United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of the Chief
Financial Officer
Washington DC 20460
EPA/190-R-97-002
September 1997
www.epa.gov
&EPA EPA STRATEGIC PLAN
The Mission of the
Environmental Protection
Agency is to protect human
health and to safeguard
the natural environment-
air, water, and land—upon
which life depends
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Message from the Administrator
[ am proud lo present the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic Plan, which
charts the Agency's course for protecting human health and the environment. Developed with
input from EPA's senior leadership and employees — as well as from environmental stakeholders
•• this Plan describes the Agency's goals and objectives and discusses strategies fur achieving
them in the years ahead.
As we approach the 21 si Century, EPA is determined to hui Id on the great strides we
have made in controlling pollution and reducing risks 10 human health and the environment ~ and
doing so in ways that provide for the nation's continued economic progress. We will constantly
seek innovative measures and approaches to C'ILMIK- ihat nil Americam have air thai is yule to
breathe, waiter that is c lean and safe to drink, food that is free from dangerous pesticide residues,
and communities that arc free of loxic wastes,
In addition, this Strategic Plan emphasizes EPA's commitment In give an added
measure of protection to America's children* who are often tuncnit} the most vulnerable to
environmental health threats,
I look forward to working with all of EPA's partners as we pursue the goals laid out in
this Plan. Together, we can take the common-sense, cost-effective steps we need lo protect our
health and our communities, and to pass on a sjic. healthy world to future
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EPA Strategic Plan
EPA Strategic Plan
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Washington D.C. 20460
September 1997
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EPA Strategic Plan
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Foreword
"// is time for EPA to link its budget to clear policy goals and measurable environmental results.
Only then will we be able to tell the public what we are going to do to protect communities 'health and the
environment, how we will do it, how much it will cost, and when we will deliver results."
EPAPlanning Committee Report, September 11,1995
In 1995, EPA embarked on a far-reaching effort to change fundamental approaches to planning, budgeting,
analysis, and accountability. The purpose of this venture is fourfold:
(1) To develop a clearly articulated mission and a set of goals and objectives for accomplishing the mission as well
as a set of guiding principles by which these goals can be translated into our day-to-day activities and
programs.
(2) To make better use of scientific information related to human health and environmental risks in setting
priorities.
(3) To improve the link between long-term, outcome-based, customer-focused, environmental planning and yearly
resource allocation.
(4) To develop a new management system that allows EPA's leadership and the American public to assess our
accomplishments accurately and provide useful feedback for making future decisions.
While this effort will take several years for EPA to accomplish fully, our approach is to make real progress
where we can in the short term, while we build for the future. With the completion of this Strategic Plan, the Agency has
taken a major step forward in this process.
EPA Strategic Plan
Purpose of the Plan
This strategic plan is a blueprint for taking EPA into the 21st Century and achieving critical human health and
environmental protections for the American people over the next five years. As required under the Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA), it describes EPA's mission and ten broad goals that will serve as the framework
for the Agency's planning and resource allocation decisions. It also lays out guiding principles that will guide EPA
employees on a day-to-day basis as we work towards achieving our goals.
EPA's strategic plan is a dynamic and flexible document. Adjustments and changes in direction are inevitable
as we move forward over time with the many complex and varied problems we are seeking to address. EPA will revise
this plan within the next three years. However, new information from our customers and the scientific community will be
factored into the Agency's planning process annually. This strategic plan will be a sound and strong base from which to
focus on the highest priority environmental issues and assure effective use of taxpayer dollars. With the development of
this strategic plan, we now have the framework to use in building for the future and in making EPA as effective as
possible in meeting the needs of our customers—the American people.
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EPA Strategic Plan
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Table of Contents
Introduction: Preparing fora New
Era of Environmental Protection
EPA's Mission, Goals and Principles
Agency Approaches to
Achieving Our Goals
Benefits and Costs of EPA's Activities
New Ways of Achieving Our Overall
Mission: Key Cross-Agency Programs
Assessing Our Results
Appendices
Appendix A --
Appendix B --
How the Strategic Plan Connects to Other Agency Documents
Consultation and External Stakeholder Input into the EPA Strategic Plan
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EPA Strategic Plan
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•
B£ 1
:
EPA Strategic Plan
I Preparing for a New
Era of Environmental
Protection
he Mission of the United
States Environmental
Protection Agency is to protect
human health and to safeguard
the natural environment— air,
water, and land—upon which
life depends.
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EPA Strategic Plan
Preparing for a New Era of
Environmental Protection
From its origin, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has led the nation in
controlling pollution and other environmental risks to human health and the environ-
ment. As a result of decisions made and actions taken, our air, land, and water are now
much safer and cleaner than twenty-five years ago—despite population increases and
continued economic expansion. While the nation continues to enjoy tremendous benefits
from these improved conditions, EPA is looking ahead to determine how it can help
assure similar gains for the future. This Strategic Plan provides an opportunity for the
Agency to explain to the American people how and where it will focus its attention and
resources over the next five years.
Defining a strategic vision for the future has never
been more important for EPA. Critics and advocates alike
are coming forth with diverse, and often contradictory,
ideas about how to improve the nation's environmental
regulatory system. This has sparked an important public
debate about how our traditional system must evolve in
response to the environmental and economic realities of a
new century. We are at a crossroad, and it is clear that the
solutions of the past will no longer suffice.
EPA understands the reasoning behind the arguments
being made for change and is already working to address
many of them. None of these efforts represents a single
definitive solution. But collectively, they symbolize an
openness to change that must exist for a new era of
environmental and public health protection to evolve.
It is with this evolution in mind that EPA managers
and staff have undertaken the challenge of reinventing
environmental protection. Consistent with a pledge made
in 1995 by President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and
Administrator Carol Browner to make the federal
government work better and cost less, the Agency
continues to investigate promising opportunities for
strengthening our current environmental regulatory
system. Understanding EPA reinvention efforts—the
challenges driving them, how they are being pursued, and
what they may mean for the future—is critical to under-
standing the choices and directions represented in this
Strategic Plan.
Today's Challenges
As Congress has passed legislation to address
environmental and human health threats, EPA has
responded with a comprehensive set of regulations aimed
largely at controlling the most obvious risks, such as
pollution from large industries and municipal operations.
This system is the means through which national environ-
mental standards are set, permits are issued, compliance is
monitored, and if necessary, enforcement actions are
taken.
The logic and efficiency of managing environmental
and human health risks in this manner are widely
recognized, and yet, over time, limitations also have
become clear. Insufficient flexibility in regulatory
requirements that produce increasingly smaller levels of
return can impose additional costs on industries and
communities. Prescriptive controls can discourage
technological innovation that could help lower costs and
achieve environmental benefits beyond those achieved
under current mandates. More importantly, a system
focused largely on "end-of-pipe" pollution simply is not
effective at addressing a number of emerging risks, such as
polluted runoff or ozone depletion. Such risks are expected
to escalate in the coming years as our population continues
to grow and as our economy expands to accommodate an
increasingly global marketplace. As we look to the future,
EPA must address the limitations that exist within our
current regulatory system and prepare to manage new risks
as they emerge.
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EPA's Response
As Figure 1 shows, EPA has adopted a dual-tiered
strategy to meet this challenge. On one level, EPA is
working to strengthen those features of the current system
that have proven effective. Regulations are being simpli-
fied and reporting requirements are being reduced where
possible so that regulated facilities as well as governmen-
tal agencies can focus their resources more productively.
Strengthening the current system also means strength-
ening relationships ~ internally and externally ~ to ensure
that all potential talents, resources and perspectives are
brought to bear on the problems that remain. EPA is
working to build stronger alliances with a multitude of
partners, but it is especially focused on improving working
relationships with the states.
Finally, EPA is handling its resources much more
strategically. Last year, the Office of the Chief Financial
Officer was established to integrate planning, budgeting,
analysis and accountability activities throughout the
Agency.
Figure 1
A Dual Strategy for Reinventing Environmental Protection
Strengthen the Current
Regulatory System
- Simplify requirements/reduce reporting
- Build stronger partnerships
- Manage resources strategically
Design and Test Innovative
New Tools and Approaches
- Industry-based
- Community-based
- Performance-based
Better Protection
At Less Cost
On another level, EPA is working to develop funda-
mental new tools and approaches to advance environmen-
tal and human health protection beyond our current
capabilities. EPA and many external stakeholders are now
asking, "How do we move beyond mere compliance with
environmental standards and create a system that
consistently delivers better results?" EPA believes that
better results will be achieved through performance-based
approaches that create incentives for continuous improve-
ments, and through tailored management strategies that
take into account the unique conditions and circumstances
facing specific industries or communities.
To get better environmental protection at reasonable
cost, EPA will use the results from experiments with
innovative approaches to make broader changes to the
Nation's environmental management system. Reinvention
of environmental protection involves rethinking specific
steps of the regulatory process, such as setting standards
and writing regulations, issuing permits, collecting
environmental reports about pollution, providing
assistance to help business comply with the law and
conducting enforcement actions. Working with states and
other partners, EPA is incorporating successful innovations
into the daily operation of environmental programs.
Today, the Agency is developing performance-based
approaches that can lead regulated facilities to invest in
environmental improvements that might not otherwise be
pursued. For example, through Project XL, which stands
for excellence and Leadership, facilities are offered
regulatory flexibility if their alternative management
strategy promises better results than would otherwise be
achieved under the current regulatory system ~ and if they
actively involve interested stakeholders.
EPA is also looking for ways to better address the
environmental challenges of specific industry sectors. Our
regulations are structured to control pollution in specific
environmental media ~ such as air, land, water ~ not from
specific industry sources. As a result, industries are often
faced with the difficulty of having to track, understand,
and comply with multiple requirements under each
environmental statute. Through the Common Sense
Initiative, EPA and multiple stakeholders are exploring
how to replace the pollutant-by-pollutant approach of the
past with a more comprehensive industry-by-industry
approach for the future. Participants are looking at all
regulatory responsibilities as a step towards simplifying
requirements and encouraging practices that could
improve environmental performance while also cutting
costs.
A similar need for more tailored environmental
management strategies at the local level has led EPA to
develop more community-based environmental protection
tools. Grants to help concerned stakeholders understand
technical issues affecting their community, a new website
featuring the latest tools for community-based environ-
mental protection, and a new community-right-to-know
program dedicated to improving public access to environ-
mental information are just a few examples of how EPA is
reaching out to create a system more responsive to local
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priorities.
Today, these reforms are redefining our environmental
management system. In addition to the traditional tools
that have proven effective in the past, businesses,
communities, government agencies, and private citizens
are gaining access to a much broader menu of choices for
determining how to best meet their interests and responsi-
bilities. Facility-wide and multimedia permits provide an
alternative to the traditional issuance of multiple permits
for one location. A risk-based approach to monitoring
allows regulated facilities to focus their resources on
collecting more useful data. Electronic reporting systems
are providing a quicker, easier, and more accurate means
of submitting information. And new compliance assistance
centers help facilities better understand regulatory
requirements. As these examples show, reinventing
environmental protection means improving and expanding
the current system—not replacing it.
Implications for the Future
Ultimately, the changes underway today will have a
profound influence on how our nation's environmental
goals and objectives are pursued at the turn of the century
and beyond. An improved system that delivers consis-
tently better protection at less cost will have five key
attributes (Table 1).
First, it will provide more flexibility with
accountability. As American companies find
themselves operating in an increasingly global
marketplace, the ability to make changes to
operations without regulatory delay will have a
definite impact on their competitiveness. Similarly,
an era of rapidly shrinking budgets will force some
communities to target limited resources more
strategically. Both of these scenarios call for more
operational flexibility within the regulatory system.
EPA has committed to a variety of actions that cut
costs without jeopardizing environmental gains. For
example, EPA will continue the reforms it has started
in several permitting programs. These reforms
reduce permit processing time and lower information
requirements in permit application and re-
application.
Second, it will allow greater public access to
information. Rapid advancements in information
technology, coupled with the public's interest and
willingness to become involved in environmental
issues, will increase demands for information. An
improved system must focus on improving the
quantity, quality, timeliness, and accessibility of
environmental information from multiple sources.
Table 1
Changes Underway: A Snapshot of Reinvention
Attribute
Reform Effort
Results
Flexibility with
accountability
Better public access
to information
Strong partnerships
Easier compliance with
environmental laws
Less red tape
Common Sense Initiative
Project XL
Brownfields
Permit Improvements
One-stop reporting
National Environmental
Performance Partnership System
Voluntary Programs
Compliance Assistance Centers
Environmental Leadership
Program
Line-by-line review of regulations
Over 40 projects testing industry-by-industry
approaches to environmental regulation
Three projects using alternative regulatory approaches
Over 70 communities cleaning up abandoned, idled,
or under-utilized industrial and commercial sites
Streamlined administrative processes, flexible permit
approaches (e.g. pollution prevention) and
increased public participation
Eleven states developing and testing integrated
environmental reporting systems
Performance Partnership Agreements with
nearly half the states
Over 7,000 companies voluntarily improving
environmental performance
Four centers operating to help small businesses
better access and understand environmental
requirements
New mechanism to encourage and recognize strong
compliance
Total regulatory burden cut by nearly 16 million hours
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• Third, an improved system will reflect strong
partnerships. As no single entity can ensure
environmental and public health protection, EPA
must continue to build a broader, more diverse
network of stakeholders to share responsibilities for
protecting public health and the environment.
• Fourth, it will facilitate compliance with
environmental laws. Ensuring that companies
and communities comply with environmental laws
will always be one of EPA's highest priorities.
However, it is just as important for EPA to find ways
of making compliance easier to achieve. An
improved system will provide the regulated
community with assistance and compliance
information that is more understandable and
accessible.
• Finally, an improved system for the future
will involve less red tape. Real gains for
protecting public health and the environment come
about through work at state and local levels-in
manufacturing facilities, around community
recycling centers and water treatment plants, and
across the rural countryside. Cutting unnecessary,
obsolete, or duplicative requirements and paperwork
so that those with environmental responsibilities can
focus on solving the problems at hand will continue
to be an important responsibility for EPA.
EPA is eager to continue experimenting with new tools
and approaches for achieving better results in the future.
However, the Agency will not allow actions that jeopar-
dize the gains of the past. Reforms will continue to be
developed and managed with care. In all cases, we will
incorporate strong accountability requirements to guard
against failure to meet national standards. Providing strong
safeguards will allow the search for innovative solutions to
continue without compromising the levels of environmen-
tal and public health protection that the American people
have come to expect.
EPA's Partners in Change
As EPA strives to create a stronger system for
protecting public health and the environment, it cannot act
alone. Rather, it must encourage all interested stakehold-
ers—other governmental agencies, business and industry,
environmental and public interest groups, and private
citizens—to participate in the discussion, design, and
implementation of new ideas.
Engaging interested stakeholders as partners in change
is important for many reasons.
• First, EPA alone does not have all the answers. As
we proceed with policy and decision making,
external stakeholders have different perspectives that
can and should be considered. For example, as the
front-line implementors of many federal
requirements, state environmental officials have
insights on what may or may not work well.
Similarly, business and industry have strong opinions
about how federal environmental policies affect their
operations and overall competitiveness nationally
and abroad. In order to harness long-term, broad-
based support, many diverse views and opinions
must be taken into account.
• Second, additional partners mean more efficient
use of resources. In a time when Congress and the
Administration are eliminating the federal deficit, it
is more important than ever to assure that federal
dollars achieve the greatest possible gain.
Leveraging resources through partnerships can
provide this assurance, and help create mutually
beneficial situations for the public and private
sectors.
• Third, partnerships are critical because some
challenges are best addressed at the local level.
Problems such as controlling polluted runoff require
more tailored, community-based approaches that
take into account the unique conditions and
circumstances surrounding a particular issue or area.
In these cases, EPA's most effective course of action
is to offer technical tools and financial assistance
that empower its local partners.
For these reasons, building and maintaining strong
partnerships continues to be one of the Agency's highest
priorities. This priority is reinforced by the strong interest
that key constituencies have shown in experimenting with
new tools and approaches. Indeed, as the following
summaries show, EPA is working with key partners to
achieve common goals in promising and often unprec-
edented ways.
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Federal Agencies
Among the partners with whom EPA will work most
closely are other Federal agencies. EPA's responsibilities
for human health and the environment intersect with or
support the work of nearly 20 other Federal departments
or agencies. For this reason, EPA must work closely with
them to ensure that the Agency's resources are directed in
a way that complements other Federal initiatives and
supports the achievement of our common goals. While the
Agency has worked extensively with these agencies in the
past, the process of developing this Strategic Plan
underscored the importance of strong coordination among
agencies with similar or interrelated functions.
Much work remains to be done. Potential areas for
interagency activities include developing performance
measures for comparable functions, linking target
performance levels in cross-cutting programs and
identifying and eliminating duplicative program activities.
As agencies work in tandem to address these concerns,
they will strive to leverage resources, clarify responsibili-
ties and improve the products and services provided to the
American public. The attached appendix, "Consultation
and External Stakeholder Input," provides EPA's outlook
on interagency coordination.
States
State governments have primary responsibility for
implementing most environmental programs, carrying out
day-to-day activities such as issuing permits, conducting
compliance and enforcement programs, and monitoring
environmental conditions. A strong and effective state-
EPA partnership is, therefore, fundamental to the achieve-
ment of EPA's goals and objectives.
EPA and the states have worked as public partners in a
number of productive ways. An important milestone in
our collaboration was reached in May 1995, when EPA
joined forces with the Environmental Council of the States
(ECOS) to establish the National Environmental Perfor-
mance Partnership System (NEPPS). Performance
partnerships between EPA and the states represent a new
working relationship-one in which EPA and the states
determine together what work will be carried out on an
annual basis, and how it will be accomplished. Tradition-
ally, the process for addressing environmental and public
health priorities has been conducted separately under each
of EPA's various statutory authorities. In the past, states
have submitted as many as 16 annual work plans and
received multiple grants to support their air, drinking
water, hazardous waste, and other pollution control
activities. Besides promoting a fragmented approach to
environmental problems, this traditional process tended to
emphasize administrative management and oversight
rather than effectively direct efforts to reduce environmen-
tal hazards.
NEPPS partnerships give EPA a clearer understanding
of actual problems and conditions and encourage states to
focus on the issues most in need of attention. They also
allow the Agency and the states to reduce time and
resources formerly devoted to administrative and oversight
activities. Performance partnerships are helping to shape a
fundamentally different relationship between EPA and the
states. Recognizing their potential advantages, nearly half
the states decided this year to put partnerships to the test.
This important program is discussed in greater detail in the
section entitled, "New Ways of Achieving Our Overall
Mission: Key Cross-Agency Programs."
Indian Tribes
EPA understands that we have a trust responsibility to
federally recognized tribes across the country. The Agency
is committed to working with tribes to assure the protec-
tion of human health and the tribal homeland environment
in a manner consistent with a government-to-government
relationship and our interest in conservation of cultural
uses of natural resources. We are working to enhance
partnerships with the tribes to address specific environ-
mental and public health goals. These partnerships are
discussed in greater detail later in this document, and
emphasize the Agency-wide, multimedia nature of our
support for tribal implementation and priorities identified
in Tribal/EPA Environmental Agreements or other plans.
Local Governments
It is at the local, community, and neighborhood level
that environmental problems often originate and must be
resolved. Engaging local leaders and communities in the
effort to meet future environmental challenges is critical to
achieving successful outcomes. EPA realizes that local
governments must be empowered to fully realize their
stewardship responsibilities, and we are working to ensure
that local governments have access to the information,
expertise, and resources necessary to build comprehensive,
long-term environmental solutions at the local level.
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Industry
Just as EPA's relationships with state, tribal, and local
governments are evolving, so too are our relationships with
industry. After twenty-five years of focusing almost
exclusively on across-the-board compliance with environ-
mental standards, the Agency is now offering more tailored
approaches that recognize the various levels of environmen-
tal performance and commitment that exist within the
private sector.
Because small businesses may not always have the staff
or resources needed to gain a full understanding of
regulatory requirements, a number of EPA efforts now ofTer
assistance. For example, EPA has opened compliance
assistance centers to provide companies in four industrial
sectors with quicker, easier access to information about how
to achieve and maintain compliance. Additionally, a new
small business compliance policy encourages businesses to
participate in compliance assistance programs, conduct
environmental audits, and promptly disclose and correct
violations. As an incentive, EPA will waive or reduce
penalties for first-time violators as long as there is no
criminal activity and no imminent threat to health, safety,
and the environment.
The Agency is also developing incentives for companies
that are willing and capable of not just meeting, but
exceeding, today's national standards. Many companies now
have mature environmental management programs,
knowledgeable and experienced staff, and access to
technological advancements that make such achievements
possible. This interest in exceeding requirements is one of
the most profound indicators of evolution in environmental
and human health protection. It suggests that, in time, our
national environmental standards may come to represent a
performance floor to maintain, rather than a ceiling to reach.
One way EPA is encouraging better performance is
through a variety of voluntary environmental programs
offering companies public recognition and certain kinds of
assistance in improving their operations. In 1995, over 6,000
participants in voluntary programs saved millions of dollars
while helping to:
• Cut toxic pollution by 750 million pounds—the
equivalent of 3 pounds for every man, woman, and
child in America.
• Eliminate nearly 2 million tons of solid waste.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by preventing
over 13 million metric tons of CO, emissions.
Public Interest Organizations
EPA works with many stakeholder organizations across
the country-environmental, labor, and public advocacy
groups- that play a separate and distinct role in protecting
the environment. They often serve as watchdog groups in
the workplace and communities, and provide EPA with
invaluable information on the concerns of citizens impacted
by the policies and decisions made by government. Their
members are the eyes and ears of our communities,
monitoring activities affecting the health and well-being of
their children, families, and neighbors in the places they
live, work, and play.
The Public
Americans care deeply about the quality of their
environment. This widely held concern is evident in the
growing number of people and organizations working to
improve environmental quality in a variety of ways.
Concerned and committed citizens can be found cleaning up
abandoned waste sites, planting vegetation and restoring
habitat, and promoting recycling in their communities.
Citizens also are taking a more active role in environmental
decision making—demanding a seat at the table as local,
state, and national issues are debated.
Recognizing the value and potential of a well-informed
and committed citizenry for affecting positive change, the
Agency supports meaningful public involvement in
environmental issues. Today, EPA offers community-based
tools and financial assistance to empower people at the local
level. The Agency is expanding participation in the
regulatory process through consensus-based approaches and
negotiated rulemaking.
Finally, we are employing new technologies to make
information more accessible and relevant to the public.
Efforts are underway to make environmental data more
timely, more accessible and more understandable, so that it
can be used more effectively.
Conclusion
The changing character of EPA's relationships with the
public, the regulated community, and other governmental
partners has provided many benefits. Collaborative approaches
are making possible the expansion of programs to support
human health and environmental protection, effectively and with
greater efficiency. Best of all, EPA's strategies for the coming
years promise to be responsive to the needs of stakeholders
because of the steps we have taken to strengthen our alliances
with them throughout the planning process.
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» -9
EPA's Mission,
Goals, and
Principles
This section defines
the EPA goals and
guiding principles that
have been developed for
EPA's planning, budgeting,
analysis and accountability
process.
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EPA Strategic Plan
EPA's Mission, Goals, and Principles
• ••••• •••••••••••••••
The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to
protect human health and to safeguard the natural environ-
ment—air, water, and land—upon which life depends.
EPA'spurpose is to ensure that:
• All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where
they live, learn and work
• National efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best available scientific information.
• Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced fairly and effectively.
• Environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S. policies concerning natural
resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and
international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy.
• All parts of society—communities, individuals, business, state and local governments, tribal
governments—have access to accurate information sufficient to effectively participate in managing
human health and environmental risks.
• Environmental protection contributes to making our communities and ecosystems diverse,
sustainable and economically productive.
• The United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to protect the global
environment.
16
EPA's mission reflects the will of the American people
as expressed through Congress and six successive
Presidents. To remain focused on these mandates and to
establish guideposts for its employees today and in the
future, EPA has defined a series often strategic, long-term
goals. These goals, together with the underlying principles
that will be used to achieve them, will define EPA's
planning, budgeting, analysis, and accountability process.
In the next chapter, each goal is described in detail.
EPA's Goals
1, 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 environ-
ment, resulting in many benefits, such as restoring
life in damaged ecosystems and reducing health risks
to those whose subsistence depends directly on those
ecosystems.
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 public
health, enhance water quality, reduce flooding, and
provide habitat for wildlife.
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3, 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.
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 cleaner and safer environments 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.
5, 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, restoring them to uses
appropriate for surrounding communities, and
respond to and prevent waste-related or industrial
accidents.
6, Reduction of Global and Cross-
Border Environmental Risks:
The United States will lead other nations in success-
ful, multilateral efforts to reduce significant risks to
human health and ecosystems from climate change,
stratospheric ozone depletion, and other hazards of
international concern.
7, 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.
8, Sound Science, Improved
Understanding of
Environmental Risk, and
Greater Innovation to Address
Environmental Problems:
EPA will develop and apply the best available science
for addressing current and future environmental
hazards, as well as new approaches toward improving
environmental protection.
9, A Credible Deterrent to
Pollution and Greater
Compliance with the Law:
EPA will ensure full compliance with laws intended
to protect human health and the environment.
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.
EPA Strategic Plan
EPA's Mission,
Goals, and
rindples
17
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EPA Strategic Plan
EPA's Mission,
Goals, and
Principles
How Program Evaluations
Contributed to the Establishment of
the Agency's Goals
EPA's goals reflect public priorities as articulated by
Congress in the form of statutory mandates and authorities
for achieving clean air, clean water, waste management
and other important national concerns. As such, several
Agency goals encompass our activities in support of
media-specific achievements under the range of legislation
we are charged to implement.
Over the course of the past five years, the Agency also
engaged in an intensive effort to develop a set of national
environmental goals defined in a draft "Environmental
Goals for America" report. This draft report reflected
extensive public input and was used as the basis for many
of the goals in the Strategic Plan. Evaluative steps EPA
took in developing these goals include:
• Examining trends affecting health and ecological
risks;
• Assessing the effectiveness of current and
foreseeable environmental technologies and
programs;
• Conducting research into available information on
costs and benefits;
• Conducting scientific analysis to support setting
health standards and assessing the likelihood of
meeting them; and
• Evaluating stakeholder priorities by consulting with
other federal agencies, state/tribal/local
governments, and industry and citizen organizations.
In establishing goals for the Agency's Strategic Plan,
we evaluated a similar range of stakeholder input on EPA
priority areas as a subset of the wider range of human
health and environmental protection activities across the
federal government.
Other needed achievements in multi-media, cross-
program areas and in Agency management processes are
outlined in goals that address priorities identified in major
evaluations of Agency work. These include studies by the
National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA); the
National Performance Review (NPR); internal reviews
conducted in compliance with the Federal Managers'
Financial Integrity Act; and ongoing program evaluations
and management reviews. For example:
18
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EPA Strategic Plan
«
'A's Mission,
Goals, and
indples
• Two goals track directly to recommendations of the
NPR: Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk, and
Sound Science.
• The NAPA recommendation (from "Setting
Priorities, Getting Results" [1995]) that we increase
regulatory flexibility in exchange for enhanced
performance is reflected in our goal for enforcement,
as well as our guiding principles for pollution
prevention and common sense, cost-effective
solutions to environmental problems.
