the western boundary of Region 5, transports
roughly 90 cubic kilometers of water annually past Cairo, IL (This excludes flows from the Ohio and
Missouri Rivers) We will work with all partners to deal with the problems of excessive nutrient loading,
habitat loss, and sedimentation Region 5 will work with Regions 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 to identify specific
actions in sub-watersheds of the Mississippi River, applying tools such as Section 319 funding, use of the
CWA SRF, and strategic use of point-source permitting tools, including animal feeding operations. On
April 17,1998, Region 5 signed an agreement with Environment Canada, Ministry of the Environment
of Ontario, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to provide leadership in
-------
implementing the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan (RAP). We will work with the State, industry, local
governments, and citizens to implement recommendations in the RAP
The foods Americans eal will be free from
unsafe pesticide residues Children, especially, will
be protected from the health threats posed
by pesticide residues because they are among the
most vulnerable groups in our society.
The safe use of pesticides during production, processing, storage, and transportation is critical to our
Nation's food supply. EPA is responsible for the regulation of pesticides and their uses and coordinates
its food-safety program with the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration,
who monitor pesticide residues in meat and other foods, collect authoritative data on patterns of
food consumption, and protect food from biological contamination
The registration and tracking of pesticides is done centrally through EPA's Headquarters. As a result
of the Food Quality Protection Act, both of EPA's principal pesticide regulatory authorities were amended,
requiring a comprehensive reassessment of legally permissible levels of pesticide residues or tolerances.
The act requires that no pesticide residue be permitted when there is less than "a reasonable certainty
that no harm" will occur from exposure to that residue, with children and other vulnerable populations
being a specific concern. To assist in this undertaking, the State of Michigan has signed a cooperative
agreement with Region 5 to work with commodity groups in the State, collect accurate pesticide-usage
and residue data on minor crops, and support these tolerance reassessments.
Region 5 will continue to promote use of alternative pesticides and pest control practices through
integrated pest management, outreach, and pesticide stewardship grants
-------
Pollution prevention and risk management
strategies aimed at cost-effectively eliminating,
reducing, or minimizing emissions and
contamination \\ill result in a (leaner and
safer environment in \\hich all Americans
can reside, \-\ork, and enjoy life FP-\ \\lll
safeguard cc osystems and promote the health
of natural communities that are integral to the
quality of life :n this Nation.
Region 5 made great strides in recent years in building upon and expanding our partnerships with
trade associations, States, and other members of the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention (P2)
Roundtable. The Region will continue to integrate P2 activities into all regional program plans,
environmental performance partnership agreements, and annual program plans and memoranda of
agreement with national program managers. Along with our partners, the Region will target
priority persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals for prevention and waste minimization
efforts. The Region will also continue to promote voluntary initiatives and joint P2, waste minimization,
or recycling efforts with tribal, State, and local governments, other Federal agencies, nonprofit
organizations, and industry; continue to support our partners via granting mechanisms, technical
assistance, and outreach; and continue to evaluate, measure, and communicate to our customers
the effectiveness of our P2, hazardous waste minimization, and recycling efforts. The following are
highlights of representative efforts.
Reducing Lead Exposure
Region 5 will continue to move aggressively on reducing lead exposure in the coming years, with
emphasis on protecting young children — who are most at risk — and building State and tribal
programs to more effectively manage and reduce lead hazards. We will continue to focus on out-
reach and education, especially in high-risk neighborhoods, and helping States and tribes, without
enabling legislation, to qualify for Federal authorization of their lead-based-paint training
and certification programs We will carry out the Federal program in States that lack an approved
program and will also start lead-related enforcement under the real estate notification and disclosure
rule.
-------
PCB Phasedown Program
PCB Electrical Equipment Remaining
In Service In 1994 and 1996
Reducing RGB's
Region 5 plays a leadership role in the phase-
out of polychlormated biphenyls(PCB's) PCB's
are manmade chemicals once widely used in
electrical equipment and as heat transfer and
hydraulic fluids. PCB's are highly toxic and are
extremely persistent in the environment
Although EPA banned the manufacturing of
PCB's in 1979, removal of PCB's already in use
was not required The PCB Phasedown
Program encourages industry to voluntarily
phase out and remove their remaining PCB
equipment In the utility industry, where PCB's
are found in transformers and capacitors,
Region 5 has made significant progress
in getting utilities to remove PCB-contaminated
equipment through voluntary actions and
enforcement negotiations. We will continue
our work with utilities in the Region and then move our focus to other, larger industries
100000
I 10000
1000 —•
Initial and Current Report Dates
Indoor Air
The Regional indoor air program's priority areas include radon exposure in homes and schools,
children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, implementation of EPA's "Indoor Air Quality
(IAQ) Tools for Schools Program" in the Region's public and private schools, and developing
partnerships with commercial office building owners and operators. Our ultimate goal is to have
cleaner air for all Americans, and these efforts place particular emphasis on ensuring better air
quality for children.
Success is possible only through partnerships with consumers, manufacturers, school districts,
and other State and local agencies The Region provides funding to a dozen statewide coalitions
to advance implementation of the IAQ Tools for Schools, radon efforts, and other indoor-air quality
programs Through its own outreach, the Region has signed on more than 200 schools for the
voluntary program, which provides information and checklists to improve indoor-air quality and
children's health in schools.
-------
Tribal Environmental Assessments
Region 5 is actively participating in a national Workgroup for Baseline Assessment of Indian Country,
which will assemble, in an easy to use and accessible format, the environmental data identified as
most important to support sound environmental planning and management, both for the tribes
and for EPA. For all programs, Region 5 will focus its energy on carrying out our trust responsibility
through direct implementation or authorization of the programs to tribal authorities with appropriate
training and support. We will continue to develop predictive and effective communication links
with the tribes (e.g, Clean Water On-Line) and enhance partnerships to resolve transboundary
issues.
Pesticide Management
Region 5 works in close partnership with various State agencies and universities to reach
the large population of farm employees and migrant workers in the midwestern States
Education and outreach on health effects and preventing pesticide exposure are aimed
at workers, handlers, and their families. At the same time, we will focus on reducing ground-
water exposure to five pesticides commonly used in the Midwest to treat corn and soy-
bean crops.
Waste Pesticide Removals 1988 -1997
Region 5
The Region and States are also
continuing an urban pesticide-use initiative
begun in FY 98, to educate homeowners and
others about proper pesticide-use so that
incidents of methyl parathion misuse — like
those in Lorain County, OH, Detroit,
and Chicago —can be prevented In these
situations, methyl parathion was used
illegally as an in-home pesticide, rather
than for its approved use in cotton fields.
Exposure to this chemical in an indoors
setting can have significant adverse health
effects. After illegal use of the pesticide
was discovered, Region 5, along with various State and local agencies, coordinated the
outreach, testing and, as necessary, the repairing of individual residences, in order to
eliminate human exposure to this chemical In all, about 900 homes were sampled and 101 were
cleaned up.
