REPORT OF
THE ADMINISTRATOR'S
TASK FORCE ON
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
AND TRAINING
FINAL REPORT
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
DECEMBER 2, 1987
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REPORT OF
THE ADMINISTRATOR S
TASK FORCE ON
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
AND TRAINING
FINAL REPORT
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
DECEMBER 2, 1987
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REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S
TASK FORCE ON
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
FINAL REPORT
December 1, 1987
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Regional Center for Environmental Information
US EPA Region III
1650 Arch St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
AND TRAINING
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. CONCLUSION 2
III. RECOMMENDATIONS 4
A. Incentives for Creating a Positive Institutional
Climate 4
B. Organizational Structure 6
C. State/EPA Relationships 7
D. Implementation Issues 8
1. Needs Assessments 8
2. Delivery Mechanisms 9
3. Feedback 10
IV. SUMMARY 11
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
As the environmental programs of the 1980s develop and mature, it becomes
increasingly clear that more of the work in environmental protection will be
carried out in the field by the EPA Regional Offices and State and local
government agencies. In addition, the Clean Air Act, RCRA, CERCLA, Safe
Drinking Water Act, and Clean Water Act all mandate more involvement by State
and local government in implementing the statutes. In response to these trends,
the EPA Administrator established a Task Force on Technology Transfer and
Training. This Task Force was charged with exploring how EPA can most
effectively leverage its people, knowledge, and resources in support of Regional,
State and local efforts to improve overall environmental performance in the field.
CONCLUSIONS
The Task Force believes that three overall barriers impede technology
transfer and training efforts at EPA, and that changes in these three areas are
crucial to the success of future efforts:
Institutional Climate. While the Administrator and some top managers
within EPA recognize the importance of technology transfer, this message
has not been accepted throughout the Agency. As a result, technology
transfer and training are not perceived as high priorities by other Agency
managers and staff; this mindset must be addressed.
Organizational structure. Agencywide, EPA is not presently organized to
encourage or deliver technology transfer and training effectively.
Improving the institutional capability to be responsive to identified needs
will require development of an appropriate organizational network.
State/EPA relationship. EPA needs to create a clearer vision of its role
with respect to delegation and oversight of environmental programs to
ensure that technology transfer and training receive appropriate emphasis.
A practice of genuine partnership based on parity with the States will
enhance both EPA's and the States' abilities to respond to the growing
environmental challenge. EPA and States must also address and
encourage the development of local government capacity in environmental
management.
Overall, EPA should place more emphasis on technology transfer and training
as an integral part of the regulatory process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
An abbreviated summary of the recommendations contained in the full report
follows:
Incentives for creating a positive institutional climate:
Demonstrate Administrator's and Deputy Administrator's support.
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Promote cooperative technology transfer activities with industry and
universities.
Provide incentives and awards.
Increase the visibility of technology transfer and training activities.
Build momentum through a large number of independently developed small
actions.
Encourage inclusion of technology transfer and training mandates in new
and reauthorized legislation.
Organizational Structure
Create an Office of Technology Transfer.
Establish an individual focal point within each AAship.
Establish Regional focal points to coordinate needs assessment, training,
and technology transfer in each Region.
Encourage the establishment of State-level technology transfer and
training contacts as counterparts to EPA focal points.
EPA-State relationships:
Support regional consortia of States to provide technology transfer and
training functions under State direction.
Reorient and improve existing channels of State/EPA communication.
Involve States as partners in all components of program design and
implementation.
Encourage personnel exchanges among EPA Headquarters, laboratories,
Regional Offices, and States.
Promote a joint State/EPA senior management summit.
Implementation issues:
Needs Assessment
Increase attention in Regional reviews/audits of State environmental
programs and grants on technology transfer and training solutions to
compliance problems.
Increase attention in Headquarters reviews of Regional Offices on
training and technology transfer needs.
Require that all proposals to delegate regulatory or enforcement
functions to States or local governments include an assessment of
technology transfer and training requirements.
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Delivery Mechanisms
Stimulate use of a wider variety of delivery mechanisms to meet
specific needs.
Require developers of technology transfer and training programs to
consult directly with users.
Create "brokers" or catalysts for technology transfer and training
activities.
Coordinate with the EPA Institute.
Evaluation and Feedback
Reconvene the Task Force to assess progress.
Develop and disseminate model evaluative approaches.
Document successes.