• Our goals and objectives place appropriate emphasis
on high-visibility, high-investment programs that are
subject to statutory and other regular reviews by OIG
and GAO, such as the Superfund program and
resource management activities in general.
These are the goals we have set as we begin the
process of strategic planning. Future program evaluations
will influence decision making in this area and can help us
to sharpen the focus of our goals and objectives.
19
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EPA Strategic Plan
EPA's Guiding Principles:
In addition to developing a set of goals, the Agency has developed a set of
principles intended to guide senior management in making decisions about
Agency priorities as well as provide a framework for ways in which the
goals and objectives may best be reached in our day-to-day activities.
Reduce Health and Environmental Risks:
We will protect human health and the environment by
employing cost-effective risk reduction strategies,
based on sound, peer-reviewed science, in our
implementation of programs. In making decisions
about Agency priorities, we will balance our efforts
to reduce ecological risks with our efforts to reduce
risks to human health.
Emphasize Pollution Prevention:
We will structure our approaches to create incentives
for preventing pollution and the transfer of pollution
among air, water, and land. To accomplish this, the
Agency will use a mix of tools-including
performance standards and economic incentives in
setting national pollution controls, as well as
voluntary pollution reductions and other innovative
alternatives~in furtherance of EPA's goals and
objectives.
,'
Emphasize Children's Health:
We will ensure that all standards EPA sets address
children's unique vulnerability to health and
environmental threats, and we will place emphasis
on identifying and assessing environmental health
risks that may affect children disproportionately.
Strengthen Partnerships:
We will enhance EPA's partnerships with federal,
tribal, state, and local agencies, Congress, private
industry, public interest groups, and citizens in order
to identify environmental goals and work together to
achieve them. Our internal partnership with EPA
employee labor organizations will also be critical to
our success.
20
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EPA Strategic Plan
«
Maximize Public Participation and
Community Right to Know:
We will increase the flow of information to the public,
enhancing every American's right to know about
local environmental hazards and general conditions,
and thereby enable people to make informed
environmental decisions and participate in setting
local and national priorities.
Emphasize Comprehensive Regional and
Community-Based Solutions:
We will structure our approaches to address all forms
of pollution simultaneously-in the air, land and
water-and do so in a way that confronts
environmental problems on a community-wide or
regional basis.
Place Emphasis on Indian Country:
We will work with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis to ensure the protection of the
environment and human health in Indian Country,
consistent with our trust relationship with tribes and
our interest in conservation of cultural uses of
natural resources.
'A's Mission,
Goals, and
indples
Choose Common Sense, Cost-Effective
Solutions:
Because a safer, healthier environment goes hand-in-
hand with a robust economy, we will fulfill EPA's
goals using common sense approaches that consider
benefits and costs and seek the most cost-effective
ways to integrate our efforts with those aimed at
economic growth. We will work to increase
environmental stewardship and accountability and
get better environmental protection at reasonable
cost by incorporating successful innovations into the
daily operation of environmental programs.
21
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EPA Strategic Plan
22
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EPA Strategic Plan
^^^^^^^^^^^^^m
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
Agency Approaches to
Achieving Our Goals
^^chieving the Agency's goals is
•*- -^- a vast undertaking that will
require a wide range of approaches
and substantial human, capital, and
technological resources. To focus
our efforts, EPA has developed
shorter term objectives that
describe in greater detail, specific
measurable outcomes that we plan
to achieve over the next few years.
23
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency Approaches to Achieving
Our Goals1
Achieving the Agency's goals is a vast undertaking that will require a wide range of approaches
and substantial human, capital, and technological resources. We believe the goals can be reached
with our anticipated resources. To focus our efforts, EPA has developed shorter term objectives
that describe in greater detail the specific measurable outcomes that we plan to achieve over the
next few years. These objectives define how the Agency will spend its resources, and provide a
guide for assessing whether or not we are reaching our goals. To ensure that the objectives are the
most effective way to focus our resources and activities over the next few years, EPA's senior
managers used the following criteria in selecting them:
• Will they reduce risk to human health and
the environment?
• Will they help achieve EPA's statutory
mandates?
• Will they improve the quality and quantity
of services delivered?
With these criteria, EPA has compiled a set of
objectives that are key to achieving our goals. The
following section describes for each goal: (1) the objec-
tives that were selected to achieve the goal, (2) what will
be accomplished by achieving these objectives, (3) how
EPA will go about meeting the objectives and (4) Agency
plans for measuring our performance.
In the past, EPA has not generally set specific
numerical targets such as those embodied in many of the
objectives in this Strategic Plan. However, GPRA strongly
encourages agencies to establish measurable, quantitative
goals and objectives as part of the strategic planning
process. Accordingly, in compliance with GPRA, EPA has
set numerical targets for a significant number of specific
objectives in this Strategic Plan, consistent with EPA's
statutory authority to protect human health and the
environment and to administer environmental, human
health, and other programs. In establishing numerical
targets, EPA considered its statutory mandates and
authorities and utilized the best available scientific and
technical information.
Relationship Between General Goals and
Annual Performance Goals
EPA's long-term strategic goals will be used as the
basis to establish the Agency's annual performance goals
and will be reflected in the day-to-day functions and
activities of its managers and staff. The Agency's FY1999
Annual Plan will describe specific annual performance
goals, annual measures of outputs and outcomes, and
activities aimed at achieving the performance goals that
will be carried out during the year. The Annual Plan will
be linked directly to the Agency's budget request and
planned program activities. The Annual Performance
Reports will track progress towards meeting the goals and
objectives in the Strategic Plan.
24
'Statutory and other authorties for EPA's goals are found at the end of this section.
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Annual performance goals will reflect the progress that
EPA commits to making toward achieving long-term goals
and objectives. At least one annual performance goal is
being developed for each of EPA's objectives. The annual
performance goals will be used by managers to determine
how well a program or activity is doing in accomplishing
its intended results. The annual performance goals will
inform Congress and our stakeholders of the expected
level of achievement for the significant activities covered
by the objective.
Key External Factors
achieve the objectives. In the longer term, new environ-
mental technology, unanticipated complexity or magnitude
of environmental problems, or newly identified environ-
mental problems and priorities could affect the timeframe
for achieving many of the goals and objectives.
The ability of the Agency to achieve its strategic goals
and objectives depends on several factors over which the
Agency has only partial control or little influence. EPA
relies heavily on partnerships with states, tribes, local
governments and regulated parties to protect the environ-
ment and human health. In addition, EPA's success often
depends on other Federal agencies that have environmental
responsibilities, as well as other countries and international
organizations with which the United States shares
environmental goals. This plan discusses the mechanisms
and programs that the Agency employs to assure that our
partners in environmental protection will have the capacity
to conduct the activities needed to achieve the objectives.
However, as noted, EPA often has limited control over
these entities. In addition, much of the success of EPA
programs depends on the voluntary cooperation of the
private sector and the general public.
EPA's ability to achieve the goals and objectives is also
predicated on an adequate level of resources for direct
program implementation by EPA as well as for delegated
programs. The objectives in this plan are based on current
funding levels. If appropriations are lower or different
from requested, some objectives may be difficult or
impossible to achieve. Other factors that could delay or
prevent the Agency's achievement of some objectives
include: lawsuits that delay or stop EPA's and/or State
partners' planned activities; new or amended legislation;
and new commitments within the Administration.
Economic growth and changes in producer and consumer
behavior, such as shifts in energy prices or automobile use,
could have an influence on the Agency's ability to achieve
several of the objectives within the timeframe specified.
Large-scale accidental releases (such as large oil spills)
or rare catastrophic natural events (such as volcanic
eruptions) could, in the short term, impact EPA's ability to
OAL1: Clean Air
The air in every American community will
be safe and healthy to breathe. In particular,
children, the elderly, and people with respira-
tory 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 de-
pends directly on those ecosystems.
Importance of this Goal
Air pollution continues to be a widespread public
health and environmental problem in the United States. Air
pollution can cause premature death, cancer, long-term
damage to respiratory and reproductive systems, and
difficulty with breathing. Air pollution also reduces
visibility, damages crops and buildings, and is deposited
on the soil and in water bodies where it affects the
chemistry of the water and impacts resident life forms.
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
25
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
26
Since 1970, air pollutant emissions have been reduced
and significant improvements in air quality have been
achieved. However, in 1996, millions of tons of toxic air
pollutants were released into the air. Also, approximately
126 million people lived in areas designated as in
nonattainment for one or more of the six pollutants for
which EPA has established health-based standards.
The problem is national-even international-in scope.
Air pollution crosses local and state lines and, in some
cases, even crosses our borders with Canada and Mexico.
Efforts of many other Federal agencies such as the
Department of Transportation and the Department of
Energy are critical to achieving the Clean Air goal.
Additionally, Federal assistance and leadership are
essential for developing cooperative state, local, regional,
and international programs to prevent and control air
pollution and for ensuring that national standards are met.
The national challenge is to continue efforts to reduce the
remaining air pollutants that have major impacts on human
health and the environment in ways that make both
economic and environmental sense.
Objectives
• By 2010, improve air quality for Americans living in
areas that do not meet National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and particulate matter
(PM).
• By 2010, reduce air toxic emissions by 75 percent
from 1993 levels to significantly reduce the risk to
Americans of cancer and other serious adverse health
effects caused by airborne toxics.
• By 2005, improve air quality for Americans living in
areas that do not meet the NAAQS for carbon
monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and nitrogen dioxide.
• By 2010, ambient sulfates and total sulfur deposition
will be reduced by 20-40 percent from 1980 levels
due to reduced sulfur dioxide emissions from utilities
and industrial sources. By 2000, ambient nitrates and
total nitrogen deposition will be reduced by 5-10
percent from 1980 levels due to reduced emissions of
nitrogen oxides from utilities and mobile sources.
What Will Be Accomplished
Over the next several years, EPA, together with state,
local and tribal partners, will continue to reduce risks to
human health and protect the environment from a
multitude of harmful air pollutants. For example, EPA has
promulgated new standards for ozone and particulate
matter that are more protective of health than existing
standards. Americans will be better protected from
currently unknown risks associated with air toxics as
current and future research and other efforts produce
information that enables EPA to better characterize the
risks associated with hazardous air pollutants.
All areas of the country will meet the existing
standards for carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
dioxide, and lead. Significant emission reductions of air
toxics will better protect Americans from currently
unknown risks associated with air toxics. Visibility in
national parks and wilderness areas (Class I areas) will be
improved for future generations through the Regional
Haze program, and emissions of sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides, the primary precursors of acid rain, will
be substantially reduced.
The following results are expected to be achieved by
air programs:
• By 2010, the air will be safer to breathe for Ameri-
cans living in areas that exceed the NAAQS for
ozone (and all areas will come into attainment by no
later than 2012).
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By 2010, the air will be safer to breathe for Ameri-
cans living in areas that exceed the NAAQS for PM
(and all areas will come into attainment by no later
than 2012 for PM10 and 2017 for PM2.5).
By 2010, air toxics emissions will be 75 percent
below 1993 levels.
By 2005, all areas will come into attainment with the
NAAQS for carbon monoxide, making the air cleaner
to breathe for 43 million Americans.
By 2005, all areas will come into attainment with the
NAAQS for sulfur dioxide, making the air cleaner to
breathe for 5 million Americans.
By 2005, all areas will come into attainment with the
NAAQS for nitrogen dioxide, making the air cleaner
to breathe for 13 million Americans.
By 2005, all areas will come into attainment with the
NAAQS for lead, making the air cleaner to breathe
for 1.4 million Americans.
By 2005, visibility will improve nationwide.
Visibility in national parks and wilderness areas
(Class I areas) will improve by 10-30 percent from
1995 levels.
Emissions of the major precursors of acid rain will be
reduced. By 2010, U.S. sulfur dioxide emissions
from utilities and industrial sources will be reduced
by 10 million tons below the 1980 levels, and by
2000, U.S. nitrogen oxide emissions from utilities
and mobile sources will be reduced 2 million tons
below 1980 levels.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA will work closely with our state and local
partners, industry, and other Federal agencies to develop a
range of strategic approaches to promote clean air. We
will develop and implement new strategies to attain
standards for ozone, particulate matter, and regional haze,
including geographic initiatives where significant transport
of pollutants occurs, streamlined approaches similar to that
underway in the Permits program, and adequate enforce-
ment and compliance assurance capabilities. We will
upgrade and improve air monitoring networks to obtain
better data on particulate matter, air toxics in urban areas,
ozone in rural areas, and acid deposition. EPA will also
establish and foster relationships and projects focused on
air-water linkages such as the deposition of airborne
pollutants in water.
The Agency will work with and support states and
tribes in developing and implementing plans to address air
quality problems. We will develop and issue national
technology-based standards to reduce the quantity of toxic
air pollutants emitted from industrial and manufacturing
processes and continue research to determine how
effective the technology-based standards are in protecting
the public. We will also continue to work with states to
improve on-time delivery of permits and to reduce overall
permitting costs by means such as streamlining the permit
revision process or issuing White Papers designed to
reduce the need for permit revisions.
We will develop federal control measures for mobile,
stationary and other sources that are regulated at the
federal level, such as on- and off-road engines, consumer
products, and maintenance coatings. EPA will reduce
emissions from mobile sources by focusing on vehicle
based solutions, the development of cleaner engine
technologies, and cleaner burning fuels.
In addition, EPA will offer state and tribal grants and
technical assistance to aid in the development of State and
Tribal Implementation Plans to support solutions that meet
local needs.
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
27
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
Performance Measures
EPA's clean air objectives focus on improving ambient
air quality and visibility, reducing emissions of toxic and
other air pollutants, bringing all areas of the country into
compliance with national air quality standards, and
reducing acid rain.
EPA will measure performance in these areas by:
directly measuring concentrations of air pollutants;
calculating, directly measuring and estimating emissions
of air pollutants; measuring acidic deposition and
concentrations in rainfall; measuring visibility; and
tracking the number and status of nonattainment areas.
Examples of measures and indicators that will be used or
reported include:
• Trends in air quality for each of the six criteria air
pollutants.
• Number of days when one or more air quality
standard is exceeded in the nation's largest
metropolitan areas.
• Estimated total quantities of emissions of each of the
six criteria pollutants or their precursors.
• Estimated total quantity of air toxics emitted.
• Change in average annual visibility impairment in
national parks and wilderness areas (Class I areas).
• Total quantity of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
emitted by electric utilities.
• Average annual sulfate and nitrate concentrations in
rainfall.
• Concentration and dry deposition of sulfate and
nitrate particles.
• Number of nonattainment areas and their associated
populations that reach attainment and areas that have
been redesignated for each of the criteria air
pollutant standards.
. j-,*v -
OAL2: Clean and Safe Water
All Americans will have drinking water
that is clean and safe to drink. Effective
protection of America's rivers, lakes, wet-
lands, 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.
28
Importance of this Goal
Safe drinking water is the first line of defense in
protecting human health. Safe and clean water is needed
for drinking, recreation, fishing, maintaining ecosystem
integrity, and commercial uses such as agricultural and
industrial production. Our health, economy, and quality of
life depend on reliable sources of clean water.
All living things need clean water. Waterfowl, fish,
and other aquatic life who live in and on the water, as
well as plants, animals, and other life forms in terrestrial
ecosystems are dependent on clean water. The challenge
of maintaining clean water focuses on ensuring that the
entire aquatic ecosystem remains healthy.
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To achieve this goal, EPA will expand implementation
of the watershed approach in carrying out the Safe
Drinking Water Amendments of 1996 and the provisions
of the Clean Water Act. Protecting watersheds involves
participation by a wide variety of stakeholders, a compre-
hensive assessment of the condition of the watershed, and
implementation of solutions based on the assessment of
conditions and stakeholder input. The watershed approach
enhances the abilities of EPA, its federal partners, states,
tribes, local governments, and other stakeholders to
implement tailored solutions and maximize the benefits
gained from the use of increasingly scarce resources.
Objectives
• By 2005, protect human health so that 95 percent of
the population served by community water systems
will receive water that meets drinking water
standards, consumption of contaminated fish and
shellfish will be reduced, and exposure to microbial
and other forms of contamination in waters used for
recreation will be reduced.
• Conserve and enhance the ecological health of the
nation's (state, interstate, and tribal) waters and
aquatic ecosystems - rivers and streams, lakes,
wetlands, estuaries, coastal areas, oceans, and
groundwater - so that 75 percent of waters will
support healthy aquatic communities by 2005.
• By 2005, pollutant discharges from key point
sources and nonpoint source runoff will be reduced
by at least 20 percent from 1992 levels. Air
deposition of key pollutants impacting water bodies
will be reduced.
What Will Be Accomplished
EPA established the objectives listed above to capture
the progress expected toward the goal of clean and safe
water. Together, the objectives form an integrated vision
of continued progress toward the goal. EPA's efforts will
ensure that progress toward one objective contributes to
progress toward another. For example, reducing point and
nonpoint source pollution will contribute to improved
water quality leading to healthier aquatic communities and
safer drinking water. The following accomplishments are
anticipated in the course of meeting our objectives.
Drinking Water
While most drinking water is very safe, occasional
violations of pollutant standards are of concern because of
the large number of people that can thereby be exposed to
toxic chemicals or microbiological contaminants. The
greatest risks posed by such contamination of public
drinking water supplies are to sensitive populations such
as children, and adults with compromised immune
systems. For the 240 million Americans whose drinking
water comes from public water systems, EPA's work in
partnership with states, tribes, local governments, and
water suppliers will improve drinking water safety and
provide better information about local drinking water
quality. By 2005, the population served by community
water systems providing drinking water that meets all
existing health-based standards will increase to 95% from
a baseline of 81% in 1994. EPA will issue standards to
protect public health for an additional ten high-risk
contaminants (e.g., disinfection byproducts, arsenic, and
radon) by 2005. Compliance with new standards will be
high.
As a step toward improving drinking water safety, all
states will assess the quality of the rivers or other waters
that are used as sources for drinking water. By 2005,60
percent of the population served by community water
systems will receive their water from systems with source
water protection programs in place which include
assessments and, as necessary, specific protection
activities. Further, the percentage of waters designated by
states and tribes for drinking water supply use that will
provide safe drinking water after treatment will increase.
To increase protection of community water supplies from
contamination by shallow injection wells, the injected
volumes to those wells will be reduced by 25% from 1995
levels by 2005. Also, EPA is putting a new emphasis on
ensuring that all members of the public receive the
information they need to protect themselves against
significant sources of risk from drinking water.
Edible Fish and Safe Recreation
Waters
Many Americans enjoy fishing, swimming, and
boating, and many get their livelihood from these
activities. Protecting Americans from exposure to
unhealthy levels of contaminants in waters where such
activities occur is a high priority. Exposure to contami-
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
29
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
nated water can cause serious illness. These types of
exposure pose a special risk to children, women of child-
bearing age, subpopulations who fish for food or sport or
who use public bathing beaches or waters for recreation,
and people with compromised immune systems. There is
significant uncertainty about the extent of exposure
through fishing and recreation, and EPA will work to
improve the understanding of this issue. By 2005,
consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish will be
reduced, exposure to microbial and other forms of
contamination in waters used for recreation will be
reduced, and the percentage of waters attaining the
designated uses protecting the consumption offish and
shellfish and the designated recreational uses will increase.
Surface Water and Groundwater
Over the last 25 years, the nation has made a great
deal of progress in cleaning up waters polluted by major
dischargers such as sewage treatment plants and industrial
facilities. However, state reporting indicates that broad-
based surface water and groundwater quality problems
remain. In addition, the growing problems of habitat
alteration and destruction, hydro-modification, emerging
threats from exotic species, and other ecosystem changes
complicate efforts to attain and sustain a healthy water
environment. In coming years, EPA will focus on the most
critical remaining threats, while ensuring that achieve-
ments made to date in protecting and improving water
quality and aquatic habitat are maintained. By 2005, the
efforts of EPA and its partners to restore and protect
watersheds will result in 75% of waters supporting healthy
aquatic communities.
Wetlands
Wetlands provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife,
help maintain water quality by filtering pollutants, and
provide flood control by absorbing water as it runs off the
land. Today, less than half of the wetlands originally found
in this country remain. Halting the net loss of wetlands and
moving toward a net gain is integral to accomplishing the
goal of clean and safe water. By 2005, the work of
federal, state, tribal and local agencies, the private sector,
hunting and fishing organizations, and citizen groups will
result in an annual net increase of 100,000 acres of
wetlands.
Point Source andNonpoint Source
Pollution
EPA and its partners have made much progress in
reducing pollutant discharges from "point sources" (fixed
facilities and runoff discharge pipes such as storm drains);
however, point source pollution from a variety of sources
including Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), Publicly
Owned Treatment Works (POTWs), and industrial
facilities continues to impair water quality. By 2005,
annual point source loadings from CSOs, POTWs, and
industrial sources will be reduced by 30% from 1992
levels.
Nonpoint source pollution is a major cause of surface
water impairment that has been inadequately addressed by
the clean water programs of the past 25 years. Runoff
from urban areas, agriculture, and silvicultural operations
contributes significantly to the nonpoint source problem.
By 2005, nonpoint source sediment and nutrient loads to
rivers and streams will be reduced. Erosion from
cropland, used as an indicator of success in controlling
sediment delivery to surface waters, will be reduced by
20% from 1992 levels.
In addition to pollutants that are deposited directly into
the water from a water discharge pipe or flow off the land
as nonpoint source runoff, airborne pollutants (including
nitrogen and mercury) that are deposited in water
resources are a growing source of concern for their
impairment of water quality. By 2006, water quality will
be improved by reducing by 50-75% releases of targeted
persistent toxic pollutants that contribute to air deposition,
and reducing deposition of nitrogen by 10-15% from 1980
levels.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
Achieving clean and safe water is dependent on the
day-to-day work undertaken by states, tribes, local
governments, and private organizations. EPA will
continue to provide tools, guidance and funding to states,
tribes and local governments to enhance their ability to
carry out their daily responsibilities for protection of the
nation's water resources. Research will strengthen the
scientific basis for drinking water standards development,
will result in the development of effective beach evalua-
tion tools, and will enhance understanding of the structure
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and function of aquatic systems through the development
of improved aquatic ecocriteria. Further, EPA will
appropriately target enforcement and compliance
assurance resources to ensure that the goal of safe and
clean water is met. The actions that are required as a
result of specific enforcement will contribute to achieving
clean and safe water in particular communities. Addition-
ally, EPA will continue to cooperate with other federal
agencies that share the responsibilities for various water
quality, wetland protection, erosion control, and human
health programs, including the U.S. Geological Survey,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture (including the U.S. Forest Service), National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Centers for
Disease Control, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
EPA anticipates that beyond its Federal, state, tribal, and
local government partners, numerous other stakeholders
will play an important role in accomplishing this goal.
Watershed Approach
Although the nation has made substantial progress
over the past 20 years toward its water goals, the chal-
lenges of the 21st century will require a different approach
to environmental protection. The principal remaining
threats do not involve discrete facilities and conveyances,
but derive from the activities of citizens in general. Full
involvement of stakeholders at all levels of government,
the regulated community, and the public is fundamental to
the watershed approach. Therefore, EPA must engage and
motivate all citizens to be responsible and contribute to
enhancing and protecting their own rivers, streams, lakes,
wetland areas, and estuaries. EPA will highlight the major
needs of each watershed, and draw on the natural concern
that people have for the waters around which they live,
work and play.
To help EPA and its partners strategically target efforts
toward the most pressing problems, EPA will continue to
develop and refine tools that help identify and address
problems on a watershed basis. One such tool is the Index
of Watershed Indicators (IWI). IWI will enable users to
simultaneously assess a variety of problems within a
watershed and measure progress over time in improving
the overall condition of the nation's watersheds. Informa-
tion on individual watersheds can be accessed through the
Internet program "Surf Your Watershed" at
.
Drinking Water Protection
The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996
chart a new and challenging course for EPA, states, tribes,
and water suppliers. In keeping with the watershed
approach, EPA will expand the source water protection
program by developing program guidance, providing
technical and other support to states and tribes on source
water protection and assessment, and conducting extensive
outreach to involve water systems, local governments,
interested groups, and the public. EPA will continue to set
drinking water safety standards and provide technical
assistance and other support to states and tribes, with an
emphasis on establishing new standards for microbiologi-
cal contaminants, disinfectant and disinfection byproducts,
and other pollutants identified as posing potentially high
risks.
Drinking Water Compliance
At the same time that EPA sets new drinking water
standards, EPA will work with states, tribes, local
governments, and water suppliers to increase compliance
with existing standards, with an emphasis on the following
strategies:
• Continue to manage the Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund and other funding mechanisms to
provide safe and reliable drinking water.
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EPA Strategic Plan
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• Assist small systems to build or strengthen their
technical, financial, and managerial capacity.
• Manage an operator certification program to ensure
that every water system operator can perform certain
key compliance functions.
To ensure that consumers can readily obtain and
understand information pertaining to the safety of their
own drinking water supplies, and any special circum-
stances that might affect them or their families, EPA will
ensure that "right-to-know" reports are available for all
customers of public water systems.
Edible Fish and Safe Recreation
Waters
The states and tribes have primary responsibility for
protecting their residents from the health risks associated
with contaminated noncommercially caught fish and
wildlife and recreational waters. Human health risks,
including risks to sensitive populations such as children,
and subsistence and recreational anglers, will be abated
through development of appropriate criteria and through
enhanced fish tissue monitoring, risk assessment, and
development offish, shellfish, and wildlife consumption
advisories. EPA will establish improved safety guidelines
and pollution indicators so that local authorities can
monitor their recreational waters in a cost-effective way
and close them to public use when necessary to protect
human health. For beaches, EPA's three-part plan is to
strengthen beach standards and testing, improve the
scientific basis for beach assessment, and develop methods
to inform the public about beach conditions. By identify-
ing and informing the public of human health risks and
providing the tools needed to address those risks (includ-
ing consistent national guidance, methods, and monitor-
ing/sampling protocols), EPA can help improve the ability
of states, tribes, and local communities to protect their
residents from this type of exposure.
Water Quality Standards and Criteria
Continued development of scientifically-based,
defensible water quality standards and criteria, and
monitoring progress in attaining these standards, is critical
to states', tribes', and EPA's ability to enhance or maintain
the quality of lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and coastal
waters. EPA will support risk characterization, priority
setting, implementation of standards and criteria, and risk
management by states and tribes on a watershed basis.
EPA will work with tribes to implement government-to-
government provisions, establish final water quality
standards for waters under tribal jurisdiction, and address
restoration and protection of subsistence harvest areas.
States and EPA will make significant progress toward
completing all needed Total Maximum Daily Loads
(TMDLs) for impaired U.S. waters (TMDLs assess the
water body's capability to carry pollutant loads while
meeting designated uses). EPA will work with states and
tribes to improve implementation of TMDL programs
establishing the analytical basis for watershed-based
decisions regarding the need for additional pollution
reduction where standards are not being met.
Wetlands
EPA will work with federal, state, tribal, and local
partners on protection and community-based restoration of
wetlands. In addition, EPA, in coordination with the Corps
of Engineers and the Natural Resources Conservation
Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will work
to avoid, minimize, and compensate for wetland losses
through Clean Water Act Section 404 and Farm Bill
programs.