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97
figure 12
-------
EPA is continuing to fund voluntary waste pesticide collections at the State level, to prevent
future spills and costly cleanups of DDT and other persistent pesticides. While DDT was banned in
1971, existing stockpiles remain and present a constant threat of contamination. Since 1988, voluntary
State collections in Region 5 have removed a total of over 3.5 million Ib of waste pesticides. The State
of Wisconsin collected its one millionth Ib of waste pesticides in July 1998.
Children's Health
In addition to significant outreach related to children's health issues, the Region will be working with the
City of Milwaukee to implement a pilot Child Health Champion Campaign Milwaukee will focus on
asthma occurrences in two neighborhoods, one predominantly African-American and one predomi-
nantly Hispanic The focus is directed at learning what information communities need to protect their
children from environmental health threats and how that information can best be communicated.
The Region sponsored a highly successful "Children at Risk" conference in July 1998 The agenda
focused on asthma, childhood cancer, and developmental effects of environmental contaminants.
Based on the success of this conference, the Region is looking at continuing the dialogue with
governmental, academic, medical, public health, and community organizations through
another conference and a regular seminar series We have begun a literature search and data
analysis to identify zones of elevated concentrations of contaminants that are of particular risk to
children and to identify zones of disease. Along with our State partners, we have begun
CIS mapping of this information.
Reducing Risks to Environmental Justice (EJ) Communities
Region 5 is committed to promoting and supporting equitable environmental protection regardless of
race, ethnicity, economic status, or community. Region 5 has developed EJ guidelines that provide a
methodology for identifying and addressing potential EJ concerns in Federal activities, such as permitting
and enforcement, including providing enhanced opportunities for public outreach and involvement.
The Region will also continue its internal and external EJ training programs, which provide history and
updates on the subject. Using our newly developed grant-writing tutorial software, we will also help
communities seeking grant assistance.
-------
America s \vastcs will be stored, treated,
and disposed of in ways that prevent harm
to people and to the natural environment.
EPA v\ill work to clean up previously
polluted sites, restore them to uses
appropriate for surrounding communities,
and respond to and prevent waste related
or industrial accidents
Underground Storage Tanks
If not properly maintained, underground storage tanks (UST's) can harm human health and the
environment by leaking or allowing spills or overflows into the soil and ground water. The goal of the
UST program is to prevent, detect, and clean up releases from UST's containing petroleum or
hazardous substances
Cleanup of contaminated sites: The Region's focus is cleaning up sites where ground
water or soil is known to be contaminated by petroleum or certain hazardous substances
from leaking UST's Currently, there are 72,489 confirmed releases in Region 5, There
have been 38,334 cleanups completed, and Region 5 expects to complete a total of 43,000
cleanups by October 1999
Leak detection requirements: UST owners are required to protect their UST's against
corrosion, spills, leaks, and overfills by December 22, 1998. UST's not protected must be
properly closed by that date. Region 5 will support State enforcement through direct
Federal inspections and enforcement to increase State efforts. Region 5 will enforce the
1998 standards on Indian lands. This will be a continuation of past tribal outreach and
compliance assistance The current number of UST's in Region 5 is 167,700. The projected
level of compliance with the deadline is about 60 percent
Respond to Superfund Hazardous Waste Sites
The goal of the Superfund program is to protect human health and the environment through fast,
efficient cleanup of priority hazardous waste sites and releases while involving affected communities
in the decision-making process.
-------
Construction Completions
Cumulative Number of Sites in Region 5
Region 5 NPL Sites
Cleanup Status
Construction completions: EPA is committed to reaching the goal established by
President Clinton - 900 cleanups of National Priority List (NPL) sites by the end of
2001. By the end of FY 98, EPA expects to finish 585 cleanups, and the President has set a
goal of 136 additional cleanups by FY 99 if his request for $650 million in supplemental
construction dollars is approved by Congress Region 5 continues to lead all EPA regions in
completing cleanups at Superfund sites. Region 5 expects to complete 20 cleanups for
each FY's 1998,1999, and 2000.
Involvement of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP's) Region 5 is a national leader in
the use of administrative reforms to make the Superfund program faster, fairer, and more
efficient Region 5's enforcement maximizes the involvement of PRP's in the cleanup of
Superfund sites. More than 70 percent of cleanups in Region 5 are done by PRP's under
consent decrees or administrative orders. Some 36 percent of all cleanups were done by
PRP's in FY 97, which triples the percentage of PRP's doing cleanups since FY 96. The total
value of PRP cleanups in Region 5 in FY 97 was more than $85 million
Preventing and Cleaning Up Oil Spills
Region 5 will continue to conduct enforcement and compliance activities, to ensure that all
populations are protected from the adverse effects of oil releases into navigable waters. Using our
authority under the Clean Water Act, the Region will attempt to have the responsible parties do the
cleanup of an oil spill and will pursue penalties from responsible parties to help discourage future
releases The Region will also use available inventories and reports in the Emergency Response
Notification System to determine the concentration of releases and the sources of potential releases
We will use this information to target inspections and outreach in specific geographic areas and
toward specific industries such as marinas.
-------
Promote Reuse of Brownfields
The current perception is that it is cheaper and easier to locate a new or expanding business in the
suburbs than it is to recycle a formerly used urban property. To deal with these problems, EPA is
funding States and local units of government nationwide to carry out pilot Brownfields assessment
projects, to investigate potential contamination at these sites, and to work cooperatively with other
agencies to encourage their cleanup and redevelopment. Region 5 administers 42 Brownfields
Assessment Cooperative Agreements and 7 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Cooperative
Agreements with States and local governments It anticipates between 10 and 20 additional
Brownfields Assessment Cooperative Agreements during FY 99 EPA and the city of Chicago are also
participating in a Clean Air-Brownfields Partnership Pilot aimed at assessing innovative strategies to
enhance air quality and economic development.
Preventing and Responding to
Chemical Emergencies— Risk Management Plans (RMP)
Facilities with listed chemicals above a threshold value are required to develop and submit risk
management plans that detail their responses to a chemical emergency. About 14,000 facilities in
Region 5 are required to submit an RMP to the implementing agency by June 20, 1999 Region 5
will continue to identify the regulated communities and provide them with information. We will also
offer technical assistance to small businesses and review State programs, providing training as
necessary.
Hazardous Waste Management
To ensure that wastes are handled in a manner that protects human health and the environment, EPA
regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes. A
focus for the Region is corrective action at high-priority RCRA facilities. Corrective action has been
carried out at 134 (50 percent) of the high-priority facilities All Region 5 States are authorized for
corrective action. Another priority is to demonstrate substantial progress in permitting land disposal
and combustion facilities and to reduce risk at inactive land disposal facilities.
Removal Actions and Emergency Response
Region 5 responds to emergency and time-critical releases of uncontrolled hazardous materials and
oil spills. Initial responses include site evaluations that may lead to early removal actions, long-term
-------
remediations at hazardous waste sites, or Brownfield redevelopment. Region 5 follows up on some
2,500 spill notifications per year, most of which are handled by State and local responders. About 100
hazardous material releases are Investigated and responded to each year, and about 40 time-critical
removal actions are taken each year at hazardous material sites The Region is also increasing its
focus on closer collaboration with private, local, and State entities to mitigate the release of hazard-
ous materials
The United States will lead other
nations in successful, multilateral
efforts to reduce significant risks to
human health and ecosystems
from climate change, stratospheric
ozone depletion, and other haz-
ards of international concern.
Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem
Region 5 includes a large portion of the Great Lakes Basin—the largest system of fresh, surface water
on earth, which contains 20 percent of the world's supply. The mission of the Great Lakes National
Program - as set forth in the United States-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement - is to
restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes
Basin Ecosystem. Our broad environmental goals include reducing toxic substances, with an
emphasis on persistent, bioaccumulative substances, and protecting and restoring vital habitats and
biological integrity. To achieve these objectives, Federal, State, tribal, and nongovernmental
agencies must work together.
-------
Reduction of Toxics
EPA will lead collaborative efforts for air and water monitoring in all five Great Lakes. We will look for
toxicant-nutrient loadings and concentrations, as well as for biological health. Air and water
monitoring will support and target cleanup efforts and measure environmental progress under
Remedial Action Plans (RAP's) and Lakewide Management Plans (LaMP's) These are multiagency
and stakeholder watershed planning programs designed to restore impaired beneficial uses. Great
Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) will also lead development and implementation of
ecosystem monitoring of Great Lakes core indicators, developed through the biennial "State of the
Lakes Ecosystem" conferences. It will also expand public access to additional Great Lakes
environmental information
The Binational Toxics Strategy (BNS) establishes reduction challenges for an initial list of
persistent toxic substances (including PCB's and mercury), which have been associated with
widespread, long-term adverse effects on wildlife in the Great Lakes, and, through their
bioaccumulation, are of concern for human health Already we have gathered information, assessed
and identified control options, and acquired commitments from important stakeholders to reduce
mercury. For instance The Chlorine Institute has committed the chlor-alkah industry to a 50 percent
reduction in the use of mercury by 2005, and the American Hospital Association has agreed to
virtually eliminate mercury from the hospital wastestream by 2005
Utilities are also a significant source of mercury emissions, in addition to ozone precursors and
greenhouse gases. We have started discussing ways that utilities might be able to contribute to
mercury reduction, including through co-controlling mercury with other pollutants, promoting
energy efficiency, marketing alternative-energy green power, and reducing the use of mercury-
containing devices. Additional focus will be brought to these issues The BNS will spur similar actions
for other targeted persistent toxicants. Regional projects that have led to reductions in releases of
persistent toxicants include the PCB Phasedown and PCB Used-Oil and Pesticide Clean Sweep
programs, the Great Printers Project, and EPA's Green Programs for energy efficiency (some described
under Goal 4 and later in Goal 6).
Contaminated Sediments are a significant source of toxic pollutants in Great Lakes harbors
and in the Region's waterways They impair beneficial uses at each of the Great Lakes Areas of
Concern (AOC's) and are important considerations for the implementation of RAP's and LaMP's
GLNPO supports sediment sampling and characterizeition throughout the Great Lakes, focusing
especially on the AOC's, by using the R/V Mudpuppyfoi sampling and by providing technical
assistance and funding for sediment cleanup demonstrations. To date, GLNPO has provided
assistance for assessment and characterization and sediment cleanup at 25 sites, including 22 AOC's,
in the Great Lakes. EPA is cleaning up sediments through partnerships with States and others, as well
as through the use of Federal enforcement authorities. We have participated and are participating in
successful remediation projects in Ohio (the unnamed tributary to the Ottawa River), Michigan (Ford
-------
Outfalls Site on the River Raisin, Manistique River and Harbor, Bryant Mill Pond on the Kalamazoo
River, and Willow Run Creek), Illinois (Waukegan Harbor); Indiana (LTV Steel on the Indiana Harbor
and Ship Canal), and Wisconsin (Deposit N on the Fox River and Hayton Mill Pond on the Manitowoc
River). EPA is also cofounder and partner on the Great Lakes Dredging Team, whose member
organizations are focusing their efforts on improving the process for managing dredged materials
from our navigable waterways
To reduce soil erosion and continuing sources of sediment pollution from nonpoint agricultural
and urban stormwater runoff, EPA works closely with State agriculture departments and other
Federal agencies, as well as with Farm Bill implementation and programs of other agencies.
We also know that air deposition plays a significant role in the accumulation of toxics in the
Great Lakes and other inland waters. Among other things, the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study is
helping to determine to what extent toxic air emissions are harming lake waters and their
ecosystems. Much of our work concerns the atmospheric deposition of mercury to lakes and land—
a national priority and a global concern To support this scientific assessment, EPA is helping States to
develop a Great Lakes Regional Air Toxics Emissions Inventory and to monitor air toxics trends Using
this data, we hope to develop models to more accurately describe the complex interactions and
movement of toxic pollutants between the air and water We will investigate cost-effective control
technologies for mercury and other pollutants. Finally, we will continue assessing and identifying
pollution sources outside the Great Lakes Basin.
Atmospheric Deposition Process
Atmospheric Transport
Releases from Natural and
manmade Sources
Indirect Resuspension
Deposition
Air-Water
DrV Gas Exchange
Wet Deposition
Deposition
Exchange
-------
Protect and Restore Critical Habitats
GLNPO has been demonstrating habitat protection and restoration in the Great Lakes Basin since
1992, providing over $10 million for more than 100 projects, affecting 20 percent of the Great Lakes
Basin. We now know more about what ecological communities and species exist here and how the
Great Lakes support them. New protection and restoration tools are being invented, assessed, and
shared. Communities are participating actively in protection and restoration activities, realizing
direct and indirect benefits for their economies. GLNPO's habitat protection and restoration program
will continue, with an emphasis on projects in biodiversity investment areas and in development of
habitat monitoring tools and approaches
Lakes
Our Geographic Priorities structure provides multimedia support to restore and protect the chemical,
physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Priorities for the four Great Lakes in
Region 5 are discussed below. (While Lake Ontario is also a high priority for EPA, that work is princi-
pally done by Region 2 and GLNPO.)
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is one of the last wild areas of the Great Lakes, still containing large tracts of forested
land, intact estuaries, and rare beach dune communities. It also has high-grade wetlands with
abundant plant and animal species, many of which are threatened or endangered and occur only in
the Lake Superior region. However, several stressors currently threaten the overall health of the
ecosystem, including the presence of persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals, invasion of exotic
species, increased development, unsound land-use practices, and agricultural and urban runoff laced
with pollutants and nutrients. The results have been an increased amount of degraded
and destroyed habitat within the system, as well as threatened key natural species.
U.S. and Canadian governments are working under the Lake Superior Binational Program to
cope with these problems through the joint development of the LaMP for Lake Superior.
Identification of remedial measures will be completed in 1998, and the nonchemical stressors
portion will be completed in 1999. Selection of remedial measures will then be made. It will include
analysis of current regulatory programs and a reduction strategy using tools and incentives Ongoing
efforts to prevent, reduce, and restore the impaired uses include a continuing zero-discharge
demonstration program for critical pollutants (including pollution prevention projects); special
protection designations; the development of an integrated monitoring plan, identification, protection,
and restoration of important habitat; and outreach and education to instill a resource preservation
ethic within the basin.
