United States Office of Policy (21 I I) EPA 237-S-99-OOI
Environmental Protection Office of Reinvention (1803) February 1999
Agency
ar Community--Based
Environmental Protection
Executive Summtiry.
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Acknowledgments
The principal authors and coordinators of EPA's Framework for Community-Based Environmental
Protection (CBEP) included Michael Mason (Team Leader) and Amanda Tipton Bassow from the Office
of Sustainable Ecosystems and Communities (OSEC). Over the course of the project, OSEC's CBEP
Framework Team was managed by Wendy Cleland-Hamnett pirector, OSEC), Leonard Fleckenstein
(Acting Director, OSEC), and Gerald Filbin (Acting Director, OSEC's Policy and Coordination
Division).
The following additional OSEC members also contributed to this report: Betsy Laroe, Lynn
Desautels, Glenn Eugster, Laura Gabanski, Otto Guttenson, Michael Kronthal, William Painter, Heidi
Paulsen, Marilyn Smith-Church, and Theresa Trainer.
OSEC relied on the support of the Agency's CBEP Coordinators in providing a number of opportu-
nities—through discussion sessions and written comment periods—for feedback on the CBEP
Framework from EPA managers and staff. OSEC would like to acknowledge the assistance of the fol-
lowing past and present CBEP Coordinators: Deborah Harstedt (Region 1); Rabi Kieber (Region 2);
Dominique Lueckenhoff; Susan McDowell (Region 3); Grace Dietrick (Region 4); Don Kathan,
Marilou Martin (Region 5); Debora Browning, Cynthia Wolfe (Region 6); Kathleen Fenton (Region
7); Karen Hamilton, Nat Miullo, Stacey Erickson, Peter Ismert, Ayn Schmit (Region 8); Debbie
Schechter, Stephanie Valentine, Denise Zvonoveck (Region 9); Richard Parkin (Region 10); Paul
Rasmussen (OAR); Walter Brodtman (OECA);TomTillman (OPPTS); David Klauder, Claudia Walters
(ORD); Karen Burgan.Will Bowman, David Nicholas (OSWER); Ben Picks, Anne Treash (OW);Tom
Marshall (OGC);Judith Koontz, Jacques Kapuscinski (OARM); Alex Wolfe, Michael Brody (OPAA);
Karen Flagstad (OR); and Danny Gogal (OEJ).
OSEC would also like to acknowledge the valuable comments received from numerous individuals
representing EPA's partners in community-based environmental protection. These include representatives
from federal, local, tribal, and state governments; national associations; and community organizations. In
addition, the Agency's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, Local Government Advisory
Committee, and Tribal Operations Council provided comments on the CBEP Framework at their regu-
lar national meetings.
Special thanks to Joel Ann Todd of The Scientific Consulting Group, Inc., for providing meeting, ana-
lytical, and editing support, and Joan O'Callaghan of The Communications Collective for editorial assis-
tance and layout design and production of the final document.
Additional copies of this document may be obtained from the following sources:
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
11029 Kenwood Road, Building 5
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Phone: (513) 489-8190 or 1-800-490-9198; fax: (513) 489-8695
Office of Reinvention (1803)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
phone (202) 260-1849; fax (202) 260-1812
When ordering copies of the CBEP Framework, please cite publication number EPA 237-K-99-OOI. The
publication number for the Executive Summary is EPA 237-S-99-OOI.
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What Is the Purpose
of This Framework?
Many of today's environmental problems cannot be solved through traditional command-and-con-
trol approaches that address only air or water or solid waste in isolation. All resources in a particu-
lar place are interconnected and need to be addressed holistically. Furthermore, not all parts of the
country have the same problems or need the same solutions.
Community-based environmental protection (CBEP) can help EPA achieve its mission by inte-
grating activities in ways that complement and increase the effectiveness of EPA's regulatory pro-
grams. This Framework identifies specific goals, strategies, activities, and performance measures
EPA will need for implementing the CBEP approach to environmental management.
What Is and What Isn't Community-Based
Environmental Protection?
CBEP brings together public and private stakeholders in a specific place or community to identify
environmental and public health concerns, set priorities, and forge comprehensive solutions toward
sustainable communities.