Point Source Pollution
To maintain progress in these areas, EPA will continue
to develop and revise national effluent guideline limita-
tions and standards. These regulations are the basis for
permits that protect water quality. The Agency will
continue to manage the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
program and other funding mechanisms to provide clean
and safe water. The Agency will work to streamline and
simplify development of effluent guidelines and imple-
mentation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit program, using revised perfor-
mance measures geared toward ecological and human
health outcomes. Performance measures will be revised in
partnership with states and tribes. A major effort will
continue to reorient and coordinate all parts of the point
source program on a watershed basis, with emphasis on
those watersheds where these sources cause substantial
water quality impairment. EPA will work with a variety of
stakeholders to reduce nutrients and pathogens that enter
the nation's waters from animal feeding operations.
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Urban runoffis a leading cause of water quality
problems; urban runoff causes beach closures and shellfish
bed closures in coastal areas. While some types of urban
runoff come from nonpoint sources, discharges from storm
drains, sanitary sewers, and combined sewers are point
source discharges. Controlling these sources of pollution
will be a major priority for EPA's point source control
programs in the coming five to ten years. All Phase I
stormwater sources (large industrial facilities and
construction sites greater than 5 acres) will be covered by
permits. All Phase II stormwater sources (selected
municipal facilities and construction sites less than 5
acres) will be covered under a comprehensive regulatory
program, including permits. All 950 CSO communities
will be in compliance with technology-based requirements
or will implement long term CSO control plans, and
loadings of key pollutants (BOD and TSS) will be reduced
by 30% from 1994 levels. The State Revolving Fund
program will be well-capitalized in all 50 States and
Puerto Rico, providing for approximately $2.0 billion per
year in new loan activity.
Nonpoint Source Pollution
EPA will work with states and tribes to characterize
risks, rank priorities, and implement a mix of voluntary
and regulatory approaches through state nonpoint source
management programs. States will revise their nonpoint
source programs to reflect all nine key program elements
agreed to with EPA. These elements include explicit goals,
strong working partnerships, identification of waters
impaired by nonpoint source pollution and a process for
addressing these waters, and efficient and effective
management of the State's nonpoint source program (for
more details on all nine elements, see Nonpoint Source
Program and Grants Guidance for Fiscal Year 1997 and
Future Years, May 1996, U.S. EPA). States will implement
coastal nonpoint source programs that are approved by
EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration, as required by the Coastal Zone Act Reauthoriza-
tion Amendments. EPA will work with the U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture to promote implementation of Farm
Bill programs consistent with state nonpoint source
management needs and priorities. These efforts will
emphasize stakeholder involvement to bring together those
with interests in a given watershed to determine the
approaches that best suit the water quality needs of their
area.
EPA will assess options to strengthen controls on
sources of nitrogen deposition, mercury, and other toxics
and make recommendations for voluntary and regulatory
actions. EPA will conduct technical transfer workshops
for water programs in states and local governments on
managing air deposition effects.
Mine discharges also cause significant water quality
problems in many areas, and EPA will work with other
federal agencies, states, and tribes to focus more effort on
controlling these sources. EPA will better coordinate its
resources to promote more effective controls for pollution
in other media that affects water quality.
Targeted Geographic Initiatives
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
EPA will support targeted geographic initiatives to
protect areas covered by the National Estuary Program,
the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico,
South Florida and the Everglades, and the Northwest
Forests. (The Great Lakes are included under Goal 6,
Reduction of Global and Cross Border Environmental
Risks.) Emphasis in these areas provides the opportunity
to bring heightened federal agency involvement to bear in
critical ecosystems.
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
Performance Measures
A combination of program output and environmental
outcome measures will be used to measure progress
towards meeting the clean water goal. Emphasis will be
placed on measuring at the outcome level wherever
possible and feasible. At the same time, a continuing need
for a limited number of output measures is recognized.
Output measures will be periodically reviewed to ensure
that they are linked to environmental outcomes and, if they
are no longer linked, they will be altered, dropped, or
replaced. Having a mixture of environmental outcome
measures and program output measures facilitates making
decisions about changes to program implementation. If the
intended environmental results are not being achieved,
program activity accomplishments need to be evaluated in
order to make decisions about changes in program
emphasis, direction, and resource allocation.
Development of output and outcome measures for
evaluating progress in restoring and protecting the nation's
water resources has been underway for the past several
years. A multi-year, multi-agency effort resulted in the
development of 18 key indicators of water quality in June
1996. To track state progress, a set of core performance
measures has been developed in partnership with the states
for use in EPA-state agreements.
Two examples of performance measures for the clean
and safe water goal are:
• Reduction in number of pounds of conventional and
toxic pollutants discharged by key point sources.
• Number and percentage of community drinking
water systems (and population served) with one or
more violations of health-based requirements during
the year.
OAL 3: 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.
Importance of this Goal
The abundance, affordability, and wholesomeness of
America's food supply depend in part upon the safe use of
pesticides during food production, processing, storage, and
transportation. Before any pesticide can be used legally,
the law requires EPA to conclude that its use will not lead
to unreasonable adverse effects, and that any food residues
resulting from its use are reasonably certain to cause no
harm. Nonetheless, pesticide application-especially when
pesticides are misused--can sometimes lead to residues
which could result in adverse health effects. EPA
coordinates its food-safety program with the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), who monitor pesticide
residues in meat and other foods, collect authoritative data
on patterns of food consumption, and protect food from
microbiological contamination.
Objectives
• By 2005, the risk from agricultural use of pesticides
will be reduced by 50 percent from 1995 levels.
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• By 2005, use on food of current pesticides that do
not meet the new statutory standard of "reasonable
certainty of no harm" will be substantially
eliminated.
What Will be Accomplished
A large number of pesticides approved for use on food
have been classified as potential human carcinogens or
may cause other serious adverse health effects at high
levels of exposure. These high hazard pesticides are our
highest priority, and we must aggressively minimize
dietary exposure to them. By 2005, EPA expects to achieve
a 50 percent reduction in risk posed by agricultural use of
these pesticides, by doubling the annual rate of registra-
tions for safer new chemical pesticides and biopesticides
from 1995 levels and by encouraging a systematic
transition toward lower-risk pesticides and pest manage-
ment practices.
EPA will focus its efforts on implementation of the
Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), which
amends both of EPA's principal pesticide regulatory
authorities. The centerpiece of our work to implement the
Act is a comprehensive reassessment of legally permis-
sible levels of pesticide residues, or "tolerances." FQPA
mandates that no pesticide residue will be permitted when
there is less than "a reasonable certainty that no harm" will
occur from exposure to that residue. This new standard
requires the Agency to revise its risk-assessment practices
to ensure adequate protection of the health of children and
other vulnerable subpopulations, and to reconsider some
9,700 tolerances for specific pesticide residues approved
before the passage of FQPA. By 2005 EPA expects to
have substantially completed this "reassessment" of
tolerances, and thereby to have confirmed the safety of the
tolerances which remain and to have disallowed all
pesticide uses that may leave residues that exceed levels
for which there is a reasonable certainty no harm will
ensue from human exposure. This means:
• By 2002, reregistration decisions will be completed
for all pesticide active ingredients subject to
registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and all products
containing those active ingredients will be
reregistered by 2004.
• By 2005, ninety percent of the reassessment of
pesticide residue tolerances mandated by FQPA will
be completed.
Strategies for How It Will be Accomplished
EPA takes a two-pronged approach to safeguarding the
food supply from the potential hazards of pesticides and
other chemicals. We ensure that all newly registered
agricultural pesticides will not harm human health or the
environment. At the same time, we encourage reduced
agricultural use of particularly hazardous pesticides first
registered before contemporary data requirements and
assessment techniques were developed. This reduction
will result from a broad transition toward reduced-risk
pesticides and pest management practices, including new
biological agents which can substitute for chemical
ingredients with a toxic mode of action. In this EPA is
supported by a variety of USDA programs encouraging
integrated pest management.
Most of EPA's food-safety activities aim to ensure the
safety of the approximately 400 currently registered active
pesticide ingredients in agricultural use. These efforts
include:
• "Reregistration" of currently-registered pesticides to
ensure their ingredients meet contemporary safety
standards.
• "Special review" of pesticides that are suspected of
posing unreasonable environmental or human health
risks.
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EPA Strategic Plan
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• Review of the 9,700 existing tolerances and the
phase-out of use of pesticides found not to meet the
new standard.
• Tolerance reviews and reregi stration activities entail
critical review of current risk assessment practices,
in particular to ensure adequate protection for
children. To this end, EPA research activities will
pursue the development of new tools to better
characterize exposures (including consideration of
cumulative exposures described above) and overall
risks, as well as research on the best ways to
encourage improved consumer choices.
Performance Measures
Performance measures for the safe food goal are of
two kinds. First there are measures of program outputs--
like registrations, reregistations, and tolerance reassess-
ments. Many of these measures are already in place; as
the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act is implemented,
additional output measures are being created for the new
activities required by that act.
The second kind of measure is a measure of use of
selected pesticides, as a surrogate for more direct
measurement of the risk posed by those pesticides.
Pesticide risk is complex-rooted in the hazards posed by
the pesticide (such as neurotoxicity, or the ability to cause
cancer), but also dependent on how, where, and how often
the pesticide is used, what happens to it after it is used,
what populations are exposed to it, how they are exposed,
how often, and at what levels.
The challenge of direct measurement of pesticide risk
has not yet been met, but we are working with stakehold-
ers to develop better measures, and will incorporate them
as soon as their merit is demonstrated. For the time being,
however, aggregate use of pesticides of particular concern,
based on data from existing sources of production data and
estimates of agricultural use, is the best type of measure
available to us.
1 fc.
36
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OAL 4: Preventing Pollution and
Reducing Risk in Communities,
Homes, Workplaces and
Ecosystems
Pollution prevention and risk manage-
ment strategies aimed at cost-effectively
eliminating, reducing, or minimizing emis-
sions and contamination will result in
cleaner and safer environments 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.
Importance of this Goal
EPA seeks to manage environmental risks to communi-
ties, homes, and workplaces, and to protect the environ-
mental integrity of ecosystems, by a mix of regulatory
programs with alternative approaches to achieve results at
less cost and in more innovative, sustainable ways. Rather
than "end of the pipe" controls, preventing pollution at the
source is our strategy of first choice. (Where pollution
prevention at the source is not a viable alternative, the
Agency will employ waste minimization, disposal and
remediation in a cost effective manner.) These efforts will
be directed towards the greatest threats, such as those in
our communities, homes, schools and workplaces that
have significant impact on our most sensitive populations
such as children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic
diseases.
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Recognizing the accomplishments made by regulatory
and voluntary programs alone, significant environmental
risks remain where Americans reside, work, and enjoy life.
The country faces several remaining challenges, amenable
to a combination of innovative pollution prevention
approaches and ongoing risk-management programs.
Over 75,000 chemicals are in commerce today, with an
estimated 2,000 new chemicals and 40 genetically
engineered microorganisms introduced annually. These
include potentially toxic chemicals which may present
risks to workers, non-target organisms, and natural
resources. Of particular concern is lead. While lead has
been phased out in gasoline and banned in house paint,
exposure is still a major concern, especially in dispropor-
tionately impacted urban communities. Recent data from
the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES) show almost a million children under the age
of six still have unhealthy blood lead levels. Elevated
blood lead levels are associated with intelligence quotient
deficits, learning disabilities, and other ailments. The
primary source is the estimated 65 million homes that still
contain old lead paint that can be released during normal
wear and tear and renovation activities.
An estimated 20 to 30 million Americans have asthma,
leading to the death of approximately 4,000 people per
year. There exists a higher prevalence of asthma among
children, especially children in low-income and minority
communities, than among adults. In addition to ozone and
particulates, evidence shows that significant contributing
factors to the number and severity of asthma attacks are
indoor allergens (particularly dust mites, fungi, and
roaches) and second-hand cigarette smoke.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) hazardous waste minimization program focuses
on chemicals, rather than waste streams, to enable and
encourage multimedia waste minimization. Specifically, it
focuses on the most persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic
chemicals (PBTs). PBTs are of great concern regardless of
how they are managed. Reducing the presence of these
chemicals will lead to safer chemical substitutions and
manufacturing processes, eliminate some occupational
exposures to certain chemicals of concern and, in general,
result in safer communities. A major objective is to reduce
the amount of pollution generated annually in order to
protect human health and the environment, through
encouraging material substitution and manufacturing
process changes and by encouraging the safe recycling of
wastes. Our primary focus is source reduction, eliminating
where possible the generation of high-risk wastes. If
source reduction is not possible, recycling reduces the
amount of waste that must be managed through treatment
and disposal; recycling also increases the recovery of
valuable finite natural resources.
Finally, EPA places particular priority on working with
Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis to
improve environmental conditions in Indian country,
consistent with our trust relationship with tribes and the
nation's interest in conservation of cultural uses of natural
resources.
Objectives
• By 2005, public and ecosystem risk from pesticides
will be reduced through migration to lower risk
pesticides and pest management practices, improving
education of the public and at-risk workers, and
forming "pesticide environmental stewardship"
partnerships with pesticide user groups.
• By 2005, the number of young children with high
levels of lead in their blood will be significantly
reduced from the early 1990's.
• By 2005, of the approximately 2,000 chemicals and
40 genetically engineered microorganisms expected
to enter commerce each year, we will significantly
increase the introduction by industry of safer or
"greener" chemicals which will decrease the need for
regulatory management by EPA.
• By 2005, fifteen million more Americans will live or
work in homes, schools, or office buildings with
healthier indoor air than in 1994.
• By 2005, reduce by 25% (from 1992 level) the
quantity of toxic pollutants released, disposed of,
treated, or combusted for energy recovery. Half of
this reduction will be achieved through pollution
prevention practices.
• By 2005, EPA and its partners will increase
recycling and decrease the quantity and toxicity of
waste generated.
• By 2003,60% of Indian Country will be assessed for
its environmental condition, and Tribes and EPA will
be implementing plans to address priority issues.
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
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EPA Strategic Plan
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38
What Will Be Accomplished
Pesticides
In addition to ensuring the safety of America's food
supply (see Goal 3), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) mandates that EPA control
unreasonable risks of pesticides to human health and the
environment in general. EPA establishes the conditions of
registration, marketing and use of non-food use pesticides
as well, so as to address adverse effects to workers, non-
target organisms (especially endangered species) and
natural resources (e.g., groundwater and ecologically
important surface waters). Non-food use products include
medical and household disinfectants, wood preservatives,
household pest and lawn care products. The Agency will
address risks from non-food use pesticides through a
combination of activities, such as chemical information
gathering, testing, risk screening, risk assessment, and
voluntary and regulatory risk management actions. By
2005, EPA expects to achieve a cumulative 50 percent
reduction from 1995 levels in adverse health effects
caused by pesticide poisoning; provide adequate notifica-
tion protection for endangered species potentially affected
by pesticides on all pesticide labels; assure that all
pesticide handlers and farm workers have been adequately
trained in the safe handling, use and disposal of pesticides;
and implement agreements with 80 pesticide user groups
to use integrated pest management (IPM) techniques.
EPA's objective to reduce the risks associated with
agricultural chemicals (see Goal 3, above) by 2005 will
result in an accompanying 50% decrease in use of
pesticides that have high potential to leach into groundwa-
ter or to cause significant acute toxicity to fish and
wildlife.
Toxic Chemicals
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) likewise
mandates that EPA control unreasonable risks of chemicals
in commerce. We will work to develop an enhanced, more
efficient and streamlined program, while minimizing
administrative, record-keeping, and regulatory burdens on
the chemical industry. A comprehensive strategy will be
developed to systematically screen all chemicals in
commerce and to identify those believed to be used safely
and those that warrant concern. These chemicals will be
classified by hazard endpoint based on available informa-
tion. In screening the 75,000 chemicals in commerce,
emphasis will be placed on identifying persistent
bioaccumulative chemicals and endocrine-disrupting
chemicals. EPA will encourage chemical manufacturers to
prevent release of these chemicals to the environment.
Lead Poisoning
Significant progress has been made in reducing the
levels of lead in the air from gasoline, from cans contain-
ing food, and in children's toys to prevent lead poisoning.
EPA will work to eliminate the adverse physical effects of
lead poisoning through an active urban intervention,
education and enforcement initiative.
Pollution Prevention
Efforts will be made to prevent harmful chemicals
from entering commerce, to place restrictions on their
usage in the market, and to encourage industries to
introduce safer chemicals. The Agency also will promote
changing from the current chemical-by-chemical risk
assessment and management method to more productive
streamlined operations by dealing concurrently with all
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chemicals in the same categories or use sectors. The non-
food pesticide programs will ensure that these substances
do not pose a threat to human health or the environment
and that they are handled in a safe manner. In addition, the
following specific milestones are expected to be met by
2005:
• One hundred percent of the states will have strong,
effective, operating pollution prevention programs.
• Each Executive Branch department and agency will
have an effective program that is designed to help its
personnel identify and purchase environmentally
preferable products and services, and to have
established goals as required by the Federal Acquisi-
tion, Recycling, and Waste Prevention Executive
Order.
• Sixty percent of manufacturing industries will have
adopted voluntary environmental management
systems, including environmental accounting and
materials management practices.
• There will be a 20 percent increase in the use of
cleaner technologies in certain targeted industries.
Voluntary environmental management programs are
adopted by business when seen as economically beneficial.
The role of EPA is to provide information and voluntary
incentives to help create awareness of these benefits. The
adoption of cleaner technologies is often driven by
economics as much as regulatory strictures for some
sectors, and the Agency's Design for the Environment
program for those sectors is geared toward providing
information to encourage the adoption of clean technolo-
gies.
Indoor Air
Achieving healthier indoor environments is another
priority for EPA. This priority will be accomplished
through a reduction in public exposure to radon, environ-
mental tobacco smoke and other indoor air pollutants
through direct mitigation, a better educated and informed
public, and buildings that are better designed, constructed
and maintained. In addition, the following expected
milestones will be met by 2005:
• 17 million homes will be tested for radon levels;
700,000 homes with high radon levels will be
mitigated; and one million new homes will be built
with radon-resistant construction techniques.
• The proportion of households in which children 6
and under are regularly exposed to smoking will be
reduced from 27 percent in 1994 to 15 percent.
• Five percent of office buildings will be managed with
good indoor air quality practices consistent with EPA
guidance.
• Fifteen percent of the nation's schools will adopt
good indoor air quality practices consistent with EPA
guidance.
Waste Minimization
RCRA calls for EPA to provide national leadership in
reducing the amount of waste generated and to improve
the recovery and conservation of materials through
recycling. EPA's programs focus on all waste: hazardous
waste, non-hazardous industrial waste, and municipal solid
waste. EPA will reduce the toxicity of waste by focusing
on reductions in persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic
chemicals (PBTs). The quantity of waste also will be
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EPA Strategic Plan
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reduced and, where waste is generated, EPA will encour-
age and facilitate increased recycling. This three-pronged
effort-reduce toxicity, reduce quantity, increase
recycling-will preserve natural resources and reduce
reliance on treatment and disposal. Specific accomplish-
ments include the following:
• By 2005, recycling, including composting, will divert
at least 35 percent of municipal solid waste from
landfilling and combustion.
• By 2005, the most persistent, bioaccumulative, and
toxic chemicals in hazardous waste streams will be
reduced by 50 percent from the 1994 baseline.
• By 2005, the amount of hazardous waste safely
recycled will increase by 25 percent.
• By 2005, the amount of per capita generation of
municipal solid waste will be reduced to 4.3 pounds
per day.
Tribal Environmental Programs
EPA will work with all Federally-recognized tribes,
establish an environmental presence in Indian country,
develop and implement a framework for conducting
comprehensive tribal environmental assessments, and
complete Tribal/EPA Environmental Agreements or other
plans that identify joint priorities for improving human
health and the environment.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA performs its responsibilities in concert with the
U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC),
which has general jurisdiction over the safety of household
products, and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), for workplace safety.
The primary tools used by EPA to lower risks from
pesticides are its registration and reregistration programs.
Coupled with enhanced public education and appropriate
labeling, accelerated approval of safer alternative
pesticides can contribute to reduced risk to the environ-
ment, workers, homeowners and consumers.
Other potentially dangerous chemicals are regulated
under the Agency's New Chemicals Program and Existing
Chemicals Program which are mandated under the Toxic
Substances Control Act.
40
The Existing Chemicals Program assesses and
manages risks associated with commercial chemicals and
develops necessary related chemical hazard data. EPA will
move away from emphasis on evaluating chemical risks
based on new information and move towards a more
planned and comprehensive screening of the risks of the
75,000 chemicals now in commerce. This systematic
approach will identify chemicals that are believed to be
manufactured and used safely, as well as chemicals that
may pose risks to humans and the environment, providing
a "Toxics Agenda" for the nation that identifies those
chemicals in need of further attention.
By assessing new chemicals before they are manufac-
tured or imported, the New Chemicals Program actively
carries out EPA's preferred strategy of preventing pollution
before it can occur. The program also supports develop-
ment of safer chemicals by minimizing or eliminating
regulatory burdens on new chemicals that replace riskier
substances already in the marketplace. The Agency also
will make information about chemical hazards and
exposures developed during the data gathering, risk
screening, and testing program more available to the
public, thus promoting the "right-to-know" ethic.
EPA will continue to set national goals and criteria for
exposure to lead, build on existing educational programs,
and directly focus efforts at the community level. The
newest and most effective demonstrated approach to
health and environmental risks is aggressive multimedia
urban education and pest management intervention
programs. These projects combine the efforts of EPA with
those of states, municipalities, and tribal governments.
Working in concert with public health agencies such as the
Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of
Health, risks from pesticides and pesticide misuse, new
chemicals, microorganisms, lead, and indoor air pollutants
can be significantly reduced.
Our strategies to improve indoor environments are to
use education and outreach to inform the public; to
complement other agencies' work, using partnerships to
promote behavioral changes and the use of technology-
based practices that improve air quality; and to continue to
research and improve the science upon which recom-
mended actions are based.
The Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984
directed EPA to reduce the volume and toxicity of
hazardous waste. EPA and its partners developed the
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Waste Minimization National Plan (WMNP) to provide a
framework for achieving this mandate. EPA has several
efforts underway to support implementation of the WMNP,
including: identifying and prioritizing PBTs, linking PBTs
with RCRA wastes, and developing measurement
methodologies.
EPA is revising the regulatory framework for hazard-
ous waste recycling to provide simpler definitions and
regulations, focus regulatory controls on materials that
may pose a hazard to human health and the environment,
and remove disincentives that cause industry to choose
disposal over safe recycling.
National efforts to manage municipal solid waste
(MSW) have focused on the integrated solid waste
management approach, a concept introduced by EPA in
1988. Integrated waste management requires a coordi-
nated mix of strategies, with preference given to source
reduction and recycling. EPA and states, tribes, and local
governments work together to foster source reduction and
recycling through voluntary programs (e.g., WasteWi$e),
economic incentives for solid waste management services
that promote greater source reduction and recycling (e.g.,
unit based pricing), and support of waste-based industries
(e.g., increase procurement of goods made from recycled
materials). EPA also is working with its partners to
identify the best approaches to encourage recycling of
non-hazardous industrial waste.
Performance Measures
Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals
Pesticides measures will include selective pesticide use
reductions, alternative pesticides registered, grower
partnerships implemented, workers trained, and poisonings
reported.
New chemicals measures will include the number of
new chemical submissions, number of new chemical risk
management actions (bans, withdraws, consent orders),
and number of safer and "greener" new chemicals (e.g.,
those that are less toxic, lower exposure, more energy
efficient, generate less--or less toxic-waste, or have
similar attributes). Existing chemical measures will focus
on the number of chemicals screened, number of chemi-
cals reviewed and believed to be "safely used," and
number of testing actions. Pesticides measures will
include selective pesticide use reductions, alternative
pesticides registered, grower partnerships implemented,
workers trained, and poisonings reported.
Pollution Prevention
Measures will include the number of alternative safer
chemicals or processes introduced; the quantity of toxic
chemicals manufactured, used, recycled, and released into
the environment; the amounts of reductions in these
quantities that are attributable to the adoption of pollution
prevention practices; and the types and amount of human
health and environmental effects information available for
highest risk chemicals. Progress in encouraging busi-
nesses to incorporate preventive approaches into environ-
mental decision making will be measured by participation
in Agency sponsored voluntary programs, in implementa-
tion of sound environmental management systems and
pollution prevention facility plans, and in adoption of
environmental accounting systems. The effectiveness of
state prevention programs can be measured by the amount
of technical assistance provided; the effectiveness of this
assistance in encouraging the adoption of pollution
prevention approaches; the number of permits, regulations
and supplemental environmental projects that reflect
pollution prevention approaches; and the integration or
coordination of the state pollution prevention program
with related environmental and business assistance
programs.
Lead Poisoning
Measurement of reduction in children's blood lead
levels due to EPA activities will be accomplished by the
National Center for Health Statistics through the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. EPA will use
the results of this long-term study to estimate the effect of
regulations and other programmatic activities on the
reduction in children's blood lead levels.
Indoor Air
We will estimate by evaluating information concern-
ing: 1) the number of school sand commercial buildings
that implement good indoor air quality practices; 2) the
results of private sector and CDC surveys on smoking;
and, 3) the number of homes tested and mitigated for
radon and new radon resistant homes.
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Waste Minimization
EPA's performance measures for waste minimization
were designed to provide a limited set of data that reflect
the nation's most important waste management program
priorities. Other types of environmental program and fiscal
data will be needed to maintain effective program
management. EPA will work with state partners to
develop a set of environmental indicators that will provide
outcome measures. The following are examples of current
performance measures.
• Decreases in the quantity of waste generated and
toxicity of waste generated, and increases in
recycling of waste.
• Reduction in municipal solid waste landfilled and
combusted.
• Reduction in per capita generation of municipal solid
waste to 4.3 pounds per day.
Tribal Environmental Programs
• In the near term, measures will include the number of
tribes with environmental programs, the extent of our
understanding of environmental conditions in Indian
country, and which tribes have developed plans for
addressing priority environmental issues.
• Once we have established a baseline for environmen-
tal conditions in Indian country, we will also measure
improvements in environmental conditions.
• Number of Tribal/EPA Environmental Agreements
(TEAs) completed.
• Number of environmental assessments conducted on
tribal lands.
• Number and percentage of tribes with environmental
programs or infrastructure that are capable of
conducting environmental assessments.
OAL 5: 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, restoring them to uses appropriate for
surrounding communities, and respond to
and prevent waste-related or industrial
accidents.
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Importance of this Goal
Improper management of wastes can lead to fires,
explosions, and contamination of air, soil, and water. A
frequent result of improper hazardous waste disposal is the
contamination of groundwater-the source of drinking
water for nearly half of all Americans. At some sites, toxic
vapors from evaporating liquid wastes or chemical
reactions contaminate the air. Pollutants such as metals
and organic solvents can damage vegetation, endanger
wildlife, and harm the health of people who live in nearby
communities. Toxic and hazardous substances, including
radioactive waste, deposited on land often are carried far
from their source by air, groundwater, and surface water
runoff into streams, lakes, and rivers where they accumu-
late in the sediments beneath those waters.
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Management techniques for wastes include recycling,
land disposal, and combustion. Different types of waste
require different means of treatment and disposal--what is
suitable for one waste might not be suitable for another.