-------
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the smallest, shallowest, and most biologically productive Great Lake, supporting
major industrial, recreational, and fishing uses. Lake Erie's water quality has improved as a
result of advances in wastewater and sewage treatment. Urbanization, agricultural use, and
exotic species continue to adversely affect habitat and decrease the fish population in the
lake As part of the LaMP process, the Region has designated PCB's and mercury as critical
pollutants for priority action, identified six additional problem pollutants (DDT, chlordane, PAH's,
mirex, dioxin, and lead), and will publish eight use-impairment assessments by November 1998.
In the next phase, pollutant sources and loads analysis will begin on the eight high-priority
pollutants, ecosystem objectives will be selected, and beneficial-use impairment assessments
will be completed A schedule of load reductions and identification of other remedial action
alternatives will also begin by September 1999
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan (the second largest) is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States, extending
from the colder, forested north woods to the more temperate southern dune and swale system. The
basin contains the Nation's third largest population center, the world's largest concentration of pulp
and paper mills, and 40 percent of the Nation's steel-making capacity, as well as fruit and grain
production. The basin contains globally rare habitat and two national lakeshores, including the
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore which ranks third nationally in diverse flora While water quality
at Lake Michigan has improved, contamination still exists. Nonpoint-source runoff, air deposition,
and large contaminated sediment sites are main sources of the lake's contamination. Fish advisories
and beach closings are still necessary Habitat destruction, developmental pressures, and
exotic species present significant challenges.
The draft LaMP is being reviewed to include information on ecosystem stressors that impair
beneficial uses and incorporate early sampling results provided by the Lake Michigan Mass Balance
Study, as well as results of a recent stakeholder comparative risk exercise. Maps of the SE Chicago and
Lake Calumet wetlands have been developed and a project to enhance Lake Michigan mapping to
include all wetland and habitat information in a digital format is under way. Such maps help provide the
basis for protection, restoration, and land-use planning efforts. As a result of recent Superfund work, the
Manistique River and Harbor Site (Manistique, Ml) has been cleaned of sediment contaminated with
PCB's. Fish tissue samples are showing lower levels of contamination in the Cedar Creek (Milwaukee, Wl)
and Waukegan Harbor, IL, areas following cleanups that were started in the early 1990's.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron (the third largest) is hydrologically inseparable from Lake Michigan, joined by the wide
Straits of Mackinac. The Huron lakeshore extends 3,827 miles and is characterized by shallow, sandy
-------
beaches and the rocky shores of Georgian Bay. Lake Huron's drainage area, which covers parts of
Michigan and Ontario, is relatively large compared to 1he other Great Lakes Environmental issues
that still remain include habitat destruction, toxic contaminants, threat of sea lampreys, and a
decreasing fish population. Michigan State agencies met with EPA and other interested partners in
1998 to begin identifying issues and efforts toward ensuring a sustainable Lake Huron watershed.
EPA will continue working with these organizations to explore options for dealing with Lake Huron
problems
Global Climate Change
Square Feet Recruited as of
January 1998
In 1993, President Clinton launched the
Climate Change Action Plan, which consists
of various cost-effective initiatives and
programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In Region 5, there has been great success in
the Energy Star buildings and Green Lights
partnership, with more than 450 corporate,
municipal, and other partners committing to
upgrade a total of 1 billion square feet with
energy-efficient technologies. These partners
have prevented the release of 1 6 billion Ib of
carbon dioxide, 6 million Ib of nitrogen
oxides, and 18 million Ib of sulphur dioxide, which all contribute to global climate change, smog,
and acid ram. Region 5, with State and local energy and environmental officials, will continue to
promote these voluntary efforts.
Waste prevention and recycling also affect global warming for example. If half of 100 tons of
paper is recycled, instead of simply thrown away, greenhouse emissions can be reduced by 63
percent. Waste Wi$e — a voluntary partnership program aimed at reducing solid waste - helps support
this effort by promoting waste prevention and recycling projects. Region 5 will continue to actively
promote WasteWi$e and other waste reduction programs
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) drift high up into the stratosphere, where the sun's rays break them
apart, starting a chain reaction in which chlorine destroys ozone As the level of protective ozone
-------
diminishes, larger amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation
reach the earth's surface. For people, overexposure to
UV rays can lead to a variety of ailments, including skin
cancer and damage to the immune system and eyes
EPA encourages businesses and industries that use
ozone-producing chemicals to reduce the amount of
CFC's released into the environment through recovery and
recycling.Tosupportthisobjective, Region 5 will continue
to fulfill requests for compliance assistance and out-
reach. It will also investigate and handle complaints
of noncompliance.
Effectiveness of Energy Star
Voluntary Programs as of January 1998
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
International Activities
In addition to sharing environmental information with all visitors, Region 5 participates in a number
of international initiatives The Baltic Sea-Great Lakes Partnership was formed to solve common
problems afflicting these great water bodies Areas of emphasis include reducing and eliminating
persistent toxics, preventing future invasions of exotic species, and improving watershed manage-
ment programs Fellows from the Baltics will spend up to 6 months visiting academic, scientific,
and government institutions in the Great Lakes region to discuss approaches on monitoring,
modeling, and information management
We have ongoing efforts to train Baltic officials on technologies to improve air and water
monitoring, sampling, and analysis, and redesign water-quality monitoring networks in Lithuania. In
Poland, Region 5 is demonstrating how municipalities can use comparative-risk analysis and
meaningful public participation to rank environmental problems and deal with them at a local level.
Region 5's Pesticide Management Project is training Ukraine governmental agencies on state-
of-the-art pest and pesticide management techniques and on methods of registering pesticides
and regulating their production, handling, labeling, and proper usage. By reducing the unmanaged
and excessive use of pesticides in the Ukraine, Region 5 is helping to make the global food supply
safer.
Region 5 is also leading a multiregion project to train Ukrainian Oblast and Ministry officials on
the principles of environmental impact assessment (EIA). Ukrainian officials will receive training on
managing and protecting natural resources, establishing a public participation process, and analyzing
alternatives and impact mitigation. Ukraine's future use of EIA processes will greatly reduce the
global environmental risks posed by Ukraine's large-scale energy, mining, and industrial projects.
-------
Easy access to a wealth of information
about ihe state of their local environment
will expand citizen involvement and
give people tools to protect their
families and their communities as
they see fit Increased information
exchange between scientists, public
health officials, businesses, citizens, and
all levels of government will foster
greater knowledge about the environment
and what can be done to protect it.
Public education and outreach is integrated into every Region 5 program through public Involvement,
community conferences and workshops, news releases, fact sheets, newsletters, educational
software programs, and our Internet Web site, which provides access to a variety of environmental
information and data The following are examples of Region 5 efforts to improve environmental
outreach and education
Environmental Education
Under the National Environmental Education Act, Region 5 has awarded—over the past 7 years-
more than 160 grants to nonprofit organizations, State, local, and tribal governments, and academic
institutions to carry out innovative environmental education programs for kindergarten through 12th
grade The Region will continue to award these competitive environmental education grants. We will
also continue our partnership with The Nature Conservancy, to help students learn about their local
environment through the "Mighty Acorns" program We will provide training for teachers on various
curricula, covering topics such as safe pest control and lead paint.