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REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S
TASK FORCE ON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND TRAINING
I. INTRODUCTION
The evolution of environmental programs has changed the climate and conditions
under which EPA operates, challenging the Agency to adapt to these new conditions and
expand its role to meet new needs. As the environmental programs of the 1980s develop
and mature, more of the work in environmental protection is being carried out in the field
by the EPA Regional Offices and State and local government agencies. In addition, the
Clean Air Act, RCRA, CERCLA, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Clean Water Act all
mandate more involvement by State and local governments in implementing the statutes.
This evolution has a significant impact on EPA's approach to carrying out its mission,
prompting it to extend its role beyond its traditional focus on enforcement and regulation
to a renewed emphasis on technology transfer and training as means of accomplishing
environmental protection goals. As EPA moves into this new and expanded role, the
Agency has a unique opportunity to redefine and forge new relationships with States, local
governments, industry, and academia that are based on partnership and cooperation.
Recognizing this evolution, in March 1987 Administrator Thomas created a Task
Force on Technology Transfer and Training to give him recommendations and options on
how EPA could more effectively leverage its people, knowledge, and resources to meet this
challenge. The Administrator's charge to the Task Force was to focus on methods for
improving overall performance in the field through technology transfer and training, and
to consider the development of a systematic process with three core elements: needs
assessment, delivery mechanisms, and feedback.
During its review, the Task Force learned that: (1) EPA now provides considerable
technology transfer and training to State and local agencies; (2) State and local recipients
value these services and want them expanded; and (3) there appear to be a number of
very feasible and affordable opportunities to improve EPA technology transfer and training
in the short term. In addition, the Task Force became convinced that in order to carry
out the Administrator's challenge, technology transfer must be broadly defined to
incorporate all forms of two way communication that lead to enhanced environmental
management in the field. To this end, the Task Force believes that the principal
conclusions of its review are:
EPA, working in partnership with the Stales, must take action to legitimize the
importance and integral nature of technology transfer and training to its
mission. As the Agency continues to evolve and mature, technology transfer
and training must become core elements in supporting the Agency's operations
and interactions with the states and local government, industry, and academia.
Further, the Task Force believes that failure to incorporate such an emphasis
throughout the Agency will undermine the effectiveness of the Agency's
regulatory and enforcement efforts, and related activities at the State and local
level.
Compliance with environmental regulations can be more readily accomplished if
monitoring and enforcement activities are combined with a program of technical assistance
and training. Further, many areas of environmental concern, such as the radon and
nonpoint source water pollution problems, do not lend themselves to the traditional
regulatory and enforcement approach; in these cases, technology transfer and training can
provide a mechanism for the development of positive solutions that draw on the unique
strengths of all parties involved.
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The Task Force is not alone in its view that technology transfer and training will be
crucial components of EPA's future role. Congress emphasized the importance of
technology transfer by unanimously passing the Technology Transfer Act of 1986. This
incentive-oriented law was further buttressed by Executive Order 12591, which encourages
cooperative consortia among government, academia, and industry for the development and
commercialization of new technology.
State and local governments also perceive the value of technology transfer activities
to their communities and local economies. They recognize that a healthy environment
makes a major contribution to the quality of life in a community. It also affects a
community's ability to promote itself, attract industry, and grow. EPA assistance that
enables communities to achieve environmental goals more cost-effectively is clearly
beneficial.
The Task Force met four times to consider ways in which technology transfer and
training could enhance the effectiveness of environmental protection activities at all
levels. The group focused its attention on technology transfer and training activities
related to EPA Regional Offices, States, and local agencies. As this process proceeded, it
became clear that creating a more effective partnership between EPA and the States was
a central underlying issue with important bearing on the group's deliberations.
Implementation of the Task Force's recommendations will provide a much-needed
framework to:
establish technology transfer and training as legitimate core elements of the
Agency's approach to accomplishing its mission; and
enhance the importance of cooperative partnerships among governments, industry,
and academia.
II. CONCLUSIONS
The Task Force concluded that in order to better fulfill its mission, EPA needs to
adopt a more incentive-structured approach that integrates technology transfer and
training into all Agency activities. To succeed, three overall barriers need to be
overcome:
Institutional climate. While the Administrator and some top managers within EPA
recognize the importance of technology transfer and training, this message has
not been accepted throughout the Agency. As a result, technology transfer and
training are not perceived as high priorities by other Agency managers and staff;
this mindset must be addressed.