Decisions about cleanup must be made with community,
human health, and environmental concerns in mind. EPA
efforts to achieve this goal center on protecting human
health and the environment by applying the fastest, most
effective waste management and cleanup methods
available, while involving affected communities in the
decision-making process.
Cleaning up abandoned or under-used industrial land
and supporting new business growth is the focus of the
brownfields program. The term "brownfields" denotes
abandoned, idle or under-used industrial or commercial
sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by
real or perceived environmental contamination. Over
450,000 such properties are thought to exist. Accomplish-
ment of the brownfields objective will demonstrate that
economic, environmental and social goals can be
integrated such that economic growth can improve, rather
than diminish, environmental quality.
Objectives
• By 2005, EPA and its partners will reduce or control
the risks to human health and the environment at
over 375,000 contaminated Superfund, RCRA, UST
and brownfield sites. (Total comprises 1,200 NPL
and 480 non-NPL sites; 2,475 RCRA facilities;
370,000 LUST cleanups initiated or completed; and
1,500 brownfield properties.)
• By 2005, over 282,000 facilities defined by RCRA
Subtitles C, D, and I, the Oil Pollution Act (OPA),
the Emergency Planning and Community Right to
Know Act (EPCRA), and the Clean Air Act, section
112(r), will be managed according to practices that
prevent dangerous releases to the environment.
(Total comprises 14,000 RCRA facilities [Subtitles C
and D]; 264,000 USTs [RCRA Subtitle I]; and 4,200
oil facilities.)
• By 2005, EPA and its partners will have the
capability to successfully respond to 100 percent of
known emergency actions at facilities defined under
the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and the Emergency
Planning and Community Right to Know Act
(EPCRA), to reduce the risk to human health and the
environment.
What Will Be Accomplished
By meeting the objectives stated above, EPA will have
made significant progress toward achieving our goal of
promoting better waste management, restoring contami-
nated waste sites, and preventing waste-related or
industrial accidents. EPA will continue to regulate existing
waste management practices by facilities defined under
RCRA, OPA, and EPCRA. By doing so, we will reduce
the risk of human health and environmental exposures
from hazardous waste, non-hazardous industrial waste, and
municipal solid waste. Using strategies such as the
"cradle-to-grave" waste management framework, the
Agency will prevent the creation of "new" Superfund
sites. By 2005, EPA and states will prevent dangerous
releases to air, soil, and groundwater at 90% of hazardous
waste, 90% of non-hazardous industrial waste, and 100%
of municipal solid waste facilities in states. Human
exposures will be controlled at 95% of RCRA high priority
contaminated hazardous waste facilities, and releases to
groundwater will be controlled at 70% of these facilities.
The Agency will reduce emissions of dioxins and furans,
particulate matter, and acid rain gases from hazardous
waste combustion facilities by 90, 50, and 50 percent,
respectively, from levels emitted in 1994. Also by 2005,
EPA will add 2800 facilities to those in compliance with
the spill prevention, control, and countermeasure
provisions of the OPA, and 1400 additional facilities will
be adequately prepared to respond to oil spills as measured
by approved response plans.
Improper waste management and disposal pose a threat
to those living in nearby communities and result in costly
clean ups. EPA's commitment to restoring contaminated
sites in partnership with states and the community will
reduce greatly the effect of uncontrolled releases on local
populations and sensitive environments. By 2005, we will
initiate or complete clean up at 370,000 sites where
groundwater or soil has been contaminated by petroleum
releases from USTs. By 2005, the Agency will complete
construction at 1200 sites on the NPL in a cost effective
and timely manner, and complete cleanup at 480 other
sites not on the NPL. Note that the new measure for
removal completion is clean up with no further action
necessary, rather than the traditional measure which
counted stabilization rather than final clean up. Improper
disposal also refers to radioactive waste, and by 2005, the
amount of the nation's radioactive waste managed under
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the purview of the Atomic Energy Act and not meeting
EPA's disposal standard will be reduced by 1.2 percent.
To minimize the risk to human health and the
environment that occurs from emergencies such as
accidental chemical releases and oil spills, EPA and its
partners will increase their capabilities to prevent and
respond quickly to these incidents, and leverage poten-
tially responsible party (PRP) resources to conduct or fund
responses to the maximum extent possible. Of the
facilities submitting a Risk Management Plan, the Agency
will work to increase the percentage of facilities that have
reduced their chemical risks. Of the facilities where
accidents have been investigated by EPA, we will work to
increase the number of facilities that act on the investiga-
tion recommendations.
The brownfields pilot program has demonstrated that
cleaning up abandoned or under-used contaminated land
and supporting new business growth can have significant
payoffs. Building on the pilot program, EPA will continue
to combine federal, state, local and private sector efforts to
restore contaminated property to economic reuse and
reduce clean-up costs. By 2005, EPA will sign 300
cooperative agreements for assessments at brownfields
properties, and will perform targeted site assessments in
100 cities with brownfield properties and sign 300
cooperative agreements to capitalize revolving loan funds
to clean up approximately 1500 brownfield properties. In
some cases, parties interested in developing such proper-
ties are concerned about the presence of environmental
contamination and the attendant potential liabilities
(including Federal Superfund liability). Addressing
liability barriers through the brownfields program by
issuance of comfort/status letters or prospective purchaser
agreements in appropriate instances will facilitate
sustainable redevelopment of these properties.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
• Assess more than 9,000 additional sites, including
brownfields, to determine whether they meet the
criteria for federal Superfund response actions.
• Prevent, minimize or mitigate significant threats at
Superfund sites by conducting more than 300
removal actions per year.
Maximize potentially responsible parties' (PRP)
participation in conducting or funding response
actions while promoting fairness in the enforcement
process, and recover costs from PRPs when EPA
expends Trust Fund monies.
Work with the surrounding communities and the
public to improve their direct involvement in waste
management and cleanup.
Enhance the role of the states and tribes in implemen-
tation of waste programs and State and tribal
voluntary cleanup programs.
Continue brownfields outreach to communities and
other stakeholders. Leverage actions by other federal
agencies (such as HUD), state, local, and tribal
governments and private enterprise to accelerate
assessment and remediation of properties. Remove
liability barriers at brownfield properties by issuance
of prospective purchaser agreements or comfort/
status letters in appropriate instances. Provide
incentives and support for voluntary cleanup
programs to further the objective.
Implement the Agency's Hazardous Waste Minimiza-
tion and Combustion Strategy including the revised
standards for hazardous waste incinerators and
cement kilns that burn hazardous waste.
Focus on controlling human exposures and ground-
water releases at RCRA facilities designated as high
priority for corrective action.
Continue to implement RCRA regulatory program to
identify and address the highest risk wastes, taking
into consideration the operating costs imposed.
Support state and tribal efforts to design and
implement risk-based corrective action programs that
help to reduce the backlog of UST sites with
confirmed releases waiting to be addressed, and to
enforce the 1998 UST leak detection and upgrade
standards.
• Ensure that 400 additional facilities per year will be
in compliance with the spill prevention, control and
countermeasure provisions of oil pollution prevention
regulations.
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• Ensure that 200 additional facilities per year will be
adequately prepared to respond to oil spills as
measured by approved response plans prepared in
compliance with statutory and regulatory require-
ments.
• Investigate jointly, with OSHA, major chemical
accidents to determine their cause, and recommend
actions for further prevention.
• Support states, tribes and Local Emergency Planning
Committees in implementing chemical accident
prevention programs.
• Reduce risks of radiation exposure through increased
education and outreach; development of federal
guidance on human exposure assessments; assistance
to states and other federal agencies in radiological
emergency response; and field monitoring expertise,
mobile radioanalysis and dose assessment capabili-
ties.
Performance Measures
EPA's performance under this goal will be measured
according to progress made in achieving milestones that
the waste and emergency response program offices have
set for the years 1999 through 2005. The performance
measures were designed to provide a limited set of data
which reflect the nation's most important waste manage-
ment and emergency response program priorities. Since
they were not intended to cover every activity or task
undertaken by the states and EPA, other environmental
program and fiscal data will be needed to maintain
effective program management. The following are
examples of performance measures:
• Number of site clean ups initiated and/or completed
up where groundwater or soil is known to be
contaminated by petroleum from abandoned refinery
waste sites and underground storage tanks (USTs).
• Controls put in place to prevent dangerous releases to
air, soil, and groundwater from waste facilities.
• Number of RCRA sites with controls in place to
prevent human exposures and control groundwater
releases.
The number of oil spills that EPA monitors and
responds to.
Number of USTs equipped to meet the requirements
for leak detection and upgrading.
Number of Superfund emergency time-critical and
non-time-critical removal response actions, and the
number of construction completions at Superfund
NPL sites.
Number of sites at which targeted site assessments
for brownfield properties are completed.
Number of brownfield properties cleaned up, and
number of successful conversions of brownfield
properties to economic reuse.
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OAL 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 ecosys-
tems from climate change, stratospheric
ozone depletion, and other hazards of
international concern.
Importance of Goal
Ecosystems and transboundary pollutants do not
respect international boundaries. As a result, unilateral
domestic actions of the U.S. are inadequate to achieve
some of EPA's most important environmental goals.
Reduction of global and cross-border environmental risk is
important because of the significant risks to the U.S. that
originate in other countries and undermine U.S. invest-
ments in environmental protection. Achieving our
environmental goals requires us to work with other
countries to address external sources of pollution
impacting human health and the environment of our
nation. Conversely, the U.S. also holds itself responsible
for preventing or minimizing the impacts of transboundary
pollution originating here.
EPA's continued leadership is necessary to build the
international cooperation and technical capacity that are
essential to prevent harm to the global environment and
ecosystems that we share with other nations. A coordi-
nated international response is needed to confront the
climate change threat, depletion of the stratospheric ozone
layer, transboundary circulation of toxics, and other
environmental issues significant to the interests of the
United States. Continued leadership by the U.S. and EPA
is necessary in building the international cooperation and
technical capacity needed to successfully address these
issues in a manner that provides efficient and sustainable
long-term solutions. Where the accomplishment of U.S.
environmental goals requires the cooperation of other
countries, EPA works with the Department of State, other
Federal agencies, states, tribes, and non-governmental
organizations to ensure that U.S. environmental interests
are appropriately addressed.
Objectives
• By 2005, reduce transboundary threats to human
health and shared ecosystems in North America
consistent with our bilateral and multilateral treaty
obligations in these areas, as well as our trust
responsibility to tribes.
• By 2000 and beyond, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
will be reduced to levels consistent with international
commitments agreed upon under the Framework
Convention on Climate Change, building on initial
efforts under the Climate Change Action Plan.
• By 2005, ozone concentrations in the stratosphere
will have stopped declining and slowly begun the
process of recovery.
• By 2005, reduce the risks to U.S. human health and
ecosystems from selected toxics that circulate in the
environment at global and regional scales consistent
with international obligations.
• By 2005, the United States will prevent significant
degradation of the marine and polar environments,
consistent with U.S. obligations under relevant
international agreements.
• By 2005, increase the application of cleaner and
more cost-effective environmental practices and
technologies in the U.S. and abroad through
international cooperation.
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What Will Be Accomplished
The principal accomplishment of EPA's international
efforts will be to reduce risks to human health, the
environment, and quality of life both within the U.S. and
on a global level.
EPA's Climate Change program will continue efforts to
achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in
the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous
interference with the climate system. Recognizing that no
single country can resolve the problem of global climate
change, EPA is engaged in many activities to facilitate
international cooperation. To this end, EPA is actively
participating in international research, applied analysis,
assessment efforts, and efforts to develop and implement
global climate change strategy, and is providing financial
and technical assistance to developing countries to
facilitate development of mitigation and sequestration
strategies.
On the domestic side, EPA's Climate Change programs
will continue to focus on minimizing the global impacts of
greenhouse gas emissions originating in the U.S. Pro-
grams will promote voluntary partnerships, provide
technical assistance and promote activities at the state and
local levels that enhance future GHG emission reductions.
The programs will help transform markets and stimulate
investments in energy efficient products and technologies
that reduce the need for greater electricity-generating
capacity. EPA will also continue to participate in the
Partnership for a New Generation of vehicles that involves
a federal/domestic automobile industry partnership to
develop "leapfrog" technology to triple automotive fuel
economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 67
percent, while maintaining vehicle performance and
affordability.
To protect the earth's ozone layer, EPA will continue to
implement and enforce rules controlling the production
and emission of ozone-depleting compounds, and the use
of alternative chemicals to curtail ozone depletion. In
addition, EPA, along with other industrial countries, will
continue to provide support to the efforts of developing
countries to find alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals.
To reduce risks from persistent organic pollutants and
selected metals that circulate in the environment at global
and regional scales, EPA is working with the Department
of State and other countries to negotiate the phase-out and
control of certain chemicals that continue to pose
environmental risks from their use and production in other
parts of the world. We are also working to reach agree-
ment on import and export requirements applicable to
certain chemicals, an expansion of pollutant release and
transfer registers (PRTRs), and the harmonization of
chemical testing, assessment, and labeling procedures.
To reduce environmental and human health risks along
the U.S./Mexico Border, EPA is working with the border
I states and Mexico to meet ambient air quality standards
for several air pollutants in seven areas currently failing to
meet national air quality standards. In addition, EPA is
working to increase water infrastructure, reduce hazardous
waste disposal, and put in place chemical accident
contingency plans in 10 of the 14 Sister Cities along the
U.S./Mexico Border.
Working with Canada, we are moving to reduce the
level of toxic substances in the Great Lakes, reduce
sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions that cause
acid rain, and protect shared ecosystems along our
northern border. Recognizing that activities in Mexico,
Canada, and the United States impact environmental
conditions beyond the immediate border areas and that
free trade requires compatible environmental practices, we
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are also working to establish such practices across North
America.
EPA will continue to take a leadership role in the
development of international systems resembling the
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and will assist nations in
furthering "right-to-know" legislation and public access to
environmental information. EPA will also work to achieve
an integrated and mutually supportive approach to
international trade and environmental policies. This
approach reflects the Agency's commitment to sustainable
development and relies on cooperation on environmental
standards with our major trading partners. International
cooperation in environmental research and policy
development will increase cost effectiveness of selected
U.S. environmental protection programs.
To prevent significant degradation of the marine
environment, EPA, working with the Department of State,
NOAA, and other Federal agencies, expects to conclude a
regional agreement addressing land-based marine
pollution in the Wider Caribbean. The Agency is also
working to raise international marine pollution standards
through the International Maritime Organization and the
United Nations Environment Program.
Recognizing our national interest in the Arctic as an
ecosystem we share with other nations, the U.S. is also
working with the Russian Federation to achieve a 25
percent reduction in the number of high-level radioactive
sources in Northwest Russia with the potential for near-
term release into the Arctic environment.
Key targets to be achieved in the international area
include the following.
• By 2005, atmospheric concentrations of the ozone-
depleting substances CFC-11 and CFC-12 will have
peaked at no more than 300 and 570 parts per trillion,
respectively, and with the exception of HCFCs and
very limited "essential uses," no more ozone-
depleting substances will be produced in the U.S.
• By 2005, help to ensure that at least 75 developing
countries will have reduced their production and
consumption of CFCs by 50 percent.
• By 2000, CCAP implementation throughout the
Federal government will reduce annual U.S.
greenhouse gas emissions by 75 million metric tons
of carbon equivalent (MMTCE). The programs will
lead to greater annual reductions of between 115 and
140 MMTCE by 2005.
By 2010, the air will be safer to breathe in areas
along the US/Mexico border that exceed one or more
of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and
all areas will attain the standards within the
timeframes described in Goal 1 - Clean Air.
By 2005, disposal rates of hazardous waste in the
U.S./Mexico Border Area will be reduced by 8
percent and chemical accident contingency plans will
be in place in 10 of the 14 pairs of sister cities along
the Border.
By 2000, the population in the U.S./Mexico Border
Area that is served by adequate drinking water,
wastewater collection and treatment systems will
increase by 7 percent through the design and
construction of water infrastructure .
By 2005, formal delisting of three of the 31 U.S.
toxic hot spots in the Great Lakes; reduction in the
number of Great Lakes fish advisories; a plan of
action to expand cooperation to reduce ground level
ozone and particulate; confirmation of elimination of
sources of five bioaccumulative pesticides that enter
the Great Lakes Basin by 1998; reduction of 10
million tons of utility and industrial S02 emissions
from 1980 levels by 2010; utility and mobile source
NOX emission reduction of two million tons from
1980 levels by 2000; a 90 percent reduction in high-
level PCBs used in electrical equipment by 2006; 50
percent reductions in the deliberate uses and releases
of mercury resulting from human activity.
By 2000, complete: North American action plans on
PCBs, chlordane and DDT; a protocol on persistent
organic pollutants and heavy metals (through the
UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary
Air Pollution); a legally binding global convention
outlining requirements for the export and import of
selected chemicals (commonly referred to as Prior
Informed Consent (PIC)); and by 2005, complete a
global convention on selected persistent organic
pollutants and develop an international network for
monitoring mercury emissions.
By 2005, increase the cost-effectiveness of selected
U.S. environmental protection programs by 20
percent and complete training and information
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materials for application in key countries or regions
of the world.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA uses a variety of approaches to achieve its
international objectives, including:
• Implementing formal bilateral and multilateral
environmental agreements with key countries,
executing environmental components of key foreign
policy initiatives, and, through the Department of
State, engaging in regional and global negotiations
aimed at reducing risks via formal and informal
agreements.
• Cooperating with other countries to ensure that
domestic and international environmental laws,
policies, and priorities are recognized and
implemented and, where appropriate, promoted
within the multilateral development assistance and
trading system.
• Cooperating with other federal agencies, states,
business, and environmental groups to promote the
flow of environmentally sustainable technologies
and services worldwide; multilateral collaboration in
coordinating environmental policies and
implementing cooperative research and development
programs; and international technical assistance,
training, information exchange, and other capacity-
building programs.
• Implementing a strategic plan on "Environmental
Security" with the Department of Defense and the
Department of Energy.
• Continuing domestic and international efforts to
limit the production and use of ozone-depleting
substances and to develop safe alternative
compounds.
• Demonstrating and promoting public/private
partnership programs that reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
Performance Measures
The global and transboundary environmental risks
addressed in this goal vary in geographic scale as well as
the nature of the problems being addressed in the six
objectives found under the goal.
The first objective encompasses specific outcomes for
our immediate border areas with Canada and Mexico.
Performance measures in this area will often identify
intermediate steps in our cooperative efforts with Canada
and Mexico in meeting environmental outcomes that must
be achieved over several years. Examples include water
infrastructure completed in the U.S./Mexico Border Area,
establishment of air emission inventories, and degree of
program completion.
Objectives two, three, four, and five outline U.S.
objectives for protection of the global commons as well as
U.S. interests in reducing the risks associated with toxics
that circulate in the environment at global and regional
scales. Relevant performance measures will include
changes in concentrations of the appropriate stressors.
Performance measures relating to our efforts to prevent
degradation of the marine environment and the reduction
of transboundary toxics focus largely on sequential
progress to be made in specific multilateral negotiations.
Objective six covers a broad range of technical
cooperation and environmental policy programs support-
ing environmental security interests of the United States as
well as improved efficiency in our domestic programs.
Specific performance measures will include indicators of
improved environmental management in key countries,
improvements in U.S. environmental programs derived
from foreign programs, and successes in sustaining
positive environmental gains in the expanding trade and
environment agenda.
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OAL7: Expansion of Americans'
Right to Know About Their
Environment
so
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.
Importance of this Goal
Providing all Americans with access to sound
environmental information and informing and involving
the public in our work are essential parts of a comprehen-
sive approach to protecting the environment. This goal is
based on the premise that all U.S. citizens have a "right to
know" about the pollutants in their environment-including
the condition of the air they breathe and the water they
drink, as well as the health effects of the chemicals used in
the food and products they buy. Such a premise is
especially significant for minority, low-income, and Native
American communities that suffer a disproportionate
burden of health consequences from poor environmental
conditions. As U.S. citizens they need to receive adequate
knowledge of and representation in public policy and
environmental decision-making processes.
Access to environmental information also helps make
American citizens involved and informed environmental
decision makers, and promotes creative and lasting
solutions to environmental problems. Citizens who are
well-informed can better understand the environmental
impacts of their own activities, the relative severity of
environmental risks, the opportunities for preventing
pollution, and the uncertainties and complex trade-offs that
underlie many environmental decisions. This is critical in
developing sustainable solutions that all stakeholders--
industry, agriculture, government, and the public-will
support and carry out.
Objectives
• By 2005, EPA will improve the ability of the
American public to participate in the protection of
human health and the environment by increasing the
quality and quantity of general environmental
education, outreach and data availability programs,
especially in disproportionally impacted and
disadvantaged communities.
• By 2005, EPA will improve the ability of the public
to reduce exposure to specific environmental and
human health risks by making current, accurate
substance-specific information widely and easily
accessible.
• By 2005, EPA will meet or exceed the Agency's
customer service standards in providing sound
environmental information to federal, state, local,
and tribal partners to enhance their ability to protect
human health and the environment.
What Will Be Accomplished
The principal accomplishment will be to empower
state, local, and tribal governments and the American
public by providing citizens with information to enable
them to make informed decisions regarding environmental
issues in their communities. The quality and quantity of
general environmental education, outreach and data
availability programs will be increased, and EPA will
expand the content of our data holdings, improve the
quality and usability of the data, and ensure the data are
widely available through the Internet and other sources.
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Through empowering people with information, the
following accomplishments are also expected:
• By 2005, through improved technology, we will
increase the accessibility and opportunities for all
Americans to learn about environmental issues,
including Internet access to comprehensive environ-
mental information on the watershed in which they
live including the environmental condition, the
stressors, and the environmental health threats.
• By 2005,95 percent of customers will be satisfied
with the timeliness of the Agency's responses to
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests,
executive correspondence, and other information
requests.
• By 2005,90 percent of all customers from small,
disadvantaged, and minority-owned businesses will
be satisfied with the timeliness and quality of the
assistance provided by the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
• By 2003, make 100 percent of EPA's non-confiden-
tial environmental data available and accessible to the
public in a user-friendly manner and provide
integrated information to support comprehensive
environmental protection approaches such as EPA's
Community-Based Environmental Protection
Program (CBEP).
• By 2003, provide user-friendly public access to
comprehensive environmental performance informa-
tion, including enhanced access in disproportionally
impacted and disadvantaged communities.
• By 2003, EPA will have developed and enhanced an
electronic system that will allow the public and EPA
stakeholders to access regulatory requirements, EPA
policy, guidance, and significant site-specific
interpretations via the Internet.
• By 2000, every person served by a community water
system will have access to a consumer confidence
report that contains information about the system's
source water and the level of contaminants in the
drinking water and will be able to use this informa-
tion to secure safe drinking water and make personal
decisions about their own health.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
The Agency will use a variety of strategies focused on
the three objectives for this goal. Critical to the success of
these strategies will be cooperation and collaboration with
all potential partners, including federal, state, tribal, and
local governments, educational institutions, nonprofit
organizations, and businesses.
• Increase education, outreach, and data availability
programs.
• Support and encourage user-friendly environmental
education programs of state and local governments,
schools and universities, and community and non-
profit organizations.
• Build stronger partnerships and promote increased
coordination with other governmental organizations
and the private sector.
• Cooperate with other countries to advance common
goals for environmental education.
• Provide the public, especially disproportionately
impacted and disadvantaged communities, with clear
information about regulatory requirements and
improve access to environmental data.
• Provide information and tools for communities to
make decisions.
• Create a Center for Environmental Information and
Statistics (CEIS) to provide citizens with information
on drinking water quality, air quality, beach contami-
nation, and shellfish contamination.
• Continue to expand the coverage of pollutants,
pollution sources, and data elements in EPA's Toxics
Release Inventory, and ensure compliance with
reporting requirements.
• Make all non-confidential information and data at
EPA available to the public, and expand access to
information through libraries, schools, and health
departments.
• Expand the Agency's baseline information about the
health and environmental effects of products and
chemicals, through enhanced data gathering and
testing activities.
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• Integrate environmental data interpretation and
statistics.
• Exchange sound environmental data with all of our
partners.
• Engage in more frequent dialogue with state, local
and Indian tribal governments, and improve the
exchange with them to produce more sound environ-
mental data and tools.
• Consolidate information and reduce duplication of
information provided to EPA under a variety of
statutory and regulatory authorities.
• Improve electronic access to information by
significantly expanding the type and amount of
information available on the Internet.
• Continue international collaboration on developing
health and environmental effects data.
• Ensure citizen access to the compliance and
enforcement records of regulated facilities so that
communities can easily monitor whether these
companies are in compliance with environmental
laws and permit conditions.
Another strategy is contained in the President's
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking (EMPACT) Initiative. This initiative
includes other federal agencies and will focus on improv-
ing data collection and data quality and on deploying new
technologies for real time and automated measurement,
monitoring, and information delivery. EMPACT will be
targeted to the 75 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.
Performance Measures
The success of the Right-to-Know programs is
ultimately determined by the increased understanding of
our environment among all stakeholders, thereby enabling
them to make decisions and take actions in helping to
solve the nation's environmental problems, particularly at
the community level. EPA is playing a major role in
educating and providing the data and tools tailored to the
needs of various stakeholders. Measures to assess our
progress in achieving this goal focus on three areas--
information access, stakeholder awareness, and the
improved environmental conditions in targeted areas. We
assume there is a cause-effect relationship among the
three. Since there are many actions outside EPA's control,
we would want to choose the measures aimed at EPA's
actions. For example, we will assess the number of people
who access EPA information and whether they find the
information useful; the level of awareness of our
information among various stakeholder groups, as
measured by surveys and other instruments; and the
improvement of environmental conditions in targeted
areas, including reduced releases of toxic chemicals.
Sound Science,
Improved Understanding of
Environmental Risk, and
Greater Innovation to Address
Environmental Problems
EPA will develop and apply the best
available science for addressing current and
future environmental hazards, as well as new
approaches toward improving environmental
protection.
Importance of This Goal
Science enables us to identify the most important
sources of risk to human health and the environment, and
by so doing, informs our priority-setting, ensures
credibility for our policies, and guides our deployment of
resources. It gives us the understanding and technologies
we need to detect, abate, and avoid environmental
problems. This goal recognizes that science provides the
crucial underpinning for EPA decisions and challenges us
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to apply the best available science and technical analysis
to our environmental problems and to practice more
integrated, more efficient, and more effective approaches
to reducing environmental risks.
It is clear that, in the future, environmental problems
will be dealt with in a different manner than they are
today. In moving towards this future, EPA has adopted a
two-tiered strategy. On one level, EPA is working to
strengthen those features of the current system that have
proven to be effective. At a second level, EPA is designing
and testing fundamentally new tools and approaches that
take advantage of new scientific knowledge and techno-
logical advancements, a growing ethic of environmental
stewardship, the need to cut waste and increase efficiency
and similar opportunities as they arise in society. These
new tools and approaches are largely industry-based,
place-based, and performance-based.
Objectives
• Research for Ecosystems Assessment and
Restoration: By 2008, provide the scientific
understanding to measure, model, maintain, or
restore, at multiple scales, the integrity and
sustainability of ecosystems now and in the future.