Through this holistic, collabo-
rative process, stakeholders
consider environmental pro-
tection along with human
social needs. CBEP helps
OFCOMMUr
lEPA has identified the following core principles to guide the implementation of tne CBEP approach in
different places: ~~ *
communities work toward
achieving long-term ecosys-
tem health and fosters link-
ages between economic
prosperity and environmental
well-being.
To avoid misunderstand-
ings within EPA and among
its partners, it is important to
clarify for EPA's programs
and activities what CBEP is
not. It is:
Focus on a definable geographic area.
|j k. Work collaboratively with a full range of stakeholders through effective partnerships.
:> Assess the quality of the air, water, land, and living resources in a place as a whole.
Integrate enviionmental, economic, and social objectives and foster local stewardship of all community
resources.
* ~iSr
Use the appropriate public and private, regulatory and nonregulatory tools.
Monitor and redirect efforts through adaptive management. _
Not regulatory reliefer a replacement of regulatory authority and program activities.
Not a separate new program, a special limited initiative, or a pilot project.
Not focused on one environmental medium, problem, or component of a community.
Not solely doing a better job of community outreach or public relations in traditional single-
medium programs.
Not an abandonment of the best available science (e.g., human health and ecological risk assess-
ments) for environmental decision making.
Not intended to disrupt existing state-local or federal—tribal government relationships.
Not a panacea.
Executive Summary
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What Are EPA's Community-Based
Environmental Protection Goals?
ERA'S VISION FOR CBEP IS TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITIES'
EFFORTS TO USE, PROTECT,
AND RESTORE NATURAL
RESOURCES—LAND, AIR,
WATER, AND BIODIVERSITY—
IN WAYS THAT HELP ENSURE
LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL,
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND
HUMAN HEALTH BENEFITS.
Because CBEP is an approach—or a way of doing business—and not a separate program, the spe-
cific goals of EPA's authorizing statutes and base programs (i.e., Air, Pesticides and Toxics, Solid and
Hazardous Waste, and Water) are also EPA's CBEP goals. CBEP actively supports the Agency's mis-
sion, program-specific goals, and guiding principles, as stated in EPA's Strategic Plan.
Achieving all of EPA's statutory mandates and base program goals, however, would still not pro-
duce a sustainable environment. By taking a holistic and collaborative approach that considers the
relationship of a community's environmental concerns to its economic and social conditions, EPA
can help communities develop solutions that are both comprehensive and sustainable.
EPA's vision for CBEP is to support communities' efforts to use, protect, and restore natural
resources—land, air, water, and biodiversity—in ways that help ensure long-
_______ term ecological, economic, social, and human health benefits for ourselves
and future generations. To realize this vision, EPA will strive to fulfill the fol-
lowing goals:
Achieve environmental results consistent with EPA's mission and base
program goals, as stated in EPA's authorizing statutes and Strategic Plan.
Address environmental concerns and issues that are not addressed under
traditional federal regulatory approaches, such as urban sprawl, urban and
agricultural runoff, and loss of biological diversity.
Help communities develop the tools and capacity necessary to be stew-
ards of their human and natural resources.
Coordinate and integrate EPA's programs and activities to increase the
Agency's effectiveness in supporting sound community environmental
decision making.
How Will EPA Implement Community-Based
Environmental Protection?
EPA's role in CBEP will vary from place to place. In some places, EPA might lead the effort and
work directly with communities as an active partner in designing and implementing effective envi-
ronmental solutions. In most places, however, EPA's role will be far more limited, for example, pro-
viding information and tools to states, communities, and the public.
EPA will adopt a three-part strategy for implementing CBEP:
> Reorient EPA Programs to Better Support CBER EPA will work to integrate the CBEP approach
into all of the Agency's programs by revising policies and rules, developing better lines of com-
munication among programs, identifying and supporting CBEP research needs, and establishing
education and training programs for EPA staff. In taking a CBEP approach, EPA will enhance
its ability to meets its goals and objectives and improve the effectiveness of the Agency's nation-
wide environmental programs and regulations.