Public Involvement in Enforcement
Region 5 is working to increase opportunities for community involvement in enforcement, including
cases where environmental-justice issues are a concern. The goal is to incorporate community views
-------
as much as possible, while still respecting the necessary confidentiality of certain proceedings For
example: The Region has used community ideas during supplemental environmental
project negotiations, where a violator's penalty may be partially reduced through agreed-
upon local environmental project otherwise not required
Drinking-Water Consumer Confidence Reports
The Region is committed to informing the public about the safety of its drinking water. The Region
will work with States to ensure that consumer confidence reports with specific drinking- water quality
information are prepared by all community water systems beginning in 1999, as required under the
Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996.
EMPACT
Region 5 is participating in a new national program called Environmental Monitoring for Public
Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT). The goal of EMPACT is to make timely, accurate, and
understandable environmental information available to millions of communities and people across
the country so that they can make informed day-to-day decisions Region 5 is developing two projects
under this national program. The first, in northeast Ohio, will implement a real-time air quality
monitoring reporting system and develop a tool which analyzes air quality monitoring, source
emissions, and ecological data to strengthen environmental decision-making at the neighborhood,
community, city, county, and regional levels. The second, in East St. Louis, IL, will provide easy-to-
understand information through the World Wide Web, first dealing with air quality, such as daily
ozone levels, and then expanding to other environmental topics. Region 5 will work with community
organizations to provide training on how to access and use this information
Ritual Mercury Use
A1997 study by the Chicago Department of Public Health shows that mercury is being used in
religious rituals and folk medicines in the city's Hispanic community. Similar findings came from the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the Detroit area. Women are the primary users
of mercury, and most users live in households with young children. Region 5 will work
with organizations that serve Chicago's Hispanic community, to help them better understand the
-------
risks involved in mercury use We will also develop approaches to the problem that protect public
health, reduce contamination of the local environment, and respect the religious and cultural
traditions that give rise to the practice Our project will include public education, to provide
linguistically and culturally appropriate health-risk information to Chicago's Hispanic community.
This project could be also used in other Region 5 communities.
Asthma Outreach
Recent medical data analysis show that asthma cases are increasing, especially among children
living in urban areas Because ground-level ozone is one of several asthma triggers, Region 5 has
developed and distributed brochures - in English, Spanish, and Arabic, - alerting people of the
link between ozone levels and asthma and providing helpful steps to reduce ozone exposure.
The Region continues to develop partnerships with local agencies and organizations to educate the
public about air quality and asthma Region 5, along with the Marion County Health Department in
Indianapolis, held a workshop on asthma and on indoor air quality in schools. The Region has also
provided outreach to children through the Chicago Park District's "Stewardship Days" program.
Customer Service
Region 5 created a Customer Service Task Force to increase communication with our external stake-
holders. Meetings (most recently in Minneapolis) have been held in an effort to bring representatives
of business, local government, and environmental groups together with the Region's Senior
Leadership Team, to identify areas where the Region can improve. In another customer service initia-
tive, the Region is focusing on ways to improve responses to telephone inquiries from the public
Another aspect of customer service identified in the Strategic Plan supports the National
Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS). NEPPS is the framework, developed by EPA
and the States, which establishes a new environmental partnership, to encourage continuous
improvement and to foster excellence in State and Federal environmental programs. Under NEPPS,
EPA and the States work together, each according to its strength. NEPPS directs public resources
toward improving measurable environmental results, to allow States greater flexibility to achieve those
results, while maintaining responsibility and accountability for our work
Region 5 fully supports the performance partnership system. Five State environmental agencies
(IL, IN, MN, OH, and Wl) have entered into partnership agreements with Region 5. joint priority
setting and public involvement are emphasized, and each partnership agreement is responsive to
unique State conditions and desired approaches. For example: Illinois and Indiana have used the
-------
process to shift resources into cross-media efforts, such as pollution prevention and regulatory
innovation, and environmental trend analysis Region 5 will continue to support this process and, in
particular, will seek ways to integrate State and Federal fiscal-year issues, enhanced Indicator use,
and flexible approaches to environmental management
FPA \\ill develop and apply the best available
science for addressing c urrent and future en-
\ironmental hazards, as \vell as ne\\ ap-
proaches toward impro\ing environmental
protection
Quality Management Plans
Sound scientific investigation and the data it produces require an effective quality assurance system A
Quality Management Plan (QMP) is an important tool that formally describes and documents the
quality system used to produce useful data for decision-making In addition to ensuring that its own
QMP's are in place and followed, Region 5 helps to develop quality systems, documented in QMP's,
to enhance sound scientific investigation at the State level.
Protect and Restore Critical Ecosystems
Region 5 will work with its partners in targeting the most critical ecosystems and ecological issues
These efforts will include mapping ecosystems identified by partners as valuable natural areas in
need of protection or restoration They will also include developing EPA's internal criteria for choosing
-------
areas where the Region can most effectively devote its resources The Region will build external
capacity by continuing a train-the-trainer course on ecological risk assessments for interested States.
So far, "Ecological Risk and Decision-Making" has been taught to over 150 persons, including
staff from Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Region will be a focal point for ecological research
and expertise and will work, for example, on the development of environmental indicators
to measure environmental improvements. Region 5 will consider supplemental environmental projects
(SEP's), where it is appropriate in enforcement actions, as a way to promote ecosystem projects.
Sustainable Environments
Urban — Region 5 is promoting green development alternatives, such as reuse
of older subdivisions or retail spaces, cluster siting of buildings, reuse of Brownfields,
pedestrian and bicycle-friendly projects, mixed-use zoning, transit-oriented development,
preservation of natural features, and many other choices. The Region supports
these options by promoting better transportation patterns to deal with the long-term growth
of vehicle miles traveled, using natural stormwater retention methods, and promoting
better community planning for watersheds — to prevent degradation due to nonpoint-
source runoff related to urban development. Our goal is to help people recognize and
incorporate secondary land-use impacts in the development and analysis of
project alternatives. To further this goal, the Region is developing a software
program that will help communities evaluate the environmental consequences of
land- use choices
Agricultural — Region 5 recognizes the critical importance of agricultural lands to the
Region. Ensuring sufficient farmland is part of overall land-use planning efforts being
promoted throughout the Region. However, agricultural practices also affect
sustamability of the existing farmland, as well as of surrounding ecosystems and
watersheds. Region 5 will increase efforts to work with a wide range of partners at the
Federal, State, and local levels to cope with problems and issues related to agriculture.
Particularly important are issues related to concentrated animal feeding operations and
initiatives under the Clean Water Action Plan.