• Research for Human Health Risk Assessment: By
2008, improve the scientific basis to identify,
characterize, assess, and manage environmental
exposures that pose the greatest health risks to the
American public by developing models and
methodologies to integrate information about
exposures and effects from multiple pathways.
• Research to Detect Emerging Risk Issues: By 2008,
establish capability and mechanisms within EPA to
anticipate and identify environmental or other
changes that may portend future risk, integrate
futures planning into ongoing programs, and
promote coordinated preparation for and response to
change.
• Research for Pollution Prevention and New
Technology for Environmental Protection: by 2006,
develop and verify improved tools, methodologies,
and technologies for modeling, measuring,
characterizing, preventing, controlling, and cleaning
up contaminants associated with high priority human
health and environmental problems.
• By 2005, EPA will increase the number of places
using integrated, holistic partnership approaches,
such as community-based environmental protection
(CBEP), and quantify their tangible and sustainable
environmental results in places where EPA is directly
involved.
• By 2005, EPA will increase the number of
opportunities for and applications of sector-based
approaches to environmental management by 150
percent over 1996 levels.
• By 2005, Regions will have demonstrated capability
to assess environmental conditions in their Region,
compare the relative risk of health and ecological
problems, and assess the environmental effectiveness
of management action in priority geographic areas.
• Conduct peer reviews and provide guidance on the
science underlying Agency decisions.
What Will Be Accomplished
EPA's research program will measurably increase our
understanding of environmental processes and our
capability to respond to and solve environmental prob-
lems. During the past decade, significant concerns have
been expressed about the adequacy of the Agency's ability
to assess risks-not only to human health, but also to
ecosystems. Research will lead to greater certainty in
assessing and comparing environmental risks. Our aim is
to reduce major areas of uncertainty in our analyses of risk
and to minimize reliance on default assumptions. In order
to accomplish this, we will develop improved exposure
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assessments that identify environmental exposures posing
the greatest health risks to the American public and will
increasingly use biologically-based methodologies. We
will demonstrate improved knowledge of current
ecosystem conditions and the most critical stressors
affecting these conditions, as well as deliver improved
capabilities to interpret what these conditions imply in
terms of immediate and future risks. This will provide
strengthened capability to determine the condition of the
environment and its responses to alternative management
strategies at local, regional, and national scales. This will
also lead to better technologies to manage and restore
ecosystems.
We will also build institutional capacity to forecast and
prepare for emerging problems. To prevent damage to both
human and ecosystem health, it is critical to detect,
describe, evaluate, and mitigate or eliminate stressors
before damage occurs. We plan to improve capacity and
technology to monitor and model stressors and effects. We
plan to encourage the rapid acceptance and implementa-
tion of improved environmental technology by assessing
and verifying the performance characteristics of commer-
cially ready technologies and by making those assessments
available for consideration by a variety of potential
technology users. This will help provide proven, cost-
effective technologies and approaches to prevent or
manage environmental problems.
The Agency plans to strengthen the science base of the
Regions by increasing their capacity to monitor and
measure environmental conditions. We also plan to
strengthen our overall quality of science by significantly
enhancing peer review in the Agency and by seeking
guidance from the Science Advisory Board, leading to
more defensible environmental decisions.
Since scientific quality and cost-effectiveness are
generally increased through collegial interaction, the
Agency plans to increase its "partnering" with other
Agencies and organizations, especially in joint efforts
through the National Science and Technology Council, and
in more frequent collaboration with NASA, NSF, and
DOE. Similar synergistic benefits are sought through joint
participation in the peer review of Agency documents and
positions by advisory committees from different depart-
ments and agencies.
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Regional geographic initiatives are targeted towards
high priority locations with both high health or ecosystem
risks and significant potential for risk reduction. We will
continue to implement multimedia solutions, using
integrated partnership approaches, to address air, water
and toxic waste problems and achieve living resource
protection. Our efforts will promote state-of-the-art
environmental management and serve as incubators and
developers of innovative approaches to environmental
policy making. Through Community-Based Environmen-
tal Protection, EPA will increase the number of places
using innovative, multimedia approaches to enable local
partnerships to address high risks. Through such programs
as the Common Sense Initiative, the Agency will imple-
ment Sustainable Industry sector-based policies and
programs. These new approaches will likely become the
predominant form of environmental protection in the next
century, and lead to greater acceptance of new environ-
mental technology.
Most of these objectives will not be fully met until a
decade has passed. However, as the science moves
forward, various research sub-products are created that
will be incorporated into EPA's decision-making process.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA has several strategies to strengthen its science
base and to develop innovations in environmental
protection. The Agency has implemented a risk-based
research planning process to use risk assessment and risk
management as principal priority-setting criteria. EPA
conducts annual research program reviews to both evaluate
the status and accomplishments of its research and
determine strategic planning priorities. To better draw
upon the expertise of the environmental academic
community, EPA created the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) Program of peer reviewed, mission-driven
extramural grants. The Agency is also working with the
National Research Council to identify emerging environ-
mental issues for which we must begin planning the
necessary research.
Reinvention of environmental protection involves
rethinking specific steps of the regulatory process, such as
setting standards and writing regulations, issuing permits,
collecting environmental reports about pollution,
providing assistance to help business comply with the law,
and conducting enforcement actions. Among our newer
integrated and innovative strategies for environmental
protection are the place- and facility-based approaches of
the Community-Based Environmental Protection (CBEP)
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strategy, and sector-based strategies such as the Common
Sense Initiative (CSI). CBEP is a way for EPA to work
with knowledgeable and committed governments,
organizations and individuals in specific communities and
to benefit from their knowledge of their local environmen-
tal problems. CBEP can also provide flexibility to achieve
more environmental protection in a more cost-effective
manner. Similarly for industries, sector strategies such as
CSI are designed as integrated, multimedia approaches.
CSI works to tailor efforts to the particular characteristics
of a particular industry, leading to more cost-effective
environmental protection. EPA's reinvention agenda
includes opportunities for testing innovative approaches to
getting environmental results through programs such as
CSI, Project XL, and One-Stop Reporting. EPA, working
with state environmental programs, will adopt specific
reforms for each part of the regulatory system based on
successful results from these experimental programs.
EPA is promoting more cost-effective environmental
protection by working with stakeholders to identify and
overcome barriers, such as the lack of credible, indepen-
dent performance data, that limit the entrance of new
technologies into the environmental marketplace. Finally,
because our decisions on rulemaking, policies, and actions
to protect human health and the environment invariably
rely on environmental measurements, the Agency will
continue to implement its mandatory Quality Assurance
Program. This program will ensure that all environmental
measurements produced or funded by the Agency are of a
level of quality suitable for their intended use.
Performance Measures
As environmental problems are better defined, and
prevention and clean-up technologies are improved and
evaluated, it will become easier to measure and demon-
strate cheaper environmental protection. The various
community, facility and sector-based approaches that
provide flexibility for voluntary local initiative and
innovation, and are tailored to the specific needs of a place
or an industry, should improve decision-making, avoid
conflict between competing uses and lead directly to more
cost-effective environmental protection.
Over that period of time, specific outputs have been
identified, such as models, tools, local capacity, cross
program and sector partnerships, published reports and
guidelines and demonstration projects. Certain tangible
environmental outcomes related to the environmental
health, vitality and quality of specific ecosystems or
geographic regions and reduced emissions for facilities
and sectors will be measured.
Scientific research involves efforts whose outcomes
are inherently difficult to measure. Nevertheless, in
addition to specific measures to track our success in
meeting research objectives, we also have identified more
general science performance criteria, including quality,
relevance, and impact on decision making. Against these
criteria, the following goals and measures will serve to
evaluate the results of our research program.
Quality
The performance goal is for EPA's research science to
advance the state of the science or make new contribu-
tions. Performance measures include:
• Endorsement by peer review and other impartial,
outside reviewers.
• Demonstrated leadership of EPA scientists as
evidenced by invitations to participate in conferences
and conduct reviews.
• Publication of results in appropriate, peer-reviewed
journals.
• Adoption of EPA-developed approaches or method-
ologies as models.
• Awards/recognition for research contributions.
Relevance
The performance goal is for EPA's research to
successfully meet the needs of users of the results.
Performance measures include:
• Research addresses critical knowledge issues within
EPA's mission.
• Research findings provide the information necessary
for EPA users to meet statutory requirements and
other policy needs.
• EPA's decision-making options are informed and
supported by quality science.
• Quality of science in EPA decisions is not challenged
or withstands such challenges.
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• EPA research findings are incorporated into new
research.
Impact on Decision Making
The performance goal is for EPA's research organiza-
tion to transfer information, findings, and results effec-
tively to users, partners, and the public. Performance
measures include:
• Technical results are disseminated in a timely way to
users.
• Research is communicated appropriately in formats
accessible to a variety of audiences and users in their
decision making.
For specific objectives under the sound science goal,
the following illustrates an appropriate performance goal
and measure:
• By 2005, decision makers and the public will be able
to monitor, assess and interpret the degree to which
land cover has changed over time.
• The value added by the Science Advisory Board
(SAB) will be measured by increased customer
satisfaction, decreased time for report production and
Agency responses to SAB recommendations.
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oal 9: A Credible Deterrent to
LI Pollution and Greater
Compliance with the Law
EPA will ensure full compliance with laws
intended to protect human health and the
environment.
Importance of This Goal
Protecting the public and the environment from risks
posed by violations of environmental requirements is, and
always has been, basic to EPA's mission. Many of
America's environmental improvements over the last 25
years are attributable to a strong set of environmental laws
and an expectation of compliance with those laws. EPA's
strong and aggressive enforcement program has been the
centerpiece of efforts to ensure compliance, and has
achieved significant improvements in human health and
the environment. To meet the challenges presented by the
continuing, serious, and complex environmental problems
EPA faces and the changes in the type and scope of
activities and entities regulated, EPA must continue to use
and develop a broader range of solutions. To this end, EPA
is developing additional tools and capabilities for ensuring
compliance through assistance and incentives to the
regulated community.
By ensuring compliance through an array of traditional
and innovative approaches EPA is working to mitigate and
avoid risks to human health and the environment, help the
regulated community understand and fully comply with
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environmental requirements, punish violators and deter
future violations, level the economic playing field for law-
abiding companies, and ensure that the price of goods and
services reflects true cost.
Objectives
Through its credible deterrent goal, EPA seeks to
ensure full compliance with laws intended to protect
human health and the environment. Within the framework
of this goal, our objectives are as follows:
• Identify and reduce significant non-compliance in
high priority program areas, while maintaining a
strong enforcement presence in all regulatory
program areas.
• Promote the regulated communities' voluntary
compliance with environmental requirements
through compliance incentives and assistance
programs.
What Will Be Accomplished
EPA's enforcement and compliance responsibilities are
outlined in provisions of 15 environmental statutes, and
most of the Agency's international activities can be tied to
seven international agreements. The accomplishment of
EPA's environmental goals depends on a strong enforce-
ment and compliance assurance program, with active
involvement of other Federal agencies and its state, tribal,
local and other national government partners, to encourage
appropriate behavior by the regulated community.
The enforcement and compliance assurance program
has made important contributions through vigorous
application of environmental laws. By identifying and
addressing violations of environmental statutes and
regulations during the period covered by this plan, the
enforcement and compliance assurance program will work
toward continuous improvement in compliance with
standards, permits and other requirements established by
the program offices to mitigate and avoid environmental
problems and the associated risk. Over the next few years,
we intend to complete baseline measurement data for use
in measuring changes in key indicators of compliance
appropriate to designated high priority portions of the
regulated community and will set targets as appropriate.
Given the scope of its responsibilities and the large and
diverse universe of private, public, and federal facilities
regulated under the various statutes, the Agency also will
work to maximize its effectiveness by strategically
targeting its enforcement and compliance activities to
address the most significant risks to human health and the
environment and to address disproportionate burden on
certain populations, in keeping with EPA's environmental
justice responsibilities. Risk-based and related criteria will
be applied during program planning, implementation and
evaluation.
Because government resources are limited, maximum
compliance cannot be achieved without the active efforts
of the regulated community to police itself. Over the
course of this plan, EPA will assist regulated facilities in
improving their compliance and environmental perfor-
mance by encouraging the use of targeted compliance
assistance tools, such as routine environmental auditing for
compliance and the development and use of environmental
management systems. The Agency also intends to pursue
more vigorously the use of compliance incentives as a
means of encouraging regulated entities to voluntarily
discover, disclose and correct violations before they are
identified by the government for enforcement investigation
and response. By increasing its communication with the
regulated community, the Agency will position itself to
identify incentives and promote the benefits of its auditing
policies, compliance assistance tools and voluntary
environmental management systems programs. Additional
specific results anticipated include:
• Implementation of international commitments and
U.S. government priorities for enforcement and
compliance cooperation with other countries
consistent with national environmental and foreign
policy goals.
• Increased use of injunctive relief provisions and
supplemental environmental projects to achieve
environmental restoration and cleanup.
• Increased number of violations reported and
subsequently corrected through self-disclosure by the
regulated community over the 1997 level.
• Review of significant proposed federal actions
(programs, projects, regulations, and proposed
legislation) to determine their likely environmental
effects and seek remedy of the actions that are
environmentally objectionable.
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Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA will implement a range of strategic approaches to
achieve improved compliance through the consistent and
effective application of compliance and enforcement tools.
EPA's current strong, traditional core enforcement program
will continue. In addition, we will improve the Agency's
ability to define high priority (e.g., sectors, media
priorities, federal facilities, and ecosystems) portions of
the regulated community, develop comprehensive baseline
data on the nature and extent of compliance problems, and
set challenging targets for improving compliance. Criteria
for defining the high priority areas will include those
involving high environmental risk, disproportionately
exposed populations, or high rates of noncompliance, and
those that otherwise present a need to maintain a visible
enforcement presence.
By increasing the use of injunctive relief provisions
and Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs), EPA
hopes to gain significant environmental benefits in
conjunction with the settlement of enforcement cases. This
is consistent with the Agency's growing emphasis on the
environmental benefits of its activities.
State, tribal and local governments bear much of the
responsibility for ensuring compliance, and EPA will work
with them and other Federal agencies to promote
environmental protection. Further, EPA will cooperate
with other nations to enforce and ensure compliance with
international agreements affecting the environment. These
activities also ensure a level economic playing field in an
increasingly global trading system.
In addition, the Agency will work toward expanding
current efforts to improve compliance through incentives
and assistance activities. Effective compliance assistance
assures that environmental standards are clear and
understood by the regulated community (including federal
facilities) and the public. EPA will work to establish
baseline information for targeted sectors of the regulated
community and analyze root causes for compliance
problems. In recognition of the substantial role played by
the states in informing the regulated community of their
responsibilities, sector-specific compliance assistance
centers and other tools will be used and evaluated for
effectiveness in increasing the understanding of, and
compliance with, program requirements. Also, the Agency
will pursue compliance incentives to encourage regulated
entities to voluntarily discover, disclose and correct
violations. These compliance incentives include audit and
compliance management programs and partnerships
between government and industry, such as the Environ-
mental Leadership Program. Further, the Agency will
provide technical assistance and training to other federal,
state, and tribal officials to enhance their effectiveness in
managing enforcement and compliance assurance
programs.
Performance Measures
The Agency continues to work on new approaches for
measuring results and impacts of enforcement efforts. The
enforcement and compliance program is moving to
complement the traditional enforcement output measures
with environmental outcome measures. Recent work on
the Case Conclusion Data Sheets and compliance
assistance activities have yielded environmental outcome
data to build upon. Through another effort, the Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance National
Performance Measures Strategy, EPA is striving to develop
a range of measures that reflect the broad spectrum of
enforcement and compliance activities, the degree to
which they protect human health and the environment, and
industry compliance with applicable laws. When this
process is completed, performance targets will be set using
compliance indicators appropriate to the program and
particular universe of regulated facilities involved. The set
of indicators could include rates of significant noncompli-
ance, repeat violators, timely and appropriate actions
taken, economic benefits recovery, pollutant reductions in
high risk areas, and compliance assistance results. There
will be involvement from EPA, states and other stakehold-
ers in identifying, evaluating and selecting these indica-
tors.
Additionally, on the international front, EPA has
developed performance measures for enforcement and
compliance cooperation with Mexico. Under the
Cooperative Enforcement and Compliance provisions of
the U.S.-Mexico Border XXI program, both countries will
develop environmental indicators (both outputs and
outcomes) to measure compliance in the border area.
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oal 10: Effective Management
EPA will establish a management infra-
structure that will set and implement the
highest quality standards for effective internal
management and fiscal responsibilit
Importance of this Goal
Efforts under this goal support the full range of
Agency activities for a healthy and sustainable environ-
ment. Agency management provides vision and leadership
within the Agency, nationally and internationally on
matters relating to the Agency and conducts policy
oversight for all Agency programs. The effectiveness of
EPA's management approaches will determine, in large
measure, how successful we will be in pursuit of the other
goals identified in this Strategic Plan. Sound management
principles, practices, results-based planning and budgeting,
fiscal accountability, quality customer service, rational
policy guidance and careful stewardship of our resources
are the foundation for everything EPA does to advance the
protection of human health and the environment. Agency
management systems and processes will be supported by
independent evaluations that promote operational integrity
and economic, efficient and effective programs, so that we
can obtain the greatest return on taxpayer investment.
Objectives
• The Office of the Administrator and Deputy
Administrator will provide vision and leadership
(within the Agency, nationally and internationally) as
well as executive direction and policy oversight for
all Agency programs.
• EPA will provide the management services, adminis-
trative support and facility operations necessary to
achieve its environmental mission and to meet its
fiduciary and workforce responsibilities.
• EPA will provide a quality work environment that
considers employee safety and security, building
operations, utilities, facilities, new construction,
repairs, and pollution prevention, within Headquar-
ters and nationwide.
• EPA will provide audit and investigative products
and services, all of which can facilitate the accom-
plishment of its mission.
What Will Be Accomplished
Accomplishments under this goal relate primarily to
improvements in the Agency's internal management
infrastructure and processes. EPA's plans for the coming
years build on our past achievements in the areas of
resource management, systems development, and facilities
enhancement, and will include full implementation of an
integrated planning, budgeting, analysis and accountability
system.
Strategies for How It Will Be Accomplished
To provide a strong foundation for our environmental
and human health strategies, our managerial accomplish-
ments will include:
• Investment in EPA employees, through training,
education and other means, to ensure that the
Agency's workforce is of the highest caliber and is
fully prepared to deliver national leadership and
expertise in environmental protection.
• Implementation of automated and streamlined human
resources processes for increased efficiencies in
hiring and placement of staff with the scientific and
technical skills necessary to sustain effective
environmental protection programs.
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• Construction of new facilities, and establishment of
state-of-the-art laboratories, providing the tools
essential to researching innovative solutions to
current and future environmental problems and
enhancing our understanding of environmental risks.
• Reduction of our reliance on cost-plus, level-of-
effort contracting in favor of performance-based
service contracting.
• Enhancements to contract management information
systems. By improving the quality and availability
of information on the status and use of resources, we
can assure that we acquire the best quality goods and
services in support of Agency objectives.
• Resolution of material weaknesses previously
identified in the area of grants closeouts, to reinforce
the integrity of our assistance programs.
• Implementation of the best practices identified
government-wide by the General Accounting Office
(GAO) for information resources management, and
integration of information technology investments
with the Agency's overall strategic planning process,
to keep EPA in the vanguard of federal agencies with
respect to the quality and utility of our data systems.
• Support for electronic reporting by our highest-
volume submitters, to reduce their reporting burden
and facilitate EPA's acquisition of key information
relative to environmental conditions across the
country.
• Provision of audit and investigative products and
services by the independent Office of the Inspector
General to assist the Agency in accomplishing its
mission and improve the performance and integrity
of its programs and operations and reduce the risk of
loss from fraud and other improprieties.
Performance Measures
EPA will measure performance under the Effective
Management goal by tracking progress in three major
areas. First, specific milestones will be established with
respect to automation efforts supporting Agency adminis-
trative reforms and process improvements that contribute
to more efficient ways of doing business. Second,
customer service measures will enable us to gauge
increases in customer satisfaction-both internal and
external to the Agency~in terms of quality and timeliness
of services. Third, we will assess EPA's success in
achieving statutory requirements pertaining to Agency
management including the Chief Financial Officers Act,
the Government Management Reform Act, the Clinger-
Cohen Act and the Federal Acquisition Regulations.
These measures will include reporting requirements, such
as receiving unqualified audit opinions (which EPA hopes
to achieve each year beginning with our FY1997 Annual
Financial Statements) as well as assessments of systems
management.
For all performance measures relevant to this goal, we
anticipate that primary data sources will be EPA manage-
ment information systems and targeted customer surveys.
In FY1999, we expect to develop baseline information,
where necessary, to enable us to track progress more
precisely in future years. In time, the traditional manage-
ment focus on output measures will shift towards broader
outcome-oriented measures, such as measures to demon-
strate specific operational improvements and efficiencies
in Agency programs.
Addendum
Statutory or Other Authority, Directives, or
Obligations for Specific Objectives
GOAL 1-Clean Air
Objective 1
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C.7401-7671q)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C.
2601-2692)
Objective 2
CAA, TSCA
Objective 3
CAA, TSCA
Objective 4
CAA, TSCA
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GOAL 2-Clean and Safe Water
Objective 1
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (42 U.S.C. 300f-
300J-26)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C.
2601-2692)
Objective 2
CWA
Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544)
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C.
4321-4370d)
TSCA
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Treaties with Indian tribes
1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Objective 3
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C.7401-7671q)
CWA, TSCA
GOAL 3-Safe Food
Objective 1
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA)(7US.C. 136-136y)
World Trade Organization Agreements
Objective 2
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)
section 408 (21 U.S.C. 346a)
FIFRA
World Trade Organization Agreements
GOAL 4 - Preventing Pollution in Communities,
Homes, Workplaces and Ecosystems
Objective 1
Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544)
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)
section 408 (21 U.S.C. 346a)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136-136y)
Objective 2
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (42 U.S.C.
300f-300j-26)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C.
2601-2692)
Objective 3
FIFRA, TSCA
Objective 4
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
TSCA
Objective 5
CAA
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S.C. 11001-11050)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-
13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42
U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
TSCA
Objective 6
PPA, RCRA, TSCA
Objective 7
CAA, CERCLA, CWA, EPCRA, ESA, FIFRA
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C.
4321-4370d)
RCRA, SDWA, TSCA
Treaties with Indian tribes
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
61
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
62
GOAL 5 - Waste Management, Restoration of
Contaminated Waste Sites, and Emergency
Response
Objective 1
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-
13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42
U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Objective 2
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Oil Pollution Act (OPA) (33 U.S.C. 2701-2761)
RCRA
Objective 3
CERCLA
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
CWA
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S.C. 11001-11050)
OPA, RCRA
GOAL 6 - Reduction of Global and Cross-
Border Environmental Risks
Objective 1
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S.C. 11001-11050)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA)(7US.C. 136-136y)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-
13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42
U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C.
2601-2692)
YA., H.U.D., and Independent Agencies
Appropriations Acts
Water Quality Act of 1987 section 510
North American Agreement on Environmental
Cooperation (NAAEC)
U.S./Canada Agreements on Arctic Cooperation
U.S./Mexico Agreement Establishing a Border
Environmental Cooperation Commission and a
North American Development Bank
1909 Boundary Waters Agreement
U.S./Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
1997 Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy
1983 La Paz Agreement on US/Mexico Border
Region, Annex 2, Article 3
1989 U.S./Mexico Agreement on Mexico City
1989 US/USSR Agreement on Pollution
1991 U.S./Canada Air Quality Agreement
Treaties with Indian tribes
Border XXI
Objective 2
CAA
Framework Convention on Climate Change
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990
Objective 3
CAA, TSCA
1987 Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting
Substances
Objective 4
CAA, CWA, FIFRA, PPA, RCRA, TSCA, NAAEC
1996 Habitat Agenda, paragraph 43bb
Objective 5
Ocean Dumping Act (33 U.S.C. 1401-1445)
PPA
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species
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Washington Agreement on Land-Based Sources of
Marine Pollution
1972 London Convention on the Prevention of Marine
Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter
Objective 6
EPCRA, PPA
North American Free Trade Agreement
World Trade Organization Agreements
Objective 2
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Section 408 (21
U.S.C. 346A)
CWA, EPCRA, FIFRA, PPA, RCRA, SDWA, TSCA
Objective 3
CWA, EPCRA, FACA, FIFRA, FOIA, PPA, RCRA,
SDWA
TSCA, CERCLA
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
GOAL 7 - Expansion of Americans' Right to
Know About Their Environment
Objective 1
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S.C. 11001-11050)
Environmental Education Act
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C.
App.)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136-136y)
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552)
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-
13109)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42
U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (42 U.S.C. 300f-
300J-26)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C.
2601-2692)
North American Agreement on Environmental
Cooperation
GOAL 8 - Sound Science, Improved Under-
standing of Environmental Risk, and Greater
Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Objective 1
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42 U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
(7 U.S.C. 136-136y)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42
U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C. 2601-
2692)
Objective 2
CAA, CERCLA, CWA
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (42 U.S.C. 300f-300j-26)
TSCA
Objective 3
CAA, CWA, RCRA
Objective 4
CAA, CERCLA, CWA
Federal Technology Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 3710a et seq.)
FIFRA
Patent Statute (35 U.S.C. 100 et seq.)
PPA, RCRA, SDWA, TSCA
63
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EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
Goals
Objective 5
CWA
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act(EPCRA) (42U.S.C. 11001-11050)
PPA,RCRA,SDWA,TSCA
Objective 6
CAA, CWA, EPCRA, FIFRA, PPA, RCRA, SDWA,
TSCA
Objective 7
CAA, CWA, EPCRA, PPA, RCRA, SDWA, TSCA
Objective 8
CAA, CWA
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)
FIFRA, RCRA, SDWA, TSCA
GOAL 9 - A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and
Greater Compliance with the Law
Objective 1
Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7601-7671q)
Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387)
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) (42 U.S.C. 11001-11050)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136-136y)
Ocean Dumping Act (ODA) (33 U.S.C. 1401-1445)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42
U.S.C. 6901-6992k)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (42 U.S.C. 300f-
300J-26)
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (15 U.S.C.
2601-2692)
North American Agreement on Environmental
Cooperation
1983 La Paz Agreement on US/Mexico Border Region
Objective 2
CAA, CERCLA, CWA, EPCRA
Federal Facility Compliance Act
FIFRA, ODA
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101-
13109)
RCRA, SDWA
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 601 note)
TSCA
Executive Order 12088, "Federal Compliance with
Pollution Control Standards"
Executive Order 12856, "Federal Compliance with
Right-to-Know Laws and Pollution Prevention
Requirements"
GOAL 10 - Effective Management
Objective 1
42 U.S.C. 2000e-16
Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C. Chapter 5)
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601-9675)
Objective 2
Government Performance and Results Act
Chief Financial Officers Act (31 U.S.C. 901-903)
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. Chapter 3)
Clinger-Cohen Act (Public Law 104-106)
Competition in Contracting Act (41 U.S.C. 253 et seq.)
Contract Disputes Act (41 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
Federal Claims Collection Act (31 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.)
Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of
1996 (Title VIII of 1997 Treasury, Postal Service and
General Government Appropriations Act)
64
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Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31
U.S.C. 6301 et seq.)
Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act of 1982 (31
U.S.C. 3512)
Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.)
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520)
Objective 3
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (40
U.S.C. 471 et seq.)
Public Buildings Act (40 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
V.A., H.U.D., and Independent Agencies
Appropriations Act
Objective 4
Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended
(SU.S.C.app.)
EPA Strategic Plan
Agency
Approaches to
Achieving Our
oals
65
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EPA Strategic Plan
66
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EPA Strategic Plan
Benefits and Costs
of EPA's Activities
EPA is committed to
incorporating estimates of
costs and benefits in strategic
planning, where valid estimates of
costs and benefits of economically
significant regulations exist.
67
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EPA Strategic Plan
Benefits and Costs of EPA's Activities
68
A safer, healthier environment goes hand-in-hand with a robust economy. For environmental protection and
sustained economic growth to occur together requires the use of common sense approaches that favor the most
cost-effective ways to achieve our goals. EPA is committed to seeking the most cost-effective approaches by
incorporating estimates of costs and benefits in strategic planning, where valid estimates of costs and benefits of
economically significant regulations exist. This section: (1) describes how EPA generally considers benefit and
cost information in its work; (2) provides some examples
of retrospective and prospective analyses that EPA has
done or is planning to do; and (3) discusses the significant
costs and benefits associated with the Agency's goals
that are presented in this Plan.
Consideration of Benefits and Costs
In setting its goals and developing specific policy
instruments to achieve the goals, the Agency uses the best
available science and economic analysis. All public policy
decisions require consideration of several types of informa-
tion and are made on the basis of multiple criteria. Eco-
nomic efficiency, equity, institutional and legal feasibility,
and risk tradeoffs represent some of the criteria that may be
incorporated into policy discussions. Benefit-cost analysis
is used to inform decision makers about the efficiency
effects of alternative options. Benefit-cost analysis is an
important tool used to organize information and clarify the
potential effects of alternative decisions.
When designing and evaluating specific regulatory
options for significant actions, the Agency generally devotes
considerable attention to the study of economic costs and
benefits of proposed actions. EPA primarily uses benefits
and costs measures for two purposes: First, the Agency is
involved in integrated, comprehensive assessments of entire
environmental programs, such as the retrospective benefit-
cost analysis required by Section 812 of the Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1990. The report The Benefits and Costs of
the Clean Air Act, 1970-1990 is expected to be issued later
this year. The Agency has also commenced the prospective
benefit-cost analysis required under Section 812 of the
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Also, to assist in
preparing for reauthorization of environmental legislation,
EPA may prepare economic analyses to assess costs and
benefits. A recent example can be found in the 1994 report
President Clinton's Clean Water Initiative: Analysis of
Benefits and Costs.
Second, the Agency continues to be committed to
analyzing of costs and benefits of specific regulations as
called for by Executive Order (E.G.) 12866. When EPA
actions are expected to impose significant costs on the
private sector (or on a particular industry), EPA conducts
an analysis of the costs, benefits, and other anticipated
economic impacts of the action. EPA is committed to
assessing the costs and benefits of its significant programs
and to adopting cost effective requirements to the extent
permitted by law. EPA fully complies with the require-
ments of E.G. 12866 to develop economic information on
the benefits and costs of each of its new economically
significant regulations. EPA also prepares economic
analyses for other reasons, such as those instances where
authorizing statutes call for the preparation of economic
information to support the regulatory development
process. Within the past 18 months, EPA has prepared
over 30 economic analyses to accompany its regulatory
and policy development programs. This information will
continue to be prepared in accordance with the procedural
and timing requirements in the E.G. and under applicable
statutes, and will be used to support the regulatory
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development process. Economic information developed
for this purpose will be available and used to support the
GPRA process at EPA.
The Agency and public have frequently cited data on
the aggregate costs of existing programs, represented in
the 1990 EPA study entitled Environmental Investments:
The Cost of A Clean Environment. Although that report
did not directly estimate the costs to meet the specific
goals established here, the overall cost estimates provided
a general indication of the magnitude of pollution control
expenditures in the United States in the late 1980s, and
forecasted through the 1990s. At the time of its release in
1990, the report estimated that expenditure by industry,
government and households in the late 1980s was on the
order of $100-120 billion (in 1990 dollars). Total U.S.
costs were projected to increase to a new total of approxi-
mately $170 billion to $200 billion by the year 2000
(reported in 1990 dollars).
An important factor not reflected in forecasted costs
contained in the 1990 report is that since its release, new
environmental legislation and other modifications to the
regulatory agenda have been introduced that seek to
achieve environmental protection goals more cost-
effectively. These programs and policies are not captured
in the 1990 report's forecasts, thereby adding additional
uncertainty to these figures. As a result of changes in
policies, and with the advent of several new benefit-cost
analyses of Agency programs and regulations, the Agency
is taking steps to update its base of information on the
national costs and benefits of environmental protection
programs.
In addition to technological advances, another
phenomenon affecting long-run compliance costs is the
ability of the regulated community to develop more cost-
effective methods of meeting regulatory requirements.
While in practice this effect is difficult to quantify
separately from the effects of technological change, the
combined effects on pollution abatement and control costs
can be incorporated into regulatory compliance cost
forecasts by applying an assumed rate of productivity
growth arising from both sources. Exaggerated compli-
ance cost estimates also can arise from a failure to
understand the nature of economic costs (at the margin), as
distinct from engineering or accounting costs. Perhaps the
most common error of this type occurs in the treatment of
overhead, which is often calculated at average rather than
marginal cost. Attributing the average rate to new
expenditures overstates the true incremental cost of
regulatory compliance, since most support activities
represent largely fixed costs. Other common errors of this
type arise in the treatment of transfer payments like taxes,
and in the case of factors purchased in markets that are
less than competitive at prices higher than cost.
Despite committing substantial effort to this type of
analysis, it is also fundamentally difficult to articulate the
full array of economic benefits that result from preventing
and controlling pollution. In concept, the benefits of less
pollution can be defined as improvements in human health
and the environment, including reductions in damages to
plants, animals, materials, and other quality-of life
attributes. For example, to evaluate the benefits of
reaching an objective for decreased pollutant releases, one
must document a complex sequence of analytic steps to
arrive at an assessment of the impacts. Important
prerequisites to estimating benefits include a clear
scientific understanding of the linkage between an activity
or condition and its effects on human health and the
environment; scientifically based estimates of the
incremental effects of these linkages, such as dose-
response relationships, expressed in forms compatible with
economic analysis; and assessments of the value of such
effects. The assessments of risks from pollutants released
to the environment, the measurement of the consequences
to persons and natural life exposed to these pollutants, and
the quantification of the values associated with these
changes, are but some of the challenges facing EPA as we
attempt to quantify the benefits of taking action. The
analysis of benefits intends to cover the entire spectrum of
benefits, from those that can be assigned a dollar value to
those that can only be described qualitatively, and from
those that are direct and immediate to those that are remote
in distance or time. The bringing together of disparate
types and forms of information is among the most useful
features of performing cost-benefit analyses.
Consequently, the benefits and costs of the goals in
this Plan cannot, in most cases, be measured with
precision. Existing information on costs and benefits of
individual EPA regulations does not provide complete
coverage of all of the actions needed to achieve the goals
and objectives described in the Plan. Many of the costs
and benefits that may be associated with these goals either
are very difficult to quantify or cannot be represented in
monetary terms. It is difficult to quantify costs in any sort
of reliable way when the specifics of implementation
EPA Strategic Plan
Benefits and Costs
of EPA's Activities
69
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EPA Strategic Plan
Benefits and Costs
of EPA's Activities
technologies and the nature of implementing regulations
are unclear. Even when action options have been decided,
very large uncertainties in the estimates of both costs and
benefits remain.
Recognizing these limitations, the Agency examines to
the best of its ability the benefit and cost information as
individual regulatory options are developed, to inform
decisions about the creation of new initiatives or changes
in existing programs in the pursuit of its stated goals and
objectives. If the regulatory actions necessary to achieve
an objective cannot be justified, EPA will need to
reconsider that objective prior to establishing programs
and regulations. Over time, the particular objectives and
numeric targets will evolve as better information is
developed, allowing a more complete assessment of the
benefits and costs. The continuing process of information
collection and analysis will serve as the basis for refine-
ment of the goals and objectives.
Analyses by Goal
70
For each of the strategic goals where the Agency
anticipates significant impacts, we provide examples of the
types of EPA actions for which we expect significant
impacts. For each example, EPA has characterized the
costs and benefits as we know them today. In some cases,
we discuss significant rules that have already been
promulgated because their implementation is an important
component in achieving EPA's strategic goals and they
demonstrate EPA's commitment to performing benefit-cost
analysis.
Clean Air
The Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) estimates both
costs and benefits of regulations that are determined to be
economically significant under Executive Order 12866.
These analyses are prepared for the proposed rule and then
updated to reflect the requirements of the final rule.
Generally speaking, OAR evaluates three classes of
benefits: qualitative, quantitative and monetizable. In this
framework, OAR monetizes those benefits for which
sufficient information is available relating the pollutant
reductions resulting from an action to monetizable changes
in quality of life, presents information on quantifiable
changes in health or environmental values, and discusses
qualitatively those benefits OAR can neither quantify nor
monetize.
Monetizable benefits that OAR considers include
human health benefits, such as: reduced mortality and
morbidity from the inhalation of pollutants; reduced
cancer incidence rates; and reduced respiratory irritation
and disease. The benefits from these reduced health
effects arise from fewer deaths, lower hospital admissions,
improved worker productivity and attendance, and fewer
episodes of coughing and airway restrictions. OAR also
monetizes welfare benefits from improved crop yields;
reduced damage to grass, flowers, trees, shrubs, fruits, and
vegetables; reduced deposition of acidic elements into
water bodies, and improved visibility. When there is
insufficient information to place a monetary value on a
portion of the benefits, OAR provides a discussion of the
expected (quantified) reductions for these pollutants.
Qualitative discussions are presented for pollutants for
which OAR does not have enough scientific or economic
data to quantify, as well as some unquantified health
effects categories, or esthetic changes (e.g., odor, building
soiling and damage).
OARs estimates of compliance costs include capital
investment for the purchase of pollution control equipment
or to alter production processes, annual operation and
maintenance costs, monitoring and inspection costs, and
administrative costs (e.g., reporting and record keeping).
OAR also measures any savings in the cost of production
that may result from a regulation. Examples of cost
savings include reduced energy usage, the recovery of
usable product, and the reduced cost of raw materials used
in the production process. These cost estimates are used
together with other economic information to evaluate the
economic impacts that result from the imposition of
pollution control requirements on an industry or other
economic entities such as communities. Examples of
economic impact measures include changes in social
welfare, price or rate increases, decreases in production,
job losses, facility closures, firm failures, and specific
effects on small business.
The list below identifies the regulations that OAR is
developing, or will soon start to develop, that are likely to
be considered economically significant ~ that is, they
result in annual costs to affected parties of $100 million or
more or have other significant impacts. All of these
regulations have the potential to be assessed in terms of
the costs and benefits they create, with both aspects of the
analyses available for public review at proposal and
promulgation. The specific regulations that OAR has
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projected for possible development during the period
covered by this Strategic Plan include the following:
1. Review of National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS)
Under the requirements of the Clean Air Act to review
each NAAQS every 5 years, the following NAAQS
are targeted to be reviewed in the listed year to
determine whether they adequately protect human
health and the environment. This review involves
collecting and analyzing the most current studies on
the health and environmental effects of these
pollutants. As a result of this review, a decision is
made to revise or reaffirm the existing standard. If a
revision to the NAAQS is proposed, it has the
potential to be considered economically significant.
However, until the review is conducted and a
decision is made to revise or reaffirm, significance of
the estimates of costs and benefits is not known. The
standards that will be reviewed to determine if they
should be revised are for the Carbon Monoxide
(1999), S02 and N02 (2001), and Ozone and
Paniculate Matter (2002) Standards.
2. Iron and Steel Foundries Maximum Achievable
Control Technologies Standard
Development of a technology-based standard to
control air emissions from iron and steel foundries.
These foundries make metal castings by pouring
molten metal into a cavity. These castings are used
in virtually every industry. Because of the number
of facilities, this rule potentially could be
economically significant. This rule is scheduled for
promulgation by November 15,2000. Since this rule
is in the pre-regulation development phase (data
gathering phase), costs and benefits cannot yet be
calculated.
3. Miscellaneous Organic National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
Development of a technology based standard to
control air emissions from Miscellaneous Organic
Chemical Production Processes which consist of 21
source categories (e.g., Carbonyl Sulfide, Hydrazine,
Photographic and Rubber Chemicals, Paints and
Adhesives). Because of the number of source
categories and facilities, this rule could potentially
be economically significant. This rule is scheduled
for promulgation by November 15,2000. Since this
rule is in the pre-regulation development phase (data
gathering phase), costs and benefits cannot yet be
calculated.
4. Large Spark-Ignition Non-Road Engines
OAR currently has no regulations affecting spark-
ignition (SI) nonroad engines above 25 hp. OAR
plans to assess the need for emission standards and
the appropriate levels and implementation dates of
these standards. This evaluation will begin in
FY1998. Costs and benefits will be determined as
part of any rulemaking undertaken to promulgate
standards. At this time, OAR has no cost or benefit
figures because no decision has been made regarding
the need for or the stringency of standards for large
nonroad SI engines.
5. Tier HI Particulate Matter on Non-Road Diesel
Engines
OAR plans to evaluate the need for, and, if warranted,
promulgate more stringent particulate matter (PM)
standards for nonroad diesel engines. Information
gathering for the evaluation will take place
beginning next year and a final rule is expected in
2001. New standards will likely be made effective
concurrent with the planned Tier 3 emission
standards for other pollutants in 2006-2008. Costs
and benefits will be determined as part of the
rulemaking process in 2001. At this time, OAR has
no cost or benefit figures because no decision has
been made regarding the need for or the stringency
of Tier 3 PM standards.
In pursuing its environmental goals, OAR is
committed to using flexible implementation
approaches that will achieve needed pollution
reductions at the lowest possible cost. Such
approaches include use of emissions trading and
other market-based methods, incentives for new
pollution-control technology, and federal/state
partnerships that both help the states find cost-
effective solutions and give them the flexibility to
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design their own programs. These flexible
approaches will build on recent OAR market-based
successes such as the ground-breaking Acid Rain and
Stratospheric Ozone programs, as well as fruitful
partnerships such as the Ozone Transport
Assessment Group (OTAG) and the Grand Canyon
Visibility Transport Commission. Perhaps the most
far-reaching use of such flexible approaches is
planned for EPA's new air quality standards for
ozone and particulate matter, which will be
implemented with extensive use of both emissions
trading and federal/state partnerships to address the
long-standing problem of interstate pollution
transport.
Clean Water
The Office of Water (OW) estimates both costs and
benefits of regulations determined to be economically
significant regulations under E.G. 12866. These analyses
are prepared for the proposed rule and then updated to
reflect the requirements of the final rule. Generally
speaking, OW evaluates three classes of benefits -
qualitative, quantitative and monetizable. In this frame-
work, OW: monetizes those benefits for which sufficient
information is available relating the pollutant reductions
resulting from an action to monetizable changes in quality
of life; presents information on quantifiable changes in
health or ecological values; and discusses qualitatively
those benefits OW can neither quantify nor monetize
(e.g., the aesthetics of clean water).
Monetizable benefits that OW considers include
human health benefits offish and water consumption;
recreational benefits associated with boating, fishing, and
swimming; and values for people not directly using the
water (non-use or existence values). Quantifiable benefits
include measurable changes in plant and animal popula-
tions and species abundance. Qualitative benefits include
discussions of expected reductions in some health effects,
esthetic changes (odor, color) and changes in biotic
communities.
OWs estimates of compliance costs include both
capital investment and operation and maintenance costs.
OW also typically estimates the economic impacts that
result from the imposition of compliance costs on an
industry or set of entities, which may include facility
closures, firm failures, job losses and price or rate
increases. Specific examples of the benefit and cost
analyses that will be developed during the next few years
are presented below.
1. Disinfection By-Products, Stage I
This proposed rule addresses a subset of drinking
water by-products that are believed to cause long
term human health problems. When the rule was
proposed on July 29,1994, OW estimated the
compliance costs to be $1.04 billion. OWs estimate
of the benefits extends from a low range of
$359,000-$867,000 to a high range of
$3.59 billion-$8.67 billion. OW expects to finalize
this rule in November 1998.
2. Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment
Rule
This proposed rule addresses microbial risks to
drinking water system. This rule was proposed on
July 29,1994. At proposal, the rule's estimated costs
were $393 million. The estimated benefits range
from $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion. OW expects to
finalize this rule in November 1998.
3. Great Lakes Water Quality Guidance
This rule establishes numeric criteria for human health,
aquatic life and wildlife in the Great Lakes basin.
The final rule was issued on March 23,1995. The
guidance's estimated costs range between $60
million and $380 million. OW did not estimate total
benefits for this rule. However, OW conducted three
case studies to compare costs and benefits. For the
Fox River and Saginaw River case studies, benefits
exceeded costs. For the Black River case study,
costs were greater than benefits.
4. Metal Products and Machinery (MP&M)
Effluent Guidelines, Phase I
Proposed on March 29,1995, this rule addresses the
discharge of toxic pollutants to our Nation's surface
waters and to publicly owned treatment works. The
estimated costs are $160 million. The estimated
benefits for the MP&M rule range between $69.6
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million and $206.5 million. OW is planning to
combine Phase I and Phase II of this industry into
one rule, propose requirements for the combined
industry in October 2000 and issue the final rule in
December 2002.
Safe Food
EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) develops
few regulations that create economically significant
effects. The vast majority of OPP's regulatory actions deal
with registration of new pesticides and reregistration and
modified registrations of existing pesticides. Occasionally,
OPP will pursue suspensions or cancellation of currently
marketed pesticides.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA) is a risk/benefit balancing statute so costs of
compliance, risk reduction characterizations, and impacts
to users are considered for significant registration
decisions and rules. EPA evaluates the risks and benefits
in a public interest finding for conditional registration of
new active ingredients which would permit earlier use of
the products. Grower benefits also are considered for
emergency exemptions. OPP has recently pursued
activities to reduce costs for registrants of pesticides.
Registration process improvements have accelerated the
consideration of current field data, such as percent of crop
treated, application rates and methods, and pesticide
monitoring residue levels, before requesting expensive
studies.
Preventing Pollution and
Reducing Risk
The use of pollution prevention strategies to achieve
the goal of preventing pollution in communities, homes,
workplaces and ecosystems enables the efficient reduction
of pollution by allowing flexibility in choice of approach.
Moving away from command and control regulatory
approaches, pollution prevention strategies afford
companies the advantage of meeting pollution reduction
goals in ways that are most cost-effective and appropriate
to their individual situation, allowing them to remain
competitive in their industry. Capital investment in
pollution prevention technologies is potentially less costly
than mandated control technologies because industry can
choose the technology that best meets its needs both in
terms of pollution reduction and cost; unnecessary
regulations that are costly to industry and society are
avoided. State of the art technologies, such as "greener"
chemicals, expand choices available to users of these
chemicals allowing them to free up resources to maintain
a competitive edge both domestically and internationally.
Companies achieving their goals are likely to receive
positive public and industry recognition that can translate
into increased business.
By meeting pollution goals via pollution prevention,
risk management and remediation strategies, research and
innovation in more efficient and cost-saving technologies
and strategies are encouraged. New industry and
economic growth may be stimulated. International
competitiveness can be enhanced as companies redirect
resources away from inefficient uses.
By decreasing pollution in communities, homes,
workplaces, and ecosystems, society will benefit from
reduced exposures to toxic chemicals and thus, enhanced
human and environmental well-being. This translates into
decreased health care costs, such as for treatment of
childhood lead poisoning and asthma-related illnesses.
Addressing these health concerns may also contribute to
increases in worker productivity and reductions in worker
absenteeism that result from individual and family illness.
Safe handling and use of pesticides as well as the use
of genetically engineered organisms can protect the
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environment, for instance, avoiding contamination of
water and soil and loss of wildlife and recreational value
of the natural environment. Decreases in the amount and
toxicity of waste can offer similar benefits, as well as free
up resources spent in waste clean-up for use elsewhere.
Addressing the most toxic and/or persistent and
bioaccumulative chemicals of hazardous waste helps to
target only pollutants with the greatest contribution toward
risk, thus efficiently protecting human health and the
environment while freeing up resources (public and
private) to address other environmental problems.
The Groundwater State Management Plan (SMP) Rule
is an example of innovative environmental regulation.
This Rule is designed to protect groundwater from
contamination of pesticides at levels that pose unreason-
able risk to human health and the environment. This Rule
will delegate primary decision-making authority for
specific groundwater protection actions to the affected
states and EPA Regions. As such, the Rukper se does not
authorize any specific regulatory decisions and, therefore,
will not directly impose these costs. While this Rule has
considerable flexibility to allow states and Regions to
address local problems, EPA will provide the basic cost/
benefit parameters for states to apply to case specific
regulatory strategies.
The Agency's Regulatory Impact Assessment for the
proposed SMP rule estimated potential economic impacts
to agricultural users and consumers at approximately $250
million per year if states and Regions elect to impose
widespread pesticide use restrictions. The states and
Regions can determine an appropriate action based on the
available information about the costs and benefits
associated with alternative actions. We anticipate that the
expected benefits associated with any action taken will
outweigh the costs, and that this net benefit will also
compare favorably to those corresponding to alternative
actions. Because decisions are made on a case-by-case
basis, the Agency is unable to estimate what the costs and
benefits of these future decisions will be since it does not
know the scope and magnitude of present and future
groundwater contamination.
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Better Waste Management,
Restoration of Contami-
nated Waste Sites, and
Emergency Response
The Office of Emergency and Remedial Response
(OERR) is conducting analyses of environmental, health
and economic benefits arising from remediation of
hazardous waste sites under CERCLA (Superfund). Many
of the studies will be based on extensive data being
collected for the more than 430 National Priority List
(NPL) sites where construction has been completed.
Individual analyses will focus on the benefits of avoiding
chronic and acute human health problems; increases in
property values; redevelopment benefits (e.g., jobs,
income, taxes); and benefits to industry, small businesses;
and communities. Some of these analyses are already
underway. For the remainder of F Y1997, EPA will
continue to support interagency efforts to develop a new,
standard cost-reporting format, called the Work Break-
down Structure (WBS). Cost data recording using the
WBS format will be entered into the Historical Cost
Analysis System (HCAS) database. Both the WBS and
HCAS will help EPA assess Superfund cleanup costs and
improve future Superfund cleanup cost estimates. EPA
will set up a structure for this project and will evaluate
current data sources. Data collection is scheduled to
commence in FY1998. Data analysis is scheduled to
commence in the middle of FY 1998.
The Office of Solid Waste is conducting a comprehen-
sive assessment of the environmental, health, and human
welfare benefits deriving from implementation of
regulatory and non-regulatory programs under Subtitles C
and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA). The project will include review of benefits
assessments previously conducted for RCRA and other
environmental programs, identification and review of
methodologies for assessing benefits, evaluation of
advantages and disadvantages of these methodologies, and
implementation of the selected benefits assessment
methodology. The RCRA benefits project will be
conducted in phases, including planning, data collection,
data analysis, and publication of results. The planning
phase will result in a bibliographic list of relevant studies
and analyses, a literature review, alternative methodologies
for conducting the project, and a data collection plan. The
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planning phase will be completed by the end of September
1997. Specific outputs and schedules for the other phases
have not been finalized.
An example of a specific rule that the Agency plans to
promulgate to achieve its waste management goal is the
Corrective Action Rule for Solid Waste Management
Units. The rule would provide a broad procedural and
protectiveness framework for remediation at RCRA
treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. As the majority
of States are authorized for corrective action, the program
is predominantly implemented at the State level; this rule
would provide a Federal baseline with which State
programs must comply. The corrective action rule was
proposed in 1990, and is scheduled for promulgation in
late 1998.
The total costs for as many as 5,800 facilities requiring
corrective action are estimated at $16.7 billion or less than
$300,000 per facility. The Agency evaluated the costs for
three additional regulatory options (two options which are
less stringent than the proposed rule requirements, and one
which is more stringent). These options were designed to
cover a range of alternatives with estimated total costs
ranging from $9.1 billion to $57.3 billion. The Agency
also examined six types of benefits of the proposed
corrective action rule, including human health risk
reduction, averted water use costs, nonuse benefits, effects
of facilities on residential property values, and increases in
facility values. In addition, the Agency examined
ecological threats existing under baseline conditions.
While a host of issues surround these benefit measures and
how they compare with the compliance costs, the Agency
believes that benefits outweigh the costs, and thus intends
to move forward with a final rule. Prior to issuing a final
rule, the Agency plans to perform further analysis of the
social impacts.
The Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Preven-
tion Office (CEPPO) has prepared a comprehensive cost-
benefit analysis of the Accidental Release Prevention
Requirements rule for Risk Management Programs
(RMPs) under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1990. The analysis compares the costs of
alternative regulatory approaches with the benefits of
preventing accidental releases of hazardous substances.
CEPPO was able to reduce the initial cost burden imposed
by the proposed rule by 67 percent through streamlining,
building on existing regulatory requirements, and scaling
new requirements to the level of complexity and hazards.
The benefits include a reduction in damages or costs
associated with accidental releases of hazardous sub-
stances, including threats to human health (death or
injury), responses to these threats (evacuations, sheltering
in place), threats to the environment, and economic
damages (lost production, property damages, and
litigation). The analysis revealed that the benefits of
RMPs administered by CEPPO outweigh the costs
imposed by the rule.
Reduction of Global and
Cross-Border Environmen-
tal Risk
Many of the objectives spelled out under Goal #6
(specifically, preservation of health and the environment in
the Arctic, toxic risk reduction, marine pollution, cleaner
and more cost-effective environmental practices and
technologies, and some components of the U.S./Canada
program) fall below the $100 million economically
significant cost threshold. Listed below are several
international programs with significant effects that will be
pursued by EPA during the next several years.
1. U.S./Mexico Border
Given the non-regulatory nature of EPA's work along
the U.S./Mexico border, the Agency has not
conducted any supporting benefit-cost analysis.
However, during the NAFTA negotiations in 1993,
various governmental and non-governmental
organizations estimated the total costs for
environmental infrastructure needs (including
drinking water systems, wastewater collection and
treatment, and solid waste disposal) at $6 to $8
billion over the ten-year period (1993-2003). These
investments will help address the critical need to
provide safe drinking water, acceptable treatment
and disposal of sewage, and adequate solid waste
practices in the Border region.
2.U.S./Canada
The total cost of EPA's Acid Deposition Control
Program under Title IV of the Clean Air Act is
estimated at $2.4 billion per year beginning with full
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implementation in the year 2010. An EPA study
issued in November 1995, Human Health Benefits
From Sulfate Reductions Under Title W of the 1990
Clean Air Act Amendments, estimates the total
annual value of the health benefits in the United
States (in 1994 dollars) resulting from Title IV's
sulfate reductions. The study estimates the value to
be between $3 billion and $11 billion in 1997, and
between $12 billion and $40 billion by 2010.
3. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
The phaseout of ozone-depleting substances under the
Montreal Protocol (and associated regulations
implemented by EPA under the Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1990) was designed to occur over
many years, beginning in 1989 and resulting in the
elimination of production and import of many ozone-
depleting substances by January 1,1996. The long-
term economic benefits to the United States of
preventing deaths from skin cancer and avoiding
other health and environmental damage by phasing
out the production and import of ozone-depleting
substances are estimated to be dramatically signifi-
cant over the time period 1989 to 2075 compared
with costs of the program.
Expansion of Americans'
Right to Know About Their
Environment
EPA has placed increased emphasis on enhancing
Americans' right to know about information concerning
our food, drinking water, air, homes and communities.
Improving the access to and quality of environmental
information allows the public, government agencies, and
industry, to make more efficient decisions. EPA is
committed to developing and making easily available
environmental and public health information throughout
its programs. With exception of the Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI), the Agency expects few right-to-know
initiatives to impose significant costs on the public.
The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), created by
Congress under the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986, is the cornerstone
of EPA's right to-know efforts. TRI requires manufacturers
to report air, water, and land releases of more than 600
designated toxic chemicals to EPA each year. Manufactur-
ing facilities are also required to report on shipments of
waste off-site for treatment or disposal, as well as on their
pollution prevention activities, on-site waste treatment,
and chemical recycling. With TRI data, concerned
citizens, local communities, and government can work
with local industrial facilities to better understand toxic
chemical release, to reduce those releases, and to improve
chemical storage and handling practices.
TRI data has helped companies interested in reducing
their releases to adopt pollution prevention strategies,
including redesigning production processes to improve
efficiencies and create less waste. Among the industrial
sectors that have achieved the greatest reductions in TRI
chemical releases between 1988 and 1993 are the chemical
industry, with reductions of more than one billion pounds,
or 44 percent; the electrical utility industry which reported
reductions of 86 million pounds, or 69 percent; and the
primary metals manufacturing industry, whose total
releases fell by 237 million pounds, or 42 percent between
1988 and 1993. In 1997, the Agency greatly enhances the
level of TRI information available to society by expanded
TRI reporting to additional industries. The result will be
an additional 42,500 reports from 6,600 facilities every
year.
More than 90,000 TRI reports are submitted each year
by more than 25,000 facilities. TRI compliance costs
industry $352 million each year for completing and
submitting reports for the more than 600 chemicals on the
TRI. EPA recently implemented changes to the program
which resulted in annual savings of approximately $38
million (including savings to EPA of $2.2 million in
administration costs). EPA spends $13.6 million each year
to administer the TRI. The recent expansion to additional
industrial sectors is estimated to cost $226 million in the
first year, dropping to $143 million per year thereafter.
Because TRI ~ with its emphasis on the power of
information instead of command and control regulation --
has proven to be a successful tool, EPA is applying the
right-to-know concept in other areas. In 1997 EPA
launched the Center for Environmental Information and
Statistics (CEIS) to provide the public with easy access to
understandable information on drinking water quality, air
quality, beach contamination and other environmental
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conditions. A key component of CEIS is to integrate the
Agency's existing environmental data, increasing their
efficiency and utility to the public, as well as to the
Agency and other governmental entities.
Another component of EPA's right-to-know strategy is
the Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking (EMPACT) initiative. Collaborating
with other federal agencies, EMPACT will improve data
collection and integration and foster the development of
more effective environmental monitoring technologies.
EMPACT is a community-based right-to-know effort that
will target real-time, automated environmental information
delivery to at least the 75 largest metropolitan areas in the
country.
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EPA Strategic Plan
New Ways of Achieving
Our Overall Mission:
Key Cross-Agency
Programs
Although EPA and its partners
have made substantial
progress towards clean air, water,
land and food, there are many human
health and environmental challenges
that cannot be met with traditional
media-specific "command and
control" approaches.
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EPA Strategic Plan
New Ways of Achieving Our Overall
Mission: Key Cross-Agency Programs
Although EPA and its partners have made substantial progress towards clean air, water, land and
food, there are many human health and environmental challenges that cannot be met with tradi-
tional media-specific "command and control" approaches. For example, it has been demonstrated
that children, American Indians, and minority and low income individuals suffer disproportionately
from adverse health effects caused by some environmental conditions. Likewise, not all areas of
the country have the same environmental problems or need the same kind of solutions. To address
these specific needs as we move forward over the next five years, the Agency has created a number
of innovative multimedia programs that rely on the active participation of the affected communities
to reduce specific human health and environmental risks in the most effective manner. Similarly,
improved customer service has been targeted as an important program that integrates all of our
efforts under each of the 10 goals to satisfy our customers and stakeholders.
Specific human health, environmental and customer
service commitments for these programs are identified
within the objectives or activities under each of the 10
Agency Goals. However, because these cross-Agency
programs are critical to achieving our mission, we have
chosen to highlight and describe them in this chapter.
The key cross-agency programs covered in this
section are:
• Health Risks to Children
• National Environmental Performance
Partnership System
• Community-Based Environmental Protection
• Indian Programs
• Customer Service
• Environmental Justice
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HEALTH RISKS TO CHILDREN
The Children's Health Protection
Program and Its Goal
Administrator Browner announced EPA's National
Agenda to Protect Children's Health from Environmental
Threats in September 1996, and established a new Office
of Children's Health Protection (OCHP). The purpose of
EPA's new office is to make the protection of children's
health a fundamental goal of public health and environ-
mental protection in the U.S.
Why Protecting Children's Health is
Important
Children today face significant and unique health
threats from a range of environmental hazards. They are
often more heavily exposed and more vulnerable than
adults to toxins in the environment. This includes risks
from asthma-exacerbating air pollution, lead-based paint
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in older homes, treatment-resistant microbes in drinking
water, and persistent chemicals that may cause cancer or
induce reproductive or developmental changes. Children's
developing immune and nervous systems can be highly
vulnerable to disruption by toxins in the environment, and
the consequences may be lifelong.
What Will Be Accomplished
The Agency will work with our partners, especially
those in the Department of Health and Human Services, to
ensure that children receive the protection they need and
deserve, and to help our nation fulfill its obligation to
protect future generations. EPA will:
• Ensure that EPA health standards are protective of
children, beginning with a review of five of the most
significant current EPA standards, and subsequently
establishing procedures for review of new standards
as they are developed.
• Coordinate children's health issues across the
Agency by establishing a new EPA Board on
Children's Environmental Health that will assure
integration of EPA activities affecting children, and
by working with the Agency's Science Policy
Council, Regulatory Policy Council, and program
and regional offices to coordinate regulatory and
other actions that affect children's health.
• Conduct research needed to establish new policies
on children's susceptibility and exposure to
pollutants to ensure that EPA uses the best
information in developing protective measures for
children. EPA researchers will work with other
federal agencies and academic institutions to identify
and expand research on children's health. EPA will
develop new, comprehensive policies that address
children's cumulative and simultaneous exposures to
environmental health threats, and will develop a
research agenda on children's environmental health
issues.
• Expand EPA's "Community Right-to-Know" and
environmental education activities to better cover
children's health issues. EPA will carry out a
"Family Right-to-Know Initiative" to expand access
to vital information about environmental pollution
and children's health, so that families can make
informed choices concerning their children's
exposure to environmental risks.
• Implement the President's 1997 Executive Order to
Protect Children from Environmental Health and
Safety Threats. EPA will ensure that new policies,
programs, activities, or standards address the unique
risks to children presented by environmental health
or safety threats.
• Ensure the implementation of the 1997 Declaration
on Children's Environmental Health. This
Declaration, agreed to by the environment ministers
from the G-7 countries and Russia, makes the
protection of children's environmental health a high
environmental priority within each participating
nation.
How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA will promote children's health protection in the
following ways:
• Conduct a review of existing standards as candidates
for revision in order to identify at least five standards
to better address children's health issues.
• Improve the regulatory system by making
consideration of children's health protection an
intrinsic part of the process of developing
regulations.
• Provide input on research budgets, ensure
independent peer review of cross-Agency science
agendas, and improve linkages between basic
research and public health and environmental
policies that affect children.
• Serve as an advocate for children's risk issues.
• Identify and expand scientific research on child-
specific susceptibility and exposure to environmental
pollutants so that the best information can be
employed in developing protections for children.
• Provide parents, teachers, and environmental and
health professionals with information so they can
take individual responsibility for protecting their
children from environmental health threats in their
homes, schools, and communities.
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• Encourage and assist program and regional offices in
forging links with external partners and communities
on children's environmental health policy issues.
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP
SYSTEM (NEPPS)
NEPPS and Its Goal
Most of the nation's environmental laws envision a
strong role for state governments in implementing and
managing environmental programs. As state environmen-
tal authority and management capacity have grown over
the past two decades, EPA has delegated primary
responsibility to states for implementation of many day-to-
day environmental program activities such as issuing
permits, conducting compliance and enforcement
programs, and monitoring environmental conditions.
Direct administration of environmental programs by states,
with EPA oversight to ensure compliance with federal
statutes and achievement of national objectives, has
brought about significant environmental improvement
throughout the country. In short, state performance is
fundamental to the achievement of EPA's goals and
objectives.
Why NEPPS is Important
During the past two decades, environmental and
human health protection programs have grown in size,
scope, and complexity. Many environmental problems
transcend media boundaries, and solutions may require
innovative, cross-media approaches. However, traditional
media-specific grants for air, water, hazardous waste, and
other pollution control activities provide limited flexibility
for states to try integrated approaches. Meanwhile, some
EPA oversight practices resulted in duplication of effort,
burdensome reporting, and unproductive relationships.
EPA and states came to recognize that existing arrange-
ments for implementing environmental programs were not
as efficient and effective as they could be.
It is within this context that EPA and state officials
began a collective effort to reinvent the EPA-state working
relationship. After two years of collaboration, EPA and
state leaders reached an important milestone in May 1995,
when they agreed to establish the National Environmental
Performance Partnership System (NEPPS). Many of the
concepts embodied in performance partnerships that had
been discussed for years-such as giving states a stronger
role in priority setting, focusing scarce resources on the
highest priorities, and tailoring the amount and type of
EPA oversight to an individual state's performance-were
pulled together into a workable, understandable frame-
work. Implementation of performance partnerships began
in FY1997 after an initial pilot year.
The President's "performance partnership" reinvention
initiative, announced in February 1995, provides for
increased flexibility in how a program is run in exchange
for increased accountability for results. In accord with this
initiative, EPA has a new performance partnership grant
authority that is a critical tool for implementation of the
new approach to EPA-state relations. Under this authority,
states can now combine funds from multiple EPA grants to
address their highest environmental priorities across all
media; link program activities more effectively with
environmental goals and program outcomes; and carry out
innovative pollution prevention, cross media, ecosystem,
and community-based strategies.
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What Will Be Accomplished
The objectives of the National Environmental
Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) are to:
• Target activities where they are likely to achieve the
greatest environmental and human health benefits,
based on an assessment of environmental conditions
and needs.
• Change the way we evaluate environmental and
human health programs by increasing the use of
actual measures of environmental and health
conditions, achieving a better balance with traditional
program activity measures.
• Expand the number and type of protection strategies
available to include more integrated and flexible
approaches such as pollution prevention, ecosystem
management, and cross media permitting and
compliance assurance.
• Promote greater collaboration in solving environmen-
tal problems whereby states and EPA work together
more effectively, taking advantage of the relative
strengths of each partner.
• Tailor the amount and type of EPA oversight to the
strengths and needs of individual states, with less
EPA engagement in more experienced states and
more involvement in states with developing
programs.
• Understand the results of protection efforts, inform
the public about environmental and human health
conditions and the strategies for resolving remaining
problems, and foster public involvement.
How This Will Be Accomplished
EPA will, in collaboration with the States:
• Develop policies, guidance documents, and training
materials as needed to enhance EPA and state
capacity to implement elements of the performance
partnership system.
• Negotiate performance partnership agreements with
states that define the roles and responsibilities of both
EPA and states.
• Award performance partnership grants to interested
states, providing for flexibility in how environmental
programs are carried out with increased accountabil-
ity for results.
• Continue to refine and use improved measures of
environmental and program performance and strive to
reduce the state reporting burden.
• Foster EPA and state efforts to make environmental
and human health information more available and
understandable to the public.
• Evaluate and report nationally on progress in meeting
the goals and objectives of performance partnerships.
COMMUNITY-BASED
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Summary of the Community-Based
Environmental Protection Program
and Its Goal
Community-based environmental protection (CBEP) is
a main tenet of the Agency's strategy for "reinventing" its
approach to environmental protection by considering
environmental problems across organizational and
legislative boundaries. CBEP is a multimedia approach
(sometimes called a "place-based" or ecosystem approach)
that helps communities identify environmental problems,
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set priorities, and forge solutions through an open,
inclusive process. It integrates environmental protection
with human needs, considers long-term ecosystem health,
and fosters linkages between economic prosperity and
environmental well-being. It encourages communities to
create their vision of environmental health and quality of
life and to stimulate human activity compatible with that
vision.
CBEP has been implemented in varying ways in
different places, but it usually includes the following:
identifying the geographic area that is the focus of
environmental protection efforts (commonly using natural
boundaries or ecological features); involving diverse
stakeholders in developing a vision, goals, priorities, and
strategies; assessing the local ecological, human health,
economic, and socio-cultural aspects of the community
that relate to the environment; developing a plan to
improve these conditions in a sustainable manner; and
taking actions to address the place based problems and
goals. These actions include a wide array of voluntary,
technical, educational, and regulatory activities. CBEP
also incorporates monitoring conditions, evaluating
results, and redirecting efforts through adaptive manage-
ment.
The overall goal of CBEP is to protect, restore, and
sustain the quality of the nation's land, air, water, and
living resources-in each place as a whole-in ways that
help ensure long-term social, economic, ecological, and
human health benefits for ourselves and future genera-
tions.
Why CBEP is Important
In the quarter-century since EPA was established, the
U.S. has achieved remarkable improvements in environ-
mental quality as a result of federal, state, tribal, and local
actions to reduce the level of pollutants in the nation's air,
water, and on land. However, these pollutants continue to
threaten public health and the environment, and the causes
of environmental pollution and ecological degradation
today are different from earlier decades--as is the social,
political, and economic context in which they occur. These
changes require new and innovative solutions to environ-
mental problems.
Today, environmental protection focuses on nonpoint
source water pollution, region-wide air pollution,
restoration and redevelopment of hazardous waste sites,
urban sprawl, habitat loss, biological diversity, global
climate change, and the exchange of pollutants among air,
land, and water. Traditional, media-specific "command-
and-control" approaches alone will not solve these
intractable problems. Government agencies and the public
increasingly recognize that all resources in a particular
place-air, water, land, and living resources-are intercon-
nected parts of a single system that need to be addressed as
a whole at the local level. Not all areas of the country have
the same problems or need the same kind of solutions.
Effective solutions to environmental problems require the
involvement of members of the community to develop the
goals and monitor progress toward improving the quality
of their lives and environment. Past experiences that
demonstrate the success of place- or community-based
environmental protection include Congressionally
mandated programs (National Estuary Program, Great
Lakes, Clean Lakes, Chesapeake Bay) and EPA initiatives
and approaches (Regional Geographic Initiative, water-
shed approach).
What Will Be Accomplished
Through CBEP, communities will be empowered to
address their environmental, economic, and social needs
using effective partnerships, improved communication,
and greater access to high quality data, information, and
tools. EPA objectives for CBEP include:
• Identifying and reducing environmental stressors
that affect human health and quality of life.
• Preventing fragmentation and degradation of habitat
and restoring its quality.
• Sustaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystem
processes at a regional scale.
• Maintaining vibrant, livable, and economically
diverse human communities.
• Incorporating community and stakeholder goals and
values in the design and implementation of
environmental protection initiatives (especially in
disproportionately impacted and disadvantaged
communities).
• Increasing the number of communities achieving
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tangible environmental outcomes through the CBEP
approach.
• Incorporating CBEP goals, objectives, principles,
strategies, and performance measures into all EPA,
state, and tribal policies and program activities.
How It Will Be Accomplished
EPA will promote its CBEP approach through three
principal strategies:
(1) Reorienting and Building the Capacity of EPA
Programs for CBEP. EPA will implement policy and
rule revisions, establish education and training
programs, identify and leverage resources, and use
other appropriate measures to integrate the principles
of CBEP into all Agency programs.
(2) Building External Capacity. EPA will improve
community and public access to environmental,
economic, and societal data, information, tools, and
training for CBEP. In addition, EPA grants will
serve as a catalyst for state, tribal, and local CBEP
efforts.
(3) Working in Priority Places. EPA will be
involved directly with stakeholders through the
community-based approach in high-priority
locations.
In taking a CBEP approach, EPA will improve the
effectiveness of our environmental programs and regula-
tions. Community-based environmental protection will be
implemented through the following actions:
• Integrating geographically the delivery of our
services and programs, such as issuing permits and
integrating program-specific data.
• Looking beyond our current statutory authorities and
programs to address problems that cannot be solved
by our traditional regulatory approach.
• Creating the flexibility to respond to the needs of
diverse ecosystems and human communities and
help communities reach informed decisions.
• Assessing and managing aggregate data on the
quality of air, water, land, and living resources in a
locality.
• Ensuring that our programs and activities promote
sustainable human, economic, and ecological
communities.
• Increasing our efficiency and effectiveness by
building partnerships with other federal, state, tribal,
and local government agencies; leveraging
resources; and developing better ways of informing,
assisting and involving the public we serve.
INDIAN PROGRAM
The EPA Indian Program and its Goal
The EPA Indian Program involves significant cross-
Agency and multimedia activities designed to ensure that
EPA's Trust responsibility to federally-recognized tribes is
carried out by assuring the protection of human health,
and the tribal homeland environment, in a manner
consistent with a government-to-government relationship
and conservation of cultural uses of natural resources.
Importance Of The Indian Program
The responsibilities of the Indian program include
protecting the health of the millions of Indians and non-
Indians residing within Indian Country borders, addressing
the environmental needs of 562 tribal nations, and
safeguarding the natural environment-air, water, and
land~of Indian Country. The responsibility held by EPA is
critical. American Indians have the worst health statistics
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in the country and, overall, environmental conditions of
tribal homelands are substandard. Environmental
mitigation in tribal communities is significantly behind
that of non-tribal communities. It is imperative that EPA
enhance its partnership with the tribes and work with
tribes to identify and achieve environmental goals.
What Will Be Accomplished
Key objectives within this process are:
• Achieve adequate environmental infrastructure
within tribal homelands throughout the country.
• Complete the Tribal/EPA Environmental
Agreements. These agreements contain the tribal
environment baseline assessment, tribal
environmental priorities identified by the tribal
government, and EPA's and tribes' commitments to
achieve these priorities.
• Implement fully the 1984 EPA Indian Policy
Statement.
• Increase significantly the number of tribes
implementing environmental programs.
• Implement environmental programs (federal or
tribal) within tribal homelands that meet needs
established by tribal environmental baseline
assessments.
• Build capacity and adequate internal mechanisms to
help tribes implement environmental programs and,
in the absence of tribal implementation, establish
means for EPA implementation.
• Establish a mechanism, in partnership with tribal and
state governments, to resolve transboundary issues.
How It Will Be Accomplished
These objectives can be met through a combination of:
• Increased tribal capacity-building efforts.
• Greater implementation of environmental programs
within tribal homelands.
• Expanded education for EPA employees regarding
tribal environmental issues.
• Increased technical assistance and training for tribal
environmental program managers.
• Continued cross-Agency, multimedia coordination of
Indian program activities by the American Indian
Environmental Office.
Improved coordination with tribes to achieve
environmental goals and priorities identified by
tribal governments in the Tribal/EPA Environmental
Agreements.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
EnvironmentalJustice and Its Goal
Although EPA has made significant progress in
achieving healthier, sustainable environments, we
recognize that environmental programs during the past two
decades may not always have benefitted all communities
or all populations within a community equally. Many
minority, low income, and Native American communities
have raised concerns that they suffer a disproportionate
burden of health consequences due to the siting of multiple
pollution sources in their communities. Environmental
programs do not adequately address these disproportionate
exposures to pesticides, lead or other toxic chemicals at
home and on the job. In addition, these communities seem
to lack adequate knowledge and representation in public
policy and environmental decision-making processes. The
goals of the environmental justice program are to ensure
that all people, regardless of race or income, are protected
from disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards
and that the most affected communities have adequate
opportunities to participate in environmental processes.
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The Importance of Environmental Justice
In 1994, President Clinton issued Executive Order
12898, which required "each Federal Agency to make
achieving environmental justice part of its mission by
identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportion-
ately high and adverse human health and environmental
effects of its programs, policies and activities on minority
populations and low-income populations." EPA was
designated as the lead agency accomplishing this.
What Will Be Accomplished
To meet our environmental justice objectives, EPA will:
• Ensure that communities most disproportionately
impacted by toxic releases and hazards receive fair
and equal protection under environmental laws.
• Encourage citizens in adversely impacted
communities to become fully engaged in
environmental decisions affecting them.
• Achieve source reductions in high risk communities.
How it Will be Accomplished
EPA over the next five years will:
• Develop and enhance existing tools to identify
communities most disproportionately impacted by
toxic releases and hazards.
Reduce toxic releases and hazards by eliminating
sources of pollution and targeting specific activities
to reduce toxic exposure, increase enforcement, and
cleanup high risk communities.
Enhance community participation in environmental
programs by increasing education, technical, and
financial assistance to high risk communities and
assessing the effectiveness of communication and
participation strategies.
Evaluate the effectiveness of communities in
identifying local environmental issues and
participating in the decisions affecting them.
Continue collaboration and coordination between
EPA and other federal agencies, and expand
partnership opportunities for addressing
environmental justice issues.
Integrate environmental justice issues into program
operations, Regional Memoranda of Agreement, and
State Performance Partnership Agreements.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM
The Customer Service Program and its Goal
EPA seeks ways to provide better customer service as
defined by Executive Order 12862, "Setting Customer
Service Standards," signed by President Clinton in 1993.
EPA's Customer Service Program (CSP) was created to
improve the Agency's ability to achieve its mission of
protecting human health and the environment by serving
the public, industry, state and local agencies, and other
customers more efficiently and effectively.
To achieve this goal, the Agency has developed
"Rules of Customer Service" that address professionalism,
telephone and correspondence response, public involve-
ment, and dealing with partners in service delivery.
Customer service standards also are provided to guide
activities associated with permitting, rulemaking,
enforcement and compliance assistance, partnership
programs, public access, research grants, state/tribal and
local grants, and pesticides registration. By 2003, all EPA
staff will receive needed training and will have achieved
the customer service standards that apply to their work.
Importance of Improving Customer Service
Implementing the CSP will establish stronger
connections between our employees and their customers,
encourage input on what our customers need and value,
and improve how we do our work. Listening to customers'
needs and opinions will shift our focus to products and
services, their outcomes and value to the public, and the
quality and value we provide. Over time, shifting to a
customer focus will help us reduce dissatisfaction with
government and improve efficiency. In essence, good
customer service is important because it promotes
activities that create efficiency in meeting environmental
goals and establishes a culture that not only builds public
trust, but also verifies the reasons we are here.
As EPA becomes more focused on customers, we will
seek ways to improve staff skills, promote better use of
program evaluation and measurement tools, and recognize
opportunities to learn from our partners and customers.
With customers as our focus, EPA can improve communi-
cation and information systems, and train staff to be fully
responsive to customer needs. As we improve relationships
with our regulatory partners, the public, industry, and
others, EPA can expect to reduce complaints, increase trust
in the Agency, and improve staff morale.
What Will Be Accomplished
The customer service strategy is centered upon five
objectives:
• Helping all EPA employees understand the
importance and substantial benefits of improving
service to the public.
• Providing employees with goals and guidelines for
improvement and involving them in eliminating
barriers to achieving standards.
• Training to build capacity, achieve the standards, and
apply effective customer-service skills.
• Developing measurement and tracking systems to
document improvements in service.
• Learning how to increase satisfaction with our
services and our treatment of customers.
How It Will Be Accomplished
To achieve these five objectives, EPA will disseminate
information about the standards, their potential impact,
and the importance of their implementation. Cross-Agency
groups of employees who deal with the public will identify
problems and solutions as we implement the new
standards. A customer service suggestion e-mail box has
been established, and a customer service skills training
program is planned. Customer satisfaction surveys will be
used to obtain feedback, and their results will be shared
widely with employees so they can better meet customer
needs. Through a network of other federal agencies and
outstanding customer service organizations in the private
sector, EPA will identify, adopt, and adapt "best practices"
to our own processes.
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Assessing Our Results
This chapter addresses the
final element of EPA's plan-
ning, budgeting, analysis, and ac-
countability process: our approach
to evaluating and reporting progress
towards goals and objectives. The
accountability process will support
Agency managers, the Administra-
tion, Congress, and the public in
assessing our results and making
informed decisions about the direc-
tion of the Agency's work.
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EPA Strategic Plan
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This chapter addresses the final element of EPA's planning, budgeting, analysis, and
accountability process: the Agency's approach to evaluating and reporting progress
towards goals and objectives. The accountability process will support Agency managers,
the Administration, Congress, and the public in assessing program results and making
informed decisions about the direction of the Agency's work. Sections of this chapter
describe how EPA and its partners will: (1) document progress in terms of annual
accomplishments and longer-term environmental results; (2) conduct program evalua-
tions; (3) and communicate information to the public about the state of the environment.
The Agency is committed to accomplishing these objectives while reducing reporting
burdens on industry and the public.
An effective accountability process not only provides
feedback on the success of specific programs, but also
introduces a higher level of integrity into planning and
budgeting by holding managers responsible for perfor-
mance. By analyzing actual performance and costs, the
Agency can make better estimates so that planning and
budgeting become more accurate and reliable. Using a
business analogy, the accountability process provides a
way for decision makers to determine return on public
investments and weigh investment options.
The accountability process will involve annual
program performance reports, longer-term assessments of
progress towards strategic objectives, and program
evaluations. Annual reports will track whether activities
and short-term accomplishments take place as planned,
documenting financial investments and results data in one
report. The annual performance goals in the annual report
specify how our longer-term objectives are expressed in
the day-to-day activities of our programs. Annual
performance goals are expressed in terms that allow
comparisons between planned and actual performance.
Over time, we will assess how much cleaner the air, water,
and land are becoming, and how much risks to human
health and ecosystems are being reduced. Program
evaluations will provide a detailed examination of
relationships between activities and results for a given
program. This will help EPA to document strategies that
have worked well or, if timely progress is not being made,
to analyze what is not occurring as expected and decide
how we may need to change strategies.
What Will Be Accomplished
EPA will implement a prototype of an integrated
planning, budgeting, analysis, and accountability system
in FY1999. The Agency will produce Us initial perfor-
mance report in March 2000.
Strategies for Meeting the Above Accomplishment
• We will work with internal and external stakeholders
to design the accountability system.
• The design will identify/incorporate linkages to
other Agency accountability efforts.
• We will rely, as much as possible, on existing sources
of environmental data and determine whether the
data are adequate to evaluate program effectiveness.
• In evaluating programs, we will explore ways to
incorporate risk reduction and consideration of costs
into setting Agency priorities.
• We will continuously foster development of outcome
oriented performance measures.
• EPA will include external assessments of Agency
efforts to better inform our self-evaluations.