EPA'S FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
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KEY CATEGORIES/QUESTIONS SUGGESTED CRITERIA
Need for an EPA Role
. Will the area be significantly enhanced by direct EPA
* assistance, and does it need or require EPA Regional-level
""attention and resource focusing?
Levef of Ecological/Human Health Risk
I Are the risks to humans and natural resources exceptional?
Resources are of national significance.
Area requires a multimedia effort.
Area has transboundary concerns.
Community needs are currently unfulfilled.
Ecosystems are at particular risk or of particular
importance.
Area poses exceptional risk to human health.
Impacts on minorities or low-income groups are
disproportional.
Likelihood of Success of EPA Efforts
--Wi.il the Agency's involvement produce tangible short-term
, and long-term results?
Community capacity and readiness.
Availability of Agency resources.
Build External Capacity. EPA cannot be directly involved in every community in the country,
nor should it be. Rather than concentrating all of its resources in a small number of places, the
Agency can reach thousands of communities by providing public access to existing environ-
mental data, information, training, and grants. EPA will build the capacity of states, tribes, local
agencies, community groups, and other stakeholders so that they will be able to address envi-
ronmental problems more effectively.
Work Directly with Stakeholders in Places. EPA, primarily through its Regional Offices, may
provide hands-on, substantial assistance (e.g., placing Agency employees within a community, or
providing funding, technical assistance, and/or data and information) to stakeholders within
designated priority places. EPA Regional Offices will need to work with state and tribal gov-
ernments to develop priority-setting processes and methods to identify and select new geo-
graphic areas that require significant Agency resources. Any process for targeting will consist of
three key components: (1) assessing the need for EPA's role, (2) determining the level of eco-
logical and human health risks, and (3) judging the likelihood of success.
How Will EPA Measure the
Success of the CBEP Approach?
The Agency must be able to demonstrate the progress it makes toward realizing its CBEP goals.
EPA recognizes the difficulty in developing measures that are sufficiently flexible to reflect local
and regional variations in objectives, but still reflect progress toward EPA's national CBEP goals.
The Agency also recognizes that most CBEP activities require years before they can demonstrate
Executive Summary
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EPA Activity Measures
These measures enable EPA to gauge
M^wpl^g^. ^ accjp{ance an(j use Of
';'. 'i ' -;:;;"'1 tBEP approaches within EPA.
Community Capacity
Measures
PERFORMANCE
MEASUREMENT
SUBCATEGORIES
i.
Efforts to reorient EPA programs.
: These measures track changes in a
;^;;y;;i;i;;;;;tommunity's capacity to engage CBEP
! ""' "activities and demonstrate the
Efforts to build the capacity of
others.
Efforts to participate directly in
places.
Community infrastructure
Governance.
Knowledge of and disposition
toward the environment.
-A
in n _T ri ___ ...jere it is not
^S^irKT^ii ^-r*-*r^«rtly Involved.^ __ _
Outcome Measures
__=..i== ..-Jits'^III^ I'll! These leasures track the enyiron-
jt||PA's base program mental (including human health),
economic, and social/cultural results
^j^i ::jp i.iS iiis,-',!+.i.V',' ;, n'.:;'.;bf CBEP work in places. In addition to
measures tracked under EPA's
i?1«*i*:Strategic Plan, they emphasize eco-
iresjeMironmenJafconcerns^and logical results and measures that
• Single environmental medium and
1 human health stressors and
conditions.
• Ecological stressors and
conditions.
• Economic stressors and
conditions.
* Social/cultural stressors and
conditions
actual environmental results. Therefore, performance measures must be capable of measuring
progress toward EPA's CBEP goals as well as achievement of those goals.
Toward this end, the Agency should use the performance measurement categories outlined in
the table above to track its progress in achieving those goals.
Through CBEP, EPA can help communities create a vision of environmental health and quality
of life and pursue activities that will achieve that vision. The ultimate success of this approach will
depend upon EPA and its stakeholders working collaboratively and forming partnerships to iden-
tify needs, develop solutions, and effect change.With the CBEP Framework as a guide, EPA can
look forward to continuing its successes in protecting human health and providing healthy, sustain-
able.ecosystems for generations to come.
EPA'S FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
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