Cumulative Risk
The concept of looking at multiple sources of pollutants and multiple pathways of exposure
is called cumulative risk assessment. Region 5 is contributing to the advancement of this science by
-------
participating in the Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative (CCRI), a unique partnership between EPA
Region 5, Headquarters, Argonne National Laboratories, and community groups within Cook County,
IL, and Lake County, IN The goal of CCRI is to design and test a cumulative risk methodology,
assessing the overall risk to certain groups of children who are exposed to a multitude of regulated
pollutants that make up a typical "urban soup." Phase I was the development of a loading profile,
which summarized all available emissions and environmental data for the two counties. A
corresponding data base was developed, which allowed the user to query emissions information on
the basis of such things as Zip code, pollutant, and source category. This data base will be made
available to the public through the Region 5 library
Phase II is under way and involves developing the cumulative risk methodology, which uses
information gathered in the loading profile. The model will seek to quantify how exposure to an
entire range of pollutants, typically found in an urban industrial setting, affects children's health The
results of this effort, in addition to advancing the science of cumulative risk, will be used in a variety
of ways by different organizations to improve our ability to come to grips with urban environmental
pollution
Endocrine Disrupters
Through hormones, the endocrine system within our bodies regulates many important functions,
including growth, development, reproduction, and metabolism. Although there is disagreement on
the extent of the problem, increasing evidence suggests that subtle adverse human health effects
may result from exposure to chemicals that act like hormones and interfere with the normal function
of the endocrine system These chemicals are called endocrine disrupters Humans may be exposed
to endocrine disrupters through many different pathways, including consuming contaminated
food or water, or breathing air containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals Region 5 will stay
updated on the current science and policy decisions on endocrine disrupters, respond to questions
from the public, interact with EPA Headquarters to provide a regional perspective on national policy,
and work with States on controls where necessary Region 5 will make sure that the right tools are
made available to States to deal with this issue
Regulatory Innovation
In 1995, President Clinton launched a national effort of regulatory innovation, with the goal of
finding cheaper, cleaner, and smarter ways of protecting the environment. Region 5 is actively
participating in the Common Sense Initiative, a program that works with selected industrial sectors
to improve performance and efficiency The Region is also involved with Project XL, a program
-------
designed to test innovative approaches that may require flexibility from current Federal rules and
regulations, and the EPA-State Agreement to Pursue Regulatory Innovation, a State-led effort to
encourage businesses in developing new approaches to environmental protection. Our primary
objectives are to pilot new approaches and to guide successful initiatives into the day-to-day activities
of our programs.
Community-Based Environmental Protection
Community-Based Environmental Protection (CBEP) brings together public and private stakeholders
within a geographic area to identify environmental concerns, set priorities, and forge comprehensive
solutions Each Region 5 Division and Office provides support or directs efforts in carrying out the
CBEP approach. For example: Community involvement, collaborative partnering, and extensive out-
reach and training are all elements of the CBEP approach that are incorporated into daily business through-
out the Region Our Geographic Priority Areas are examples of the holistic use of the CBEP approach The
problems within these geographic areas coincide with many of our specific environmental goals de-
scribed in more detail elsewhere. The following are highlights from these efforts
Greater Chicago
The Greater Chicago Initiative covers the Chicago metropolitan area, but focuses on the Southeast
and West Sides of Chicago, which suffer from a range of problems — from aging industry to decaying
infrastructure to job flight. The Region works with a variety of stakeholders in workgroups that
focus on natural-resource management, pollution prevention, air toxics and odors, large-scale
contaminated soils, illegal dumping, and enforcement issues. In the future, we hope to participate
in several activities that include, but are not limited to, the following
4 Develop a natural-resource management plan for the Lake Calumet area.
4 Encourage the development of a Lake Calurnet Ecosystem Partnership.
4 Complete soil and ground-water contaminant characterization for six
contiguous sites in the Calumet area
4 Develop a strategy to reduce exposure to air toxics in Cook County
Gateway (Greater East St. Louis, IL)
Gateway includes 18 communities in the East St Louis, IL, metro area, many with environmental-justice
populations Over 70 industrial facilities lie in this 60-square-mile area on the eastern floodplain of
-------
the Mississippi River. Nearly 16,000 acres of the floodplain are wetlands. The area does not meet
health-related air quality standards for ozone, and ambient air concentrations for lead and cadmium are
also high. Community concerns in this area include illegal dumping, open burning, abandoned
and deteriorating houses, flooding urban sprawl, and critical ecosystem restoration.
The Region's activities in this geographic area have resulted in the St Clair County sheriff's
department assigning a trained officer to investigate environmental crimes; furthering efforts
by the Neighbors United for Progress to educate the Centerville, IL, community about environmental
problems,- and developing a partnership with the American Lung Association to educate community
leaders on ways to reduce health risks to children suffering from asthma in East St. Louis, Cahokia,
Wood River, and Acton. Over the next couple of years, the Region will:
+ Develop a preliminary assessment of uncontrolled lead releases for targeted
areas in Gateway.
4- Increase partnering with Federal, State, and local stakeholders.
+ Establish a forum for community groups from throughout gateway, to network
and work toward solving addressing regional environmental problems, such
as urban sprawl, Brownfields, etc.
+ Help carry out collaborative projects to prevent illegal dumping.
Northwest Indiana (NWI)
The Northwest Indiana area spans the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The past century has seen
intense industrialization, with steel and petroleum refining industries dominating the area
The result: severe degradation and major alterations to the natural ecosystem of dune and swale
and prairie. Sediments in waterways are contaminated, hundreds of thousands of gallons of
petroleum products float on the water table, numerous Superfund and hazardous waste sites
require cleanup, and air quality does not meet the national standards. Remaining fragments of
natural areas need protection Main objectives of this initiative are to:
4 Reduce risk from toxics by focusing on lead exposure to children and by using
information from the Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative to target sources of toxics for
reduction or elimination.
4 Promote restoration of habitat and revitalization of the Grand Calumet River Corridor.
4 Institute a program to reduce illegal dumping of solid waste
4 Support local sustainable development initiatives, such as the Quality of Life Council.
-------
Southeast Michigan (SEMI)
The Southeast Michigan Initiative comprises 8 counties with a population of over 5 million, including
the city of Detroit and its suburbs. Several rivers in the area have impaired uses, combined sewer
overflows, and contaminated sediments. There are; releases of toxic pollutants and land-use
problems created by urban sprawl. In addition, many areas come under environmental-justice
concerns due to high minority and low-income populations The citizens of the area stand to benefit
from increased attention to strategic environmental planning, current regulatory programs, and the
new and innovative approaches to environmental protection, including Brownfields redevelopment
The Region will concentrate on
+ Continuing to build relationships with our local stakeholders through the
SEMI Environmental forum and other public-information and outreach efforts.
+ Targeting efforts for enforcement and compliance assistance, as well as
voluntary efforts through "Good Neighbor" projects and others
+ Continuing to develop and refine an environmental indicators database, to use
as a "State of Environment" report as well as a decision-making tool.
+ Planning, in cooperation with the local host and national planning committees,
for the National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America, hosted by the
President's Council on Sustainable Development, to be held in Detroit in May 1999.
The Region has selected the low-income, environmental-justice Del Ray community in which to
focus our actions over the next couple of years This will include using our resources on traditional
and innovative tools to solve community-specified priorities such as junkyards, RCRA violators, and
odor problems For other communities in the SEMI area, the Region will act as liaison, identifying for
regional programs the major environmental problems important to the community.
Northeast Ohio
Over 4 million people live in the 15-county northeast Ohio area, part of the Midwest "rust belt."
Dramatic demographic and economic changes, coupled with sprawling developments without
population growth, have caused unprecedented stresses on the regional ecosystems and infra-
structure. The top five environmental concerns in this geographic area are: out-migration from the
urban core, quality of the urban environment, outdoor air quality, surface-water quality, and use of
resources and energy.