Organizational structure. Agencywide, EPA is not presently organized to
encourage or deliver technology transfer and training effectively. Improving the
institutional capability to be responsive to identified needs will require
development of an appropriate organizational network.
State/EPA relationship. EPA needs to create a clearer vision of its role with
respect to delegation and oversight of environmental programs. A practice of
genuine partnership based on parity with the States will enhance both EPA's and
the States' abilities to respond to growing environmental challenges.
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The Task Force stressed that specific actions aimed at increasing technology transfer
and training opportunities will have only limited success unless these fundamental
institutional issues are addressed. It is encouraging to note that some States recognize
the favorable impact current attention is already having on technology transfer and
training. However, it is important to understand that sustaining these efforts requires
fundamental changes in EPA policy and State/EPA relations. Other Task Force
conclusions are:
State and local recipients generally give high marks to present EPA technology
transfer and training efforts, but would like to see them expanded and more
carefully tailored to State and local needs.
Technology transfer and training have lacked line management support throughout
the Agency when it comes to work plans, resources, and budgets. There is a
strong perception that technology transfer and training initiatives are unable to
compete with legislative mandates and SPMS commitments. There is also a
hesitation to make ongoing efforts highly visible because of fear that they will be
reduced if not totally eliminated in the budget process.
Most Agency technology transfer and training activities are tied to EPA national
program objectives and schedules; they do not necessarily reflect State interests
and priorities. Despite increased activity in recent years, EPA invests relatively
little in technology transfer and training specifically designed to enhance State
capacity to define and carry out an environmental agenda that is broader than
EPA categorical programs.
An increasingly important component of technology transfer and training is the
development of cooperative relationships between Federal, State and local
governments, industry, and academic institutions. The new Technology Transfer
Act of 1986 and Executive Order 12591 provide incentives for strengthening and
expanding these ties. There is also growing recognition that successful problem-
solving is a two-way street, with no single party having all of the answers or
expertise.
Environmental problems are global in nature; therefore EPA should take greater
advantage of international agreements to promote and benefit from international
technology transfer. This could be accomplished by making technology transfer a
part of each international agreement negotiated by the Agency.
Agency program planning does not place adequate emphasis on the development of
information dissemination mechanisms to support the implementation of
environmental programs. Sometimes regulations are issued without first ensuring
that government at all levels, as well as the regulated community, have the
requisite capacity to effectively implement them.
It should be emphasized that the actions recommended in the sections that follow
should not interfere with the technology transfer and training activities that are currently
underway at EPA. The Agency conducts many excellent programs, and additional efforts
should build upon and complement these programs, not replace them. The Task Force has
identified a number of recommendations to weave these imperatives into the fabric of the
Agency.
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III. RECOMMENDATIONS
A. INCENTIVES FOR CREATING A POSITIVE INSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE
The Task Force recognizes that creating a positive institutional climate is a difficult
undertaking and does not underestimate the effort that will be required. The current
level of appreciation, understanding, and acceptance of the value of technology transfer
and training in the Agency must be improved. The Task Force proposes the following
steps to create a more positive climate for technology transfer and training.
Recommended Actions:
Demonstrate Administrator's and Deputy Administrator's support. The
Administrator and Deputy must clearly demonstrate their support for technology
transfer and training activities. Communication of this support and frequent
reminders of it will have a very positive influence on the attitudes and behavior
of EPA managers and staff. Specific examples of steps that would demonstrate
top management leadership and support include:
- Issue a policy statement that affirms the importance of technology transfer
and training to EPA's role and instructs all EPA staff to place more emphasis
on these activities and be more responsive to requests for information and
assistance. This policy statement should also stress the importance of
involving the States and local governments as partners at all levels.
- Indicate the extent to which tradeoffs between required performance quotas
and technology transfer activities can be made, since in the absence of
additional funding, technology transfer and training will take resources away
from existing activities. This will require more managerial flexibility and a
different approach to performance measurement than currently exists.
- Include technology transfer and training as a topic to be raised and discussed
as needed by the Administrator, Deputy Administrator and other senior Agency
officials in all Option Selection Briefings and management reviews of major
issues.
- Leverage research capabilities and analyses of various regulatory approaches by
expanding involvement into international technology transfer and training
activities.
Promote cooperative technology transfer activities with industry and universities.
The Nation's universities and industries need to be included as partners with
governmental organizations in technology transfer related to environmental
protection. New approaches are needed that will promote cooperation and
collaboration.