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Performance Measures
The key to EPA's accountability system will be
developing sound performance measures: results or
activities we will track to determine whether we are
making timely progress towards our objectives. The
objectives vary in the types of outcomes they address.
Most focus on environmental results, but some address
activities and services, such as improving cost effective-
ness and customer focus in providing assistance or
information to the public, states, tribes, and local govern-
ments. A critical step will be to develop practical
performance measures for all our strategic objectives.
There will be trade-offs in selecting the most cost-
effective measures; for example, in obtaining accurate
information on environmental results while avoiding
unreasonable reporting burdens for states or regulated
entities. In recent years, we have invested in better
systems for collecting and analyzing environmental data,
and more work is planned to provide the data needed to
assess performance as required by GPRA.
Need for Performance Measures Along
Continuum from Activities to Results
EPA and its partners will need various types of
measures, ranging from tabulations of annual activities to
reports on environmental quality and health and ecological
effects. Environmental performance measures are often
described as being arrayed along a "continuum," from
activity measures at one extreme to ultimate health and
ecological effects at the other. The less expensive
measures typically are activity measures and less direct
environmental indicators. The most direct indicators reveal
more about environmental results, but can be expensive
and technically difficult to collect.
Terminology for Performance Measures
Measures of actions taken by EPA are referred to here
as "activity measures," which correspond to "output"
measures as defined in GPRA. Actions taken by others in
response to EPA's activities are one type of "outcome" as
defined in GPRA, and impacts on environmental quality,
human health, and ecosystems are another type of
"outcome." EPA and state environmental agencies
distinguish the two: activities of other entities in response
to EPA are "program outcomes," while measures of
changes in environmental conditions are "environmental
indicators." Environmental indicators can be further
categorized into less direct indicators—air, water, or
terrestrial pollutant levels—and more direct indicators,
such as human health effects or conditions of plant and
animal life.
Developing Better Performance Measures
In general, we will be able to report immediately on
the activities accomplished to support our objectives.
Initially, we will be unable to report "outcome" measures
for all objectives. For some objectives with environmental
outcomes, this will require advances in environmental
monitoring or data analysis. EPA, the states, other federal
agencies, and academia have made significant efforts
recently to catalog existing environmental data and fill
data gaps to improve the national information base on
environmental quality and impacts on health and ecosys-
tems. This is a continuing process, and we will draw on
the best measures available at the time.
To meet the obligation under GPRA, EPA is involved
in ongoing efforts to develop information necessary to
accurately evaluate Agency progress in achieving each of
its strategic goals and objectives. The Agency is evaluating
information resources relative to information needs and
priorities at the national, regional, state, and community
levels. Activities in this area include developing descrip-
tive profiles and conducting peer reviewed statistical
assessments of twenty-five national environmental
databases maintained by EPA; developing an Agency-wide
monitoring strategy to link future environmental monitor-
ing with the Agency's strategic goals and objectives; and
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identifying, evaluating and implementing the most
promising advanced environmental monitoring and
information communication technologies.
Data gaps and data quality issues related to perfor-
mance measures are being identified to guide federal,
state, industry, academic and community investments in
improving information. For example, the Executive
Steering Committee for Information Resources Manage-
ment has allocated funds for specific projects targeted at
filling data gaps in program offices' abilities to report on
"environmental results." Some individual program offices
are investing in initiatives to improve collection and
availability of environmental data.
EPA and its partners also need to develop further
performance measures for objectives that lack direct
environmental results. For such objectives, we will
develop measures reflecting the important results or
outcomes that are to be accomplished. These may address
a wide range of factors, such as creating specified,
quantifiable products, measures of customer satisfaction,
quality of services provided, or timeliness of processes
performed for customers, partners and the public.
Through the Agency's Planning, Budgeting, Analysis
and Accountability process, the Agency will work with its
partners to continuously evaluate the availability and
quality of data to track progress in achieving EPA's
strategic goals and objectives. The Planning, Budgeting,
Analysis and Accountability process will enable the
Agency to assess the practicality and feasibility of
collecting environmental data for strategic performance
evaluation and make appropriate adjustments in monitor-
ing and reporting strategies and performance goals.
Performance Measures Developed Jointly
with the States/Tribes
EPA's national program priorities are reflected in the
Headquarters/Regional memoranda of agreement (MOA).
The MOAs contain commitments negotiated between
headquarters and the regions, thereby establishing the
scope of activities to be carried out. The regions, in turn,
use the national priorities to align their negotiations with
the states. As indicated earlier, state governments have
primary responsibility for implementing most environmen-
tal programs. While some EPA responsibilities, such as
preparing regulations and providing technical support,
require work not directly linked to state activities, our
success in meeting our objectives will depend largely on
programs carried out by the states, tribes, and other
partners in environmental protection.
To provide a common basis for tracking progress and
establishing commitments between the states and EPA, the
Agency joined forces with the Environmental Council of
the States (ECOS) to establish the National Environmental
Performance Partnership System (NEPPS). Under this
system, EPA and the states negotiate overall goals and
objectives to include identifying "core performance
measures." These agreements will communicate the
primary activity outputs, programmatic outcomes, and
environmental outcomes expected from work under
authorities delegated to the states by EPA. In addition,
other state organizations will work with EPA to develop
performance measures. Over time, as some environmental
data become more widely available, EPA will continue
efforts to decrease reporting on activities, and to increase
the focus on environmental results. We expect "core
measures" to be included in most state/EPA work plans
and related agreements, unless special circumstances
dictate otherwise. The Agency is also working to enhance
partnerships with the tribes to address specific environ-
mental and human health goals, objectives, and perfor-
mance measures.
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Reviews of Progress Towards Strategic
Goals and Objectives
Annual Performance Reports
To support the accountability process, a variety of
reports will provide performance and cost information to
Agency managers, the Office of Management and Budget,
Congress, and the public. The first will be the annual
performance progress report for FY1999. EPA will issue
this initial report no later than March 31,2000. It will
document performance accomplishments compared to
annual "performance goals" established in the Annual
Performance Plan. The annual performance goals will be
target levels for key performance measures that represent
progress towards each strategic objective, resulting from
investments made in FY 1999. The report will identify
any cases where annual performance goals have not been
met and explain the reasons why they have not been met.
For example, performance goals may not have been
reached due to unforeseen external events, or because
incorrect assumptions were made about the effort needed
for some tasks. The report will discuss any corrections or
changes in approach needed to address failures to meet
annual performance goals, and describe any actions
already taken by EPA to get back on track.
Beginning with the F Y 2000 annual report, all annual
reports will include retrospective descriptions of perfor-
mance results from previous years, until the FY 2002 and
subsequent reports, which will present data for the three
previous years.
Program Evaluation
In addition to annual performance reports, EPA will
prepare periodic reports of progress towards our strategic
goals and objectives. Since many of the strategic
objectives set forth targets for measurable environmental
results,we will analyze data and report on environmental
status and trends. This will include trends in pollutant
emissions. For the most part, the Agency will emphasize
true environmental indicators: the amounts of air, water,
and land sites in conditions that meet applicable environ-
mental quality standards. When possible, we will also
report the degrees to which human health or ecological
conditions are being protected. In some cases, Agency
Inspector General, General Accounting Office and
management integrity findings will be considered in
assessing program performance.
The reports of progress towards strategic objectives
will show whether we are achieving intended results. For
some programs, we will conduct intensive program
evaluations to analyze relationships between activities
being conducted and environmental results. Criteria for
selecting programs to evaluate will include the importance
of the environmental issues being addressed, and whether
programs are on schedule to meet their objectives. If
timely progress is being made, the evaluations will help
show what is working and why. If not, we will examine
the relationships among EPA, states, regulated entities, and
others, and the changes in pollution emissions, other
stresses, and ultimate environmental impacts of these
stresses to determine why.
Studies of cause and effect
can be complex, and answers
may not always be found.
Detailed analyses may help
us develop more effective
approaches to reducing
environmental impacts. In
other cases, these analyses
may result in new research to
determine why assumptions
about relationships between
stresses and impacts did not
prove accurate when
pollution reduction or
cleanup activities were put
into practice, and to develop
better approaches for the
future.
Evaluations will
look at different
ways to meet objectives.
This will include:
1) examining the effectiveness of program actions and
need for mid-course corrections;
2) assessing appropriateness of the environmental
indicators used and determining whether advances
in science have made better ones available;
3) identifying factors beyond our control that affect
performance; and
4) determining whether target levels and times stated
in the objective are reasonable.
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The results of program evaluations will influence
annual performance plans for subsequent years. If
performance goals need revision, new or modified
performance goals will be designed and incorporated into
the relevant annual plans, with associated modifications to
performance measures as needed.
Integrating the Accountability System with
Cost Accounting Standards
Two key activities in building a strong accountability
system will be changes in how EPA structures its budget
and the adoption of the recently issued Federal Accounting
Standards Advisory Board's (FASAB's) cost accounting
standard. To integrate management processes more fully,
EPA will work closely with the Office of Management and
Budget and Congress to develop a budget structure that
parallels the goals and objectives identified in this strategic
plan. This link between performance measures and
resources will serve as the basis for annual performance
reporting.
To comply with the FASAB standard, EPA's Chief
Financial Officer will ensure that cost accounting is
implemented to support EPA program managers and the
public by producing information that is timely, useful, and
accurate, and related directly to planning, accountability,
and decision making. Cost information will be coordinated
with the new planning and budgeting structure, and cost
information will be integrated into accountability reports.
Internalizing GPRA Requirements within
the Agency
Accountability for achieving results needs to permeate
the organizational fabric of EPA, from top management to
each staff employee. Management will aggressively
communicate EPA's goals and objectives throughout the
Agency to ensure that employees clearly recognize how
they contribute to the Agency mission. Of equal impor-
tance, employees also will be held accountable for
program results. To accomplish these ends, EPA will
create direct linkages between its human resource
activities and the achievement of the objectives in the
Agency's Strategic Plan. For example, performance,
awards, and recognition programs need to provide
incentives to employees and reward groups and individu-
als who are having a discernible impact on the goals and
objectives in the plan.
As the Agency continues to automate, streamline, and
reengineer its procedures, the knowledge, skills, and
abilities required by EPA employees to perform the
Agency's work will change. Specialized recruitment and
training, as well as process retooling, may be necessary in
order to build and sustain a workforce capable of
achieving the results envisioned in EPA's goals and
objectives.
Coordination with Other Reporting
Responsibilities
Where appropriate, EPA will integrate GPRA reporting
with other reporting requirements. These include reports
relating to financial management and fiscal integrity
responsibilities, as well as other public information
activities for financial, management, and accountability.
EPA will provide comprehensive assessments of our
financial investments and adherence to financial and
management standards, when combined with reports of
environmental outcomes accomplished.
Financial and Management Reporting
To the extent possible, EPA will integrate annual
performance reports with financial accountability
reporting, including requirements of the Chief Financial
Officers Act, the Government Management Reform Act
(GMRA), the Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act,
the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act, the
Inspector General Act, the Prompt Payment Act, and the
Debt Collection Act, as well as the report on Civil
Monetary Penalties. The goal will be to link performance
and cost information more closely to provide the public
and Congress with a snapshot of Agency operations. The
final format for the combined reporting will be based on
recommendations currently being developed by the Chief
Financial Officers Council.
State of Environment Reports and
Electronic Data Access
In addition to GPRA reports documenting the
environmental outcomes of our programs, EPA will
continue to provide the public with reports and electronic
databases concerning the overall state of the environment.
A number of such reports are produced by EPA under the
Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other legislation. In
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recognition of the important responsibility to support
public access to comprehensive environmental informa-
tion, EPA has recently established a Center for Environ-
mental Information and Statistics (CEIS).
CEIS plans to produce periodic State of Environment
Reports as well as enhance electronic public access to
EPA's data. Environmental databases are maintained for a
variety of purposes throughout EPA. These functions will
not be taken over by CEIS, nor will they be integrated into
a single reporting system. However, under the accountabil-
ity process, EPA will ensure that members of the public
seeking access to EPA data will obtain it in formats readily
interpreted by general users.
EPA Strategic Plan
Assessing Our
Results
97
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EPA Strategic Plan
98
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Appendix A: How the Strategic Plan Connects to Other Agency Documents
EPA's new Planning, Budgeting, Analysis and Accountability process is composed of several steps that are linked in the
following way:
Step (1) The Strategic Plan—This plan states EPA's mission. It lays out: (1) long term environmental goals; (2) a set of
guiding principles providing a common set of considerations that will be used in making decisions; (3) specific
shorter-term objectives the Agency will meet in achieving the goals. As required under GPRA, EPA will update
this plan every three years.
EPA Strategic Plan
ST TEGIC L N
y
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I I ACTUAL PERFORMANCE
JM
• Achievement of perf.
measures
•4J
• Resource use
Performance Evaluation
State &Tribal
| Agreements
I
PERFORMANCE
REPORTS
PBAA/GPRA General Framework
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EPA Strategic Plan
Appendix A
Step (2) Multi-Year Planning--EPA's programs will conduct multi-year planning efforts based on the Strategic Plan
goals. This planning step will describe how each national program will link its annual activities and
short-term outcomes to the attainment of our long-term environmental goals.
Step (3) Annual Performance Plans and Budget Request—Annual performance plans will be prepared for each
objective and serve as the basis for budget decisions. Annual Performance Plans will describe annual
performance goals, measures of outputs and outcomes and the activities aimed for achieving these goals.
Based on the Annual Performance Plans, EPA will develop an annual budget request for all Agency
programs. Once Congress approves a final appropriation for the year, the annual plans will be revised and
the resources allocated accordingly.
Step (4) Performance Evaluation and Reports—Performance Evaluation Reports, required by GPRA six months
after the end of the fiscal year, will assess the progress EPA has made toward achieving its goals and will
report on the Agency's success in accomplishing its annual performance goals.
Fully achieving the goals of the PBAA approach will take a long-term commitment from EPA. All Agency managers will
be integrally involved in setting priorities, making yearly investment decisions and ensuring that program goals that
reflect our customer's needs will be achieved. With the development of this Strategic Plan, EPA has a framework for use
in the future, thus making the EPA effective in meeting the needs of the American people.
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Appendix B: Congressional Consultation and External Stakeholder
Input into the EPA Strategic Plan
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requires federal agencies to consult with Congress and
to solicit and consider the views and suggestions of those entities potentially affected by or interested in such a plan.
With respect to the Congress, EPA held briefings in February 1997 for Members of the House and Senate, their
staffs, and Committee staffs on the Agency's framework and process for developing the Strategic Plan. Meetings were
held in April and June to discuss specific areas of Congressional interest. Drafts ofEPA's mission statement, goals, and
objectives were provided in April and May, and a draft Strategic Plan was provided on July 1,1997. The Agency
participated in consultation meetings with Congressional staff on the Strategic Plan in July, August, and September. EPA
provided written material to the following Members and participated in meetings with Congressional staff as indicated
below.
EPA Strategic Plan
Senate
Honorable Max Baucus
Honorable Robert C. Byrd
Honorable John H. Chafee
Honorable John Glenn
Honorable James M. Inhofe
Honorable Ted Stevens
Honorable Fred Thompson
House of Representatives
Honorable Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.
Honorable George E. Brown
Honorable Dan Burton
Honorable John D. Dingell
Honorable Robert Livingston
Honorable George Miller
Honorable James L. Oberstar
Honorable David Obey
Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
Honorable Bud Shuster
Honorable Henry A. Waxman
Honorable Don Young
Committee Staff
House of Representatives
Appropriations
Commerce
Government Reform and Oversight
Resources
Science
Transportation and Infrastructure
EPA also conducted a broad outreach program that sought the views and perspectives of its constituencies. EPA
provided a series of strategic plan development documents, as well as the draft Strategic Plan to the following organiza-
tions for review and comment, and held discussions with many organizations [indicated with a D]. In addition to the
stakeholders listed below, the Agency's Natural Program Managers (NPMs) and Regional Offices have also worked to
secure involvement from their specific constituents (e.g., states, tribes, other organizations).
BUSINESS. INDUSTRY. & PUBLIC POLICY ORGANIZATIONS
Business Roundtable [D]
Friday Forum [D]
National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy & Technology (NACEPT) Reinventon Criteria Committee [D]
Corporate Environmental Enforcement Council (CEEC) [D]
Enterprise for the Environment (E4E) [D]
Coalition for Effective Environmental Information (CEEI) [D]
Senate
Appropriations
Budget
Environment and Public Works
Governmental Affairs
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EPA Strategic Plan
Appendix B
National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
US Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Business
Chemical Manufacturers Association [D]
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS *
Environmental Defense Fund [D]
Greenpeace
Sierra Club
National Resources Council of America
Resources for the Future
American Oceans Campaign
US Public Interest Research Group
World Resources Institute
World Wildlife Fund
Nature Conservancy
Clean Water Action
Clean Water Network
Environmental Information Center
Environmental Working Group
Friends of the Earth
American Lung Association
Environmental Law Institute [D]
National Audubon Society
National Fish and Wildlife Council
Children's Defense Fund
Natural Resources Defense Council [D]
Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund
Union of Concerned Scientists
American Rivers
Center for International Environmental Law
Center for Marine Conservation [D]
OMB Watch [D]
Trout Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited
Wildlife Habitat Council
River Network
American Public Health Association [D]
American Farmland Trust [D]
National Wildlife Federation
* All were invited to participate in discussions with EPA on the draft Strategic Plan
STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) [D]
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Local Government Advisory Committee [D]
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
EPA Tribal Operations Committee (includes representatives from 19 Tribal Governments) [D]
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES
In addition to the departmental level, in some cases information was also provided to and received from agency and
bureau levels of the department)
102
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of the Interior
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Energy
Department of Justice
Department of Transportation
Department of the Treasury
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
National Science Foundation
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Food and Drug Administration
Bureau of Land Management
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Department of Labor
Department of Defense
Department of State
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Army Corps of Engineers
Small Business Administration
Office of Science and Technology Policy
General Services Administration
Fish and Wildlife Service
US. Geological Survey
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
General Services Administration
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Tennessee Valley Authority
U.S. Information Agency
U.S. AID
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
EPA Strategic Plan
Appendix B
APPROACH TO INTERAGENCY COORDINATION
As part of the process for developing this Strategic Plan, the Agency initiated steps to begin to work closely with those
Federal agencies with whom EPA shares responsibility for setting standards and managing programs to improve human
health and the environment.
Although time restricted efforts to explore the full range of issues with other Federal agencies during the development stage
of this Strategic Plan, the actions taken will help to establish long-term efforts to address any inconsistencies, conflicts or
redundancies among Federal programs as identified both in future Strategic Plans and annual performance plans.
The steps to engage other Federal agencies in the development of this Strategic Plan included following the directions
outlined by the Chief Financial Officers' Council's GPRA Implementation Committee's Bulletin on Stakeholder Outreach
and Interagency Coordination of Strategic Plans. Among EPA actions were:
• issuing a formal request for comment to Federal agencies on goals and milestones for EPA's National Environmental
Goals Project. Many Federal agencies participated in the development of these goals, which served as a starting point
for EPA's strategic planning efforts;
• reviewing 9 other agency and several bureau-level interim strategic plans for possible conflicts or overlaps with EPA's
plan. While few issues required immediate resolution due to the general nature of the language in the strategic plans,
this review will serve as a starting point for dialogue with other Federal agencies for the joint development of
performance measures and resolution of program management issues;
• soliciting comments from other Federal agencies on EPA's preliminary plan outline, goals and objectives (May 22,
1997) and subsequently the full Agency draft Strategic Plan (July 1,1997). Input received from other agencies has
been incorporated into this plan;
• sharing information and working with several interagency groups on GPRA-related issues. These groups include the
Research and Development Roundtable, the Natural Resources Performance Management Forum and the Interagency
Regulatory Reinvention Forum; and
• reviewing the final drafts of 21 Federal agency plans in conjunction with the OMB clearance process.
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EPA Strategic Plan
Appendix B
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS BETWEEN EPA AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES
The chart below identifies, by EPA goal, which areas of our plan require greater integration and review with other
Federal agency efforts.
Department/Agency
Agriculture
Army Corps of Engineers
Commerce
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Defense
Energy
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FEMA
General Services Administration
Health & Human Services
Interior
Justice
Labor
NASA
National Science Foundation
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
OSTP
SBA
State
Transportation
Treasury-International
TVA
USAID
USIA
USTR
GOAL
1
2
3
4
5
6
-
7
8
9
10
104
Goal 1: Clean Air
Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water
Goal 3: Safe Food
Goal 4: Preventing Pollution and Reducing Risk in Communities, Homes, Workplaces and Ecosystems
Goal 5: Better Waste Management, Restoration of Contaminated Waste Sites, and Emergency Response
Goal 6: Reduction of Global and Cross-Border Environmental Risks
Goal 7: Expansion of Americans' Right to Know About Their Environment
Goal 8: Sound Science. Improved Understanding of Environmental Risk, and
Greater Innovation to Address Environmental Problems
Goal 9: A Credible Deterrent to Pollution and Greater Compliance with the Law
Goal 10: Effective Management
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SUMMARY OF KEY COMMENTS ON STRATEGIC PLAN
The Agency received over 800 comments on the draft Strategic Plan in writing and orally during discussions with stakeholders and
Congress. Key comments are listed below.
Comment
Response
EPA Strategic Plan
1. Objectives should be quantifiable.
1. The Agency agrees. In many cases the subobjectives, which
are a level of detail below the objective, are where the measur-
able target is stated. Further, the performance goals in the
Annual Performance Plan will contain quantifiable targets.
However, for many of the objectives, EPA recognizes that it
will take time to develop accurate target estimates (i.e., in some
cases EPA needs to first establish a performance baseline).
EPA will continue to work on this issue as the Agency develops
its Annual Performance Plan and updates the Strategic Plan.
2. The structure of the Strategic Plan
should be simplified. The number of
elements in the current plan are
confusing.
2. EPA will work to improve the clarity of the plan. However,
EPA feels strongly that the elements in the plan provide
important information related to the Agency's values and
commitments. For example, the principles represent important
guidance to be used by Agency managers as they make
decisions and the cross-cutting program areas are important
programs that transcend many of the goals and do not fit neatly
into a single goal.
3. Distinguish between goals and
objectives that are mandatory &
those which are discretionary.
3. In compliance with GPRA, EPA has set numerical targets
for a significant number of specific objectives in this Strategic
Plan, consistent with EPA's statutory authority to protect
human health and the environment and to administer environ-
mental, human health, and other programs. In establishing
numerical targets, EPA considered its statutory mandates and
authorities and used the best available scientific and technical
information. The Strategic Plan also notes specific statutory
authorities for each objective.
4. Goals should be an expression of
environmental outcomes, and organiza-
tional/programmatic efforts should be
classified as implementation tools.
4. While EPA agrees that the plan could be structured as the
comment suggests, the Agency has decided to keep the current
structure at this time for several reasons. These include: 1)
many of the activities in the "tools" goals (sound science,
pollution prevention, enforcement and compliance, and
effective management) are cross-media in nature and, while
contributing to the overall mission of the Agency, cannot be
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EPA Strategic Plan
Appendix B
broken down into specific media goals; 2) the "tools" goals
are important "goals" in and of themselves for EPA and need
to be highlighted; and 3) the Agency believes that retaining
these goals is responsive to the spirit of GPRA.
5. The Plan should prioritize among
goals and objectives.
5. EPA agrees that the Plan should provide the vision and direction
that the Agency plans to take over the next five years. The Agency
does prioritize its activities in the annual planning and budgeting
process as it redirects emphasis and resources into high priority areas.
As to setting priorities among the goals, the current enabling statutes
under which the Agency operates do not lend themselves to flexibility
in setting priorities among the environmental goals.
6. EPA should commit to a strategy
that uses risk assessment to prioritize
environmental risk management
decisions.
6. The Agency currently uses risk assessment, as well as other
factors, to make risk management decisions. In Goal 8-Sound
Science-EPA commits to providing improved risk assessment
capabilities. EPA intends to use risk assessment, along with other
criteria, for making decisions in the annual planning and budgeting
process.
7. The plan should identify a
strategy for increasing and improving
the quality of information relating to
environmental outcomes.
7. The Agency is involved in an ongoing process to identify and
develop the information needed to accurately evaluate Agency
progress in achieving each of its goals and objectives. Because
monitoring programs and data collection are expensive and can
potentially impact our partners and stakeholders, the Agency is
identifying and evaluating current sources of information that can be
used to measure performance. EPA will use this analysis of the data
as a basis for program investments in information collection and
analysis. A brief discussion of this issue has been included in the
Strategic Plan.
8. The Plan should contain measure-
ments of off-budget costs. Efficiency
should be a stand-alone goal.
8. EPA has included a section in the Plan on the "Benefits and Costs
of EPAs Activities" to address this issue. The Agency believes that
section provides the best information available at this time. EPA
disagrees with the recommendation to establish a "stand-alone goal
regarding efficiency," because it is a principle that is inherent in all of
our goals.
9. Cross-cutting programs should be
directly related to strategic goals and
objectives.
9. The cross-cutting program areas transcend many of the goals and
do not fit neatly into a single goal. The Agency has clarified the
relationship of these programs to the goals in the Strategic Plan.
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10. The current Plan does not
include a description of how the
performance goals of the Annual
Performance Plans will be related to
the general strategic goals and
objectives.
10. The Strategic Plan has been revised to include a general discussion
of the relationship between the annual performance goals and the
general strategic goals and objectives.
EPA Strategic Plan
11. EPA should include perfor-
mance measures relating to its efforts
to work with States to achieve
environmental goals.
11. EPA has expanded the discussion of the states' role in implementing
environmental programs (see pages 12 and 82-83). In addition, the
performance measures relating to state implemented programs are
included in the Annual Performance Plan.
12. The Plan should include a
discussion of the responsibilities of
the Regions in achieving the goals and
objectives.
12. EPA has included a discussion of the Headquarters/Regional
memorandum of agreement (MOA) process which lays out the
expectations and responsibilities of the Regions in implementing the
programs and activities needed to achieve the goals and objectives (see
page 94).
13. EPA's plan should integrate the
environmental objectives of the
National Environmental Goals and the
National Environmental Performance
Partnership System (NEPPS) to make
a uniform set of environmental
objective.
14. EPA's Plan should explain how
it is to be integrated with related policy
areas (e.g., transportation, energy,
agriculture).
13. EPA's Strategic Plan is largely based on the work done over the last
several years on the National Goals project. EPA will continue to work
with its state partners to assure that the NEPPS core measures are
integrated into the Agency's strategic planning process.
14. EPA is working with other Federal agencies to identify
cross-cutting policy areas and programs that need to be integrated with
EPA policies and programs. A discussion of this issue is included in the
Strategic Plan. In addition, all of EPA's program offices work on a
regular basis with other Federal agencies to assure that our activities are
consistent with, and integrated into, the related policies and programs of
other agencies.
15. The Plan should include
strategies for internalizing the Results
Act requirements within the Agency.
15. The Strategic Plan includes a discussion of this issue and identifies
the actions EPA is taking to internalize the requirements of the Results
Act.
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EPA Strategic Plan
I
• i • •
• • • > • -
f **•!-
108
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For additional information, please contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Office of Planning, Analysis and Accountability
Mail Code 2721
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, B.C. 20460
Telephone: (202) 260-9302
This Plan can also be found at EPA's Internet homepage .
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