The Region's current activities have resulted in: getting two communities to launch illegal
dumping prevention programs,- cleanup of three Cleveland sites for redevelopment, field and
-------
laboratory support to the city of Middlefield to begin dredging and restoration work of Mineral Lake;
and, through the Sustainable Cleveland Partnership, three neighborhood training sessions on risk
assessment, use of data bases, and roles of Federal, State, and local agencies During the next couple
of years, our focus will include
>• Helping local stakeholders to deal with urban sprawl and Brownfields issues.
+ Sponsoring a train-the-trainer workshop on sustamability indicators.
+ Initiating a collaborative effort to cope with contaminated sediments in the Mahoning River.
+ Helping solve environmental problems in four environmental-justice neighborhoods
+ Establishing a compliance-assurance coordination mechanism for northeast Ohio.
EPA will ensure full compliance with
laws intended to protect public
health and the environment
Enforcement Presence
EPA's mandate to protect public health and safety depends upon effective enforcement Strong,
deter re nee-based enforcement creates a climate that encourages innovation, prevention, and
compliance by the regulated community. The Region's enforcement activities continue to be
-------
Environmental Impacts of
Region 5 SEP'S
instrumental in achieving this ac-
countability. Between October 1,
1996, and September 30, 1997, Region
5 enforcement actions represented
25 percent of all EPA administrative
penalty cases, 25 percent of all new
referrals to U S. Department of Justice,
and 19 percent of all civil judicial
settlements The value of penalties
increased by more than 200 percent
during this period, for a total of
$18,777,653.
The Region continues to measure
enforcement success not only by the
number of actions taken or dollar
amounts collected in penalties, but-
more important — by the environmental
benefits gained The Region has
continued these gains by encouraging
violators to do voluntary supplemental
environmental projects (SEP's) to offset
penalties Between October 1,1996, and September 30, 1997, 39 of the Region's settlements included
SEP's, adding about $7 5 million in various environmental improvements. These projects — which may
involve pollution prevention, pollution reduction, environmental audits, public awareness efforts,
or environmental restoration — help ensure that communities which have suffered from the
violations also reap the benefits
Human Health-Worker Protection
Increased Public Awareness
Environmental Restoration
Other Benefits
Ecosystem Protection
Priority Industry Sectors
For the last several years, the Region has supported the National Industry Sector Priorities Targeting
our enforcement and compliance assistance efforts in these priority sectors will result in a better
compliance rate with environmental laws and regulations. The Region's focus on specific industry
sectors has also been successful in encouraging facilities to admit violations through self-disclosure
and voluntarily correct them in a timely manner.
Region 5 will continue to support the National Sector Priorities and Strategies to focus
enforcement and compliance efforts on selected industry sectors. Specific industry sectors will be
-------
targeted, based on factors such as high noncompliance rates, high volume of the Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI) releases, carcinogenic-emission release amounts, significant presence and impact in
the Region, and feedback provided through EPA Headquarters, regional, and State in-house
expertise
The Region has developed sector strategies for:
+ Primary nonferrous metals
+ Petroleum refining
+ Industrial organic chemicals
+ Chemical preparation
> Iron and basic-steel products
+ Coal-fired utilities, single-media focus
4- Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO's), single-media focus
The Region will carry out these single-media and multimedia sector strategies using inspections,
assistance, incentives, and enforcement tools to increase sector compliance. The sector approach
will be critical in achieving reductions in pollution, identifying new pollution sources, increasing the
number of facilities opting for self-disclosure, increasing coordination and communication with our
States and other external stakeholders, and deterring future violations
Deter noncompliance, particularly in CBEP-EJ areas
Region 5 has devoted considerable efforts over the past several years to deal with environmental
problems and concerns in communities that are disproportionately exposed to environmental
pollution. The Region has focused many of its enforcement and compliance-assurance activities in
these key geographic areas: Northwest Indiana, Northeast Ohio, Southeast Michigan, Gateway-East
St Louis, and Greater Chicago Between 1996 and 1998, Region 5 has done 34 multimedia
inspections in our geographic initiative areas. This represents about 70 percent of all the multimedia
inspections done during this period. During the same period, the Region completed 43 multimedia
inspections in the priority-industry sectors And many of these inspections are a subset of those
conducted in the geographic initiative areas.
The Region will continue to develop techniques to define, identify, target, and deal with
high-risk, environmental-justice, and other priority areas of noncompliance by encouraging regular
community involvement and carrying out the regional Environmental Justice guidelines. We will also
continue to apply a multimedia approach in high-risk areas.
-------
Compliance Assistance and Incentive Programs/Self-Disclosures
Making use of all the enforcement tools and incentives to encourage environmental auditing for
compliance and self-disclosure has been an important aspect of the Region's enforcement program.
The Region has incorporated compliance-assistance and incentive programs in many compliance-assur-
ance initiatives. As a result, there has been a considerable increase in the number of self- disclosures
reported to the Region, which resulted in improved compliance with environmental laws.
The Region will continue to encourage the use of self-auditing and environmental management
systems to achieve and maintain compliance through information and research dissemination,
compliance monitoring activities, partnerships with technology experts, pollution prevention,
and innovative regulatory approaches, or sector and geographic initiatives. Where State audit
and privilege laws conflict with EPA guidelines, Region 5 will work with States to handle problems.
EPA will establish a management
infrastructure that will set and
implement the highest quality
standards for effective internal
management and fiscal
responsibility
Workforce Management
Region 5 recognizes that employees represent its most important resource. It is management's goal
that each employee in Region 5 have a full and equal opportunity to reach his or her highest career
potential at EPA. To help achieve this goal, the Region has established a Workforce Development
-------
Team and a Board of Directors that will strive to deliver a mix of formal training, mentoring
of employees, developmental assignments, self-instruction, and other employee development
activities to ensure the successful achievement of environmental goals. The Region has also, in
consultation with the union and Special-Emphasis Program Managers, developed a Workforce
Management Plan. It will provide the Region a management tool to recruit, develop, and maintain a
highly motivated, technically competent, and diverse workforce. The Region and the union have also
agreed to form a Partnership Council charged, in part, with providing and maintaining a high-quality,
flexible workforce - with skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to meet present and future needs.
Region 5's number one internal management priority for the immediate future will be to
develop and institute a Diversity Action Plan, which will provide a roadmap for ensuring a quality,
diversified workforce. Region 5 management and the union will work through our newly
established Partnership Council to meet that priority, enhance human-resources management, and
handle other employee issues.
Year 2000 Compliance
EPA, along with all other Federal agencies, must ensure that its computer systems are in Year 2000
compliance Region 5 efforts will include taking an inventory of hardware and software systems, State
data exchanges, and regional laboratory facilities Specifically, the Region's first priority will be to
complete an inventory of its information resources management infrastructure and associated systems
to ensure software and hardware systems are in compliance. We will rework, reprogram, and replace
noncompliant systems Region 5 will work with the States and international partners to help ensure that
all computer systems can communicate with Federal systems in the Year 2000.