- Identify issues where including industry or universities will have greatest
payoff (e.g., waste minimization, accidental chemical releases) and develop
action plans.
- Develop more environmental awareness and sensitivity in industry during the
development of new processes and products, by working more closely together.
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- Support establishment of cooperative problem-solving projects such as the
Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program with both industry
and academic institutions.
- Focus attention on the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 and the
Executive Order 12591. The Administrator, or his designee, must provide
leadership to implement these initiatives. Exploration of possible consortia
initiatives among industry, academia, and government (EPA, State, local) should
receive high priority.
Provide incentives and awards. Incentives must be created within EPA that
recognize and reward technology transfer and training as legitimate investments.
Three examples are:
- Establish an Administrator's Award for Excellence in technology transfer and
training.
- Set aside a technology transfer and training fund to encourage headquarters
and field office initiatives. This should be a matching fund to help promote
exemplary programs.
- Provide for individual awards and incentives for helping States and local
governments with special problems.
Increase the visibility of technology transfer and training activities. While EPA's
Program Offices, Regional Offices and laboratories provide a significant amount of
technology transfer and training, many people within and outside EPA are not
aware of these activities. Increasing awareness of the various activities EPA
conducts will contribute to changing this perception. Specific steps that could be
taken include:
- Focus an entire issue of the EPA Journal on technology transfer and training
activities within EPA, and follow up with regular articles on new activities.
- Prepare and distribute a book of good practices and showcase projects.
- Establish a central hotline to serve as an Agency-wide "pointer" system. This
hotline would not replace other existing hotlines; instead, it would accurately
direct callers to appropriate resources in the Agency. Every telephone book in
the country, for example, could have a reference to "1-800-EPA-HELP."
Build momentum through a large number of small actions. The Task Force
recommends that significant improvement can be attained by building grass-roots
ownership through many small actions. These actions could include:
- Encourage intelligent risk-taking on small ventures, with managers
communicating to staff that they would understand and accept some failures as
new approaches to difficult problems are sought.
- Support the establishment of regional forums, similar to Ground-Water and
Engineering Forums, to work with ORD laboratories to identify critical field
problems that need immediate technical support.
- Recognize, reward, and encourage entrepreneurial technology transfer and
training activities and share successful small actions among Agency managers.
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Encourage inclusion of technology transfer and training mandates in new and
reauthorized legislation. The Office of External Affairs should draft language to
explicitly require technology transfer and training in pending, new, or
reauthorized legislation, such as CAA, TSCA, RCRA, and FIFRA.
B. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Task Force believes that there is a subtle but genuine distinction between the
cultural barrier discussed above and organizational/structural barriers to improving
technology transfer and training. In addition to a climate that does not support
technology transfer and training, management systems also create disincentives. An
appreciation of the importance of technology transfer and training on the part of
individuals must be supported by the creation of organizational structures and management
systems that facilitate rather than hamper initiative and managerial risk taking.
There currently exists a great deal of individual knowledge and capability on
technology transfer and training within Agency offices and divisions, but often their
efforts are fragmented. In some cases, this has led to duplication of efforts or missed
opportunities to leverage a contribution.
In order to design an organizational framework that would stimulate and support
technology transfer and training, the Task Force considered several organizational alterna-
tives. It was careful in its deliberations to avoid the creation of a new, overbearing
bureaucracy that would require too many resources or centrally control all technology
transfer and training activities. The Task Force felt it was important to preserve and
strengthen the autonomy of existing programs and their sponsoring offices. A series of
steps is recommended to create a technology transfer and training infrastructure as
described below.
Recommended Actions:
Create an Office of Technology Transfer. The Office should promote an
entrepreneurial spirit among managers and staff, encouraging them to develop
creative, cost-effective responses to technology transfer and training needs. This
small office, approximately five or six people, would have three primary functions:
(1) to serve as an advocate or "champion" for technology transfer and training;
(2) to stimulate technology transfer and training activities; and (3) to provide
assistance and broker expertise to Agency technology transfer and training
efforts.
The Task Force recommends initially forming the Office on the Administrator's
staff, within the Office of Regional Operations. A permanent location should be
determined within three to six months based on the following criteria: (1) cross-
program, multidisciplinary responsibilities; (2) a technical orientation and
understanding, with some experience and expertise in technology transfer and
training; and (3) credibility among all target audiences including Regions, States,
and industry. It is the Task Force's intention that this office not become aligned
with a line media program office and that the office be given prominent
placement within the selected location.
Establish an individual focal point within each AAship. The people assigned this
responsibility should be senior staff who have credibility and influence. Their
primary functions will be leadership and advocacy for technology transfer and
training; stimulation, promotion, and coordination of activities; and compilation
and communication of information on needs. Specifically, they should be
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responsible for coordinating with the Regions, taking part in Regional Program
Reviews, and reviewing program components of each Regions's State review/audit.
These reviews should be used as an opportunity for Regional, State and local
needs to be communicated to Headquarters staff.
Establish Regional focal points to coordinate needs assessment, training, and
technology transfer in each Region. The Task Force recommends the
establishment of a high level technology transfer and training role associated with
an existing senior regional executive position. The Regions should be provided
flexibility in determining position placement with the Regional organizations.
However, the Task Force believes that to be most effective, the individuals
selected to fill this visible role should:
- report in this role to the RA/DRA;
- have the capability of impacting cross-media technology transfer and training
decisions;
- act as the Regional focal point;
- have direct access to staff support.
In addition, the Task Force strongly supports the expansion of the ORD Regional
Outreach Programs to all 10 Regions.
Encourage the establishment of State-level technology transfer and training
contacts as counterparts to EPA focal points. The designation of a State senior
environmental official as a focal point for technology transfer and training is an
important aspect of the technology transfer network. This official should work
closely with the Regional counterpart and other States to identify needs and
develop Regionally based solutions. This individual should be the lead executive
in the creation of the State consortia process.
C. STATE/EPA RELATIONSHIPS
Although not part of the initial charge to the Task Force, the issue of the
relationship between the States and EPA was raised numerous times by members of the
group. The EPA structure currently incorporates only one-half of the State/EPA
partnership in technology transfer and training design and delivery. For technology
transfer and training to be effective tools, a partnership role involving parity has to be
forged for the States that is commensurate with their roles in implementing environmental
protection programs. The new role should recognize that the function of technology
transfer and training is a "two-way street" that requires exchanges of all types of
informationnot just technical and scientificand improved communications at all levels
between the States, local governments and EPA. Such a role should recognize the
importance of interaction among States and localities as well as the need to collaborate
with EPA.
While technology transfer and training is a positive step towards improving
State/EPA relationships, Task Force members believe that the problems that exist in that
area are actually symptoms of a much broader challenge. That challenge is articulating
and providing for the evolving roles of the States and EPA, where EPA expands its
existing role of regulation and enforcement to include technical support and assistance.
The Task Force believes that this issue is in need of special attention by the
Administrator if other technology transfer and training recommendations are to succeed.
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Recommended Actions:
Sunnort regional consortia of States to provide technology transfer and training
functions under State direction. EPA should actively support regional consortia of
States, through grants or cooperative agreements, to provide training for State
and local officials that is "closer to home." The new Office of Technology
Transfer should review options and make recommendations concerning the
Agency's provision of seed money, trainers, or expertise for training programs.
Potential models for this program include the consortium in the northeast
(Northeast Hazardous Waste Project [NEHWP]) and the proposed RCRA training
program that would provide direct funding to the States (proposed for FY88).
Reorient and improve existing channels of State/EPA communication. Regions
should use opportunities such as State reviews/audits as an opportunity to identify
technology transfer and training needs and reinforce the State/EPA partnership.
Program reviews and audits should be conducted in a more positive and flexible
manner, with an increased focus on problem-solving actions. The designated
Regional contact should play a major role in ensuring that States' technology
transfer and training needs are identified and addressed.
Involve States as partners in all components of program design and
implementation. To better meet the needs of the States, potential participants
must be more fully involved in the development of the programs. This will ensure
that the information to be presented is what is actually needed, that it is
presented at the appropriate level of detail, that the mechanism used for
presentation is most effective, and that appropriate feedback channels are in
place.
Encourage personnel exchanges among EPA headquarters, laboratories. Regional
Offices, and States. Exchanges among various EPA and States' staff members
should be strongly encouraged. Effective management processes should be
established to facilitate the exchange. People to people exchanges and assistance
are often considered the best method of technology transfer.
Promote a joint State/EPA senior management summit. Considerations should be
given to supporting a summit meeting of high level State and EPA management
officials (similar to EPA's Senior Managers' Forum in Baltimore in February,
1987). A focus of discussion would be to refine and articulate respective future
roles in an evolving State/EPA partnership and the evolving redefinition of
environmental management responsibilities.
D. IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
The Administrator charged the Task Force to assess and develop systematic processes
for improving needs assessment methods, delivery mechanisms, and feedback for the
Agency.
1. Needs Assessments
The current approach for needs identification at EPA relies primarily on informal
communications between Headquarters, Regional, and State staffs. Most States concur that
this approach works reasonably well; however, there is still the concern that States and
local governments have little or no voice in how these needs are interpreted into actions.
In addition, these informal methods do not always systematically bring needs to the
attention of managers who should act on them.
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Some States commented that their Region's performance reviews/audits were used to
help determine technology transfer and training needs. The majority, however, viewed the
reviews/audits as exercises in "bean counting" with most of EPA's attention focusing on
State deficiencies. A key concern of States and local governments is that EPA Regions
are more inclined to emphasize non-compliance than to work towards improved
technological or training solutions over the longer term. Many States suggested that
reviews/audits could provide an excellent opportunity to discuss technology transfer and
training needs and that the State/EPA relationship would be enhanced by focusing more
attention in performance reviews/audits on joint problem solving, including technology
transfer and training solutions. This process should also facilitate the communication of
these needs to higher levels within EPA and the States.
Headquarters reviews of Regional Offices would be improved by a similar broadening
of focus to include formal discussion of technology transfer and training needs as a
response to identified problems.
Recommended Actions:
Increase attention in Regional reviews/audits of State environmental programs and
grants on technology transfer and training solutions to compliance problems. The
Office of Technology Transfer would be kept apprised through routine contacts of
review/audit results that affect technology transfer and training. Technology
transfer and training should be a formal item on the review agenda.
Increase attention in Headquarters reviews of Regional Offices on technology
transfer and training needs. Program reviews of Regional Offices should
affirmatively address technology transfer and training issues at the Regional level,
and plan longer-term technology transfer and training activities based on jointly
perceived problems. Technology transfer and training should be a formal item on
the review agenda.
Require that ail proposals to delegate regulatory or enforcement functions to
States or local governments include a comprehensive assessment of technology
transfer and training requirements. The proposals should also identify the extent
to which the Agency will devote resources to provide assistance in meeting those
requirements.
2. Delivery Mechanisms
There is a strong human tendency to rely upon the familiar; this proclivity often
means that technology transfer and training activities are based upon more traditional
methods such as seminars, workshops, manuals, or reports. It is important to explore
other approaches that may be better suited for specific combinations of topic and
audience.
State and local officials expressed a desire to be more directly involved in the
planning and design of training programs so these programs will be more responsive to
their needs.
Recommended Actions:
Stimulate use of a wider variety of delivery mechanisms to meet specific needs.
The new Office of Technology Transfer should conduct an assessment of
non-traditional training approaches such as videoconferencing, videotapes and
videodiscs, and computer-based instruction. The Office should then help develop
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training programs or materials to introduce EPA staff to these approaches and to
encourage them to supplement or replace more traditional training program
designs.
Require developers of technology transfer and training programs to consult
directly with users. The new Office of Technology Transfer should suggest ways
that designers of training programs could consult with users to ascertain their
specific informational needs, existing skill levels, preferred training methods for
the course under development, and constraints that would affect their ability to
participate in the training.
Create "brokers" for technology transfer and training activities. EPA should
support pilot projects that are designed to facilitate peer-to-peer consultations
among States and to broker technology transfer and training in which expertise
existing in various States is identified and used as a resource by other States.
Consideration should also be given to the development of a technology transfer
"host" program that provides for effective peer-to-peer assistance.
Coordinate with the EPA Institute. The new Office of Technology Transfer
should work cooperatively with the EPA Institute. The Task Force recommends
acceleration of the integration of the EPA Institute activities into the Regional
structure.
3. Feedback
The primary objective of expanding technology transfer and training is to improve
real environmental performance in the field. To this end, the Task Force believed it was
important to design, early in the process, the mechanism for evaluation and feedback.
This mechanism would allow midcourse corrections and sharing of success stories from one
part of the organization to other parts.
Recommended Actions:
Reconvene the Task Force to assess progress. The Administrator's Task Force
should be reconvened within a year to review the implementation of the
Administrator's initiatives in technology transfer and training, and to report back
to the Administrator and Deputy on the Agency's progress and accomplishments.