Partnership 2000 (P2000)
P2000 is EPA's new automated system for processing assistance awards. Potential recipients will be
able to access the system through the World Wide Web and view guidance documents and requests
for grant proposals for EPA programs and projects. Applications can then be electronically sub-
mitted for complete electronic processing.
Region 5 has purchased and will install the required hardware and software to implement P2000.
The system will be phased in over the next year. Phase one will concentrate on the module to
produce the award documents Phase two is full electronic processing with States. It is our intent to
implement this phase by October 1999, with the ability of a State to use the system a major factor.
The third phase will include all other potential grantees by the end of 1999.
-------
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Office of Regional
Counsel
Office of the
Regional Administrator
David A. Ullrich
Jo Lynn Traub
Great Lakes National
Program Office
Gall C. Ginsberg
Gary V. Gulezlan
Office of Public Affairs
Ellssa Spelzman
Air and Radiation
Division
Stephen Rothblatt
SENIOR
LEADERSHIP
TEAM
Office of Strategic
Environmental Analysis
jerrl-Anne Carl
Water Division
Tim Henry
Resources
Management Division
Norman Nledergang
Office of Inspector
General
Anthony C. Carrollo
Allverdes Cornellous
Waste, Pesticides, and
Toxics Division
Robert Springer
Regional Teams
Superfund Division
William E. Muno
Criminal Investigation
Division
Chicago Area Office
Louis M. Halklas
•f Sediments Team
Bonnie L Eleder
•*• Critical Ecosystems Team
John Perrecone
•» Toxics Reduction Team
Dan Hopkins
+ Environmental Justice Team
Karla Johnson
+ Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance Team
Tmka C Hyde
.Hie Team
:ine P. Norlmg
August 20, 1998
-------
Regional Program Managers
(all phones in area code 312 unless otherwise noted)
Regional Administrator, David A Ullrich (Acting)
Deputy Regional Administrator, Jo Lynn Traub (Acting)
Regional Counsel, Gail Ginsberg
Resources Management Division, Norman Niedergang
Air and Radiation Division, Stephen Rothblatt (Acting)
Superfund Division, William Muno
Waste, Pesticides and Toxics Division, Robert Springer
Water Division, Tim Henry (Acting)
Office of Public Affairs, Elissa Speizman
Office of Strategic Environmental Analysis, Jerri-Anne Carl
Great Lakes National Program Office, Gary Gulezian
Office of International Affairs, Vacys Saulys (Acting)
Office of Inspector General, Audits, Anthony Carrollo
Office of Inspector General, Investigations, Ailverdes Cornelious
Criminal Investigation Division, Louis Halkias
Team and Approach Managers
Lake Michigan, Judy Beck
Lake Superior, Janet Pelligrini (Acting)
Lake Erie, Francine Norlmg
Northeast Ohio, Rich Winklhofer
Gateway-East St. Louis, Jerome King
Northwest Indiana, Sally Swanson
Southeast Michigan, Laura Lodisio
Upper Mississippi, William Franz
Greater Chicago, Mardi Klevs
Critical Ecosystems, John Perrecone
Sediments, Bonnie Eleder
Environmental Justice, Karla Johnson
Toxics Reduction, Dan Hopkins
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Tinka Hyde
Children's Health, Phyllis Reed
Community-Based Environmental Protection, Donald Kathan
Sustainable Urban Development, John Haugland
Brownfields Redevelopment, Jim Van der Kloot
Regulatory Innovation, Marilou Martin
Risk and Science, Howard Zar
Carole Braverman
Measuring and Managing for Environmental Results, Barry DeGraff
6-3000
886-3000
886-6675
353-2024
353-2212
353-9773
886-7435
353-2147
353-2072
886-9857
886-4040
353-7648
353-2503
886-9336
886-9872
353-3849
886-4298
886-0271
216-522-7260
886-0981
353-8512
886-7090
886-7500
353-5490
353-1149
886-4885
886-5993
886-5994
886-9296
886-6018
886-0448
886-9853
353-3161
353-9660
886-1491
886-2910
886-0147
-------
Look for us on-line:
Region 5 programs, initiatives, and news at wwwepa gov/region5/
Region 5 contacts, publications, and the Agenda for Action at
www.epa.gov/region5/about.htm
environmental work pertaining to the Great Lakes at
vwwv epa gov/grtlakes/
EPA's national reinvention efforts at www.epa.gov/reinvent/ and EPA's
Strategic Plan at www.epa.gov/ocfo/piantoc htm
EPA Strategic Goals
GOAL1
Clean Air:
The air in every American community will be safe and healthy to breathe.
In particular, children, the elderly, and people with respiratory ailments will be
protected from health risks of breathing polluted air Reducing air pollution will
also protect the environment, resulting in many benefits, such as restoring life in
damaged ecosystems and reducing health risks to those whose subsistence
depends directly on those ecosystems.
GOAL 2
Clean and Safe Water:
All Americans will have drinking water that is clean and safe to drink Effective
protection of America's rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, and coastal and ocean
waters will sustain fish, plants, and wildlife, as well as recreational, subsistence, and
economic activities. Watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems will be restored and
protected to improve human health, enhance water quality, reduce flooding, and
provide habitat for wildlife.
GOALS
Safe Food:
The foods Americans eat will be free from unsafe pesticide residues. Children,
especially, will be protected from the health threats posed by pesticide residues
because they are among the most vulnerable groups in our society.
-------
GOAL 4
Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in
Communities, Homes, Workplaces, and Ecosystems:
Pollution prevention and risk management strategies aimed at cost-effectively
eliminating, reducing, or minimizing emissions and contamination will result in a
cleaner and safer environment in which all Americans can reside, work, and enjoy
life. EPA will safeguard ecosystems and promote the health of natural communities
that are integral to the quality of life in this Nation.
GOALS
Better Waste Management, Restoration of
Contaminated Waste Sites, and Emergency Response:
America's wastes will be stored, treated, and disposed of in ways that prevent
harm to people and to the natural environment EPA will work to clean up previously
polluted sites, restore them to uses appropriate for surrounding communities,
and respond to and prevent waste-related or industrial accidents
GOAL 6
Reduction of Global and Cross-Border
Environmental Risks:
The United States will lead other nations in successful, multilateral efforts to reduce
significant risks to human health and ecosystems from climate change, stratospheric
ozone depletion, and other hazards of international concern.
GOAL?
Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About their Environment:
Easy access to a wealth of information about the state of their local environment will
expand citizen involvement and give people tools to protect their families and their
communities as they see fit Increased information exchange between scientists,
public health officials, businesses, citizens and all levels of government will foster
greater knowledge about the environment and what can be done to protect it.
GOALS
Sound Science, Improved Understanding of
Environmental Risk, and Greater Innovation in Dealing with Environmental Problems:
EPA will develop and apply the best available science for dealing with current and
future environmental hazards, as well as new approaches toward improving environ-
mental protection
-------
GOAL 9
A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance with the Law:
EPA will ensure full compliance with laws intended to protect public health and the
environment.
GOAL 10
Effective Management:
EPA will establish a management infrastructure that will set and implement the
highest quality standards for effective internal management and fiscal responsibility.
-------
-------
------- |