Develop and disseminate model evaluative approaches. The Office of Technology
Transfer, working with OPPE, should develop model procedures and methods to be
used in evaluating various types of programs and delivery mechanisms. The
procedures should include approaches and sample instruments for measuring
immediate feedback on satisfaction and increases in knowledge, and longer term
assessment of the impact of the programs.
Document Successes. The A As should identify and document success stories of
major technology transfer or training programs, with the goal of relating
performance improvement to the activity. The Office of Technology Transfer
should collect these case studies and publish a compendium of studies each year
as a way of disseminating experience and methods. AAs should be permitted to
defer their first case study until FY89 in order for them to adequately develop
necessary baselines, training objectives, and instructional design.
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IV. SUMMARY
The conclusions and recommendations contained in this report reflect a solid
consensus of the Task Force members. One of the common threads that bears restatement
here is that technology transfer and training activities could not, and should not, be
separated from the broader mission of the Agency. As EPA takes steps to improve and
expand its technology transfer and training efforts, it will be crucial for other Agency
managers to reach a shared realization that technology transfer and training are
integral to the way EPA will do business in the future.
The Task Force members also recognized that technology transfer is not an end in
itself; neither is it a highly visible, quick reaction destined to capture management
attention and public appreciation. Technology transfer and training activities are
investments in the future, whose true value may not become fully realized in the short
term. The members of the Task Force strongly urge their colleagues to heed the
recommendations of their peers and take direct responsibility for ensuring that technology
transfer and training are tightly woven into the fabric of their institutions and the daily
performance of their jobs. It will take EPA, State, local government, industry and
university resources working together to fully realize the potential contribution of
technology transfer and training to improving environmental protection in the field in the
environmental programs of the future.
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ADMINISTRATOR'S TASK FORCE ON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND TRAINING
A dual purpose of this document is to serve as a "technology transfer" piece itself. Ail of the people listed below
provided valuable contributions to the Task Force effort and final report. We encourage you to contact any of us with
any questions or comments concerning this report.
State and Local Government Task Force Members:
Barbara Gole. Director. Department of Public Works. Indianapolis. Jnd.
Bill Frost Office of Tech. & Information Services, Arlington. Va.
Fred Hansen. Director. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Robert Parsons. Deputy Director. W. Virginia Department of Natural Resources
(317) 236-4794
(703) 558-2665
(503) 229-5300
(304) 348-2755
EPA Task Force Members:
Bruce Barkley. Director. Office of Management Systems and Evaluation. OPPE
Erich Bretthauer. Deputy Assistant Administrator for Research & Development
Gerry Bryan. Director. Office of Compliance Analysis & Program Op's.. OWPE
Frank Covington, Deputy Regional Administrator. Region V
Thomas W. Devine. Director, Office of Program Management & Technology. OSWER
Gerald Emison. Director. Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, OAR
Paul Guthrie. Director. EPA/State Relations. OEA
Ed Hanley. Director. Office of Information Resources Management, OARM
Cal Lawrence. Director. Center for Environmental Research Information. ORD
Marian Mlay. Director. Office of Ground-Water Protection. OW
Connie Musgrove. Director. Pesticides Certification & Training Program. OPTS
Bill Rice. Deputy Regional Administrator, Region VII
John Skinner, Director, Office of Environmental Eng. & Tech. Demonstration, ORD
Rob Cahill, Associate Administrator for Regional Operations. Chairperson
Jack Stanton, Exec. Director, Technology Transfer and Training Task Force
Key Support:
Jay Benforado. Office of Research and Development
William Garetz. Office of Management Systems and Evaluation, OPPE
Bala Krishnan, Office of Environmental Eng. & Tech. Demonstration, ORD
Thomas Pheiffer, Office of Program Management and Technology. OSWER
Mark Siegler. Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, OAR
Joel Ann Todd, Technical Resources, Inc.
Mary Wahl. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
(202) 382-4028
(202) 382-7676
(202) 382-4140
(312) 353-2000
(202) 475-8716
(202) 382-5575
(202) 382-4454
(202) 382-4465
(513) 569-7391
(202) 382-7077
(202) 382-7825
(913) 236-2800
(202) 382-2600
(202) 382-4719
(202) 382-4719
(202) 382-7676
(202) 382-4908
(202) 382-2613
(202) 382-4477
(202) 382-2835
(301) 231-5250
(503) 229-5072
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