State Innovation Grant Program: New Hampshire
Superior Environmental Results Through Innovative Land Development
Technical Assistance and Permitting (2008 Competition)
The State Innovation Grant Progi
In 2002 EPA introduced the State Innovation Grant Program to supp
efforts led by state environmental agencies to test innovative approaches
for achieving better environmental results and improved efficiency in
permitting programs. Between 2002 and 2007, the State Innovation Grant
program competition awarded over six million dollars to support 35 state
projects that test permitting innovation for a variety of regulated entities
including several small business sectors. Asummary of the awards by year
appears in the table below.
State Innovation Grant Program Statistics, 2002-2007
Competition Proposals Proposals Total Program
Year Submitted Selected Funding ($)
2002/2003
$618,000
$1.425 Million
$1.479 Million
$1.243 Million
$1.611 Million
$0.825 Million
Cumulative
$7.201 Million
"Innovation in Permitting" has been the theme of the State Innovation Grant
competition since its inception. In the last three competition cycles states
received awards for projects in the following three categories:
• The Environmental Results Program (ERP) is an innovative
approach to improving environmental performance based on a system
of the interlocking tools of compliance assistance, self-certification
(sometimes, where permissible, in lieu of permitting), and
statistically-based measurement to gauge the performance of an entire
business sector. The program utilizes a multimedia approach to
encourage small sources to achieve environmental compliance and
pollution prevention. (See: http://www.epa.gov/permits/erp/)
• Environmental Management System (EMS) is a system involving a
continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the
processes and actions that an organization undertakes to meet its
business and environmental goals. EMSs provide organizations of all
types with a structured system and approach for managing
environmental and regulatory responsibilities to improve overall
environmental performance and stewardship.
(See: www.epa.gov/ems/info/index.htm)
• Performance Track is a partnership that recognizes top
environmental performance among participating US facilities of all types,
sizes, and complexity, both public and private.
(See: http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack/)
NCEI has provided awards also for projects testing watershed-based
permitting, and for permit process streamlining in past competitions. For
more information on the history of the programs, including information on
solicitations, state proposals, and project awards, please see the EPA State
ittD://www.eDa.aov/innovation/statear
Project Background:
Population growth and land development pose a
significant threat to the long-term health of New
Hampshire's natural resources including water and air
quality, and exacerbate regional and global
environmental issues. In response to this issue, the New
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
(NHDES) is testing a new approach to permitting
involving early technical assistance and integrated/
coordinated permitting for land development projects to
encourage increased adoption of better land use and
development practices. The goal is to reduce the
environmental impact of continuing growth and
development within New Hampshire by reducing air and
water pollution generated by development and limiting
impacts on natural resource functions, such as flood
storage, wildlife habitat, and water supply, through better
site location, site and building design, and construction
practices.
Project Description
NHDES received a State Innovation Grant to support this
pilot project in the 2008 competition. With the grant,
NHDES will develop clear standards and information on
best practices and pilot new procedures, including
expanded up-front review of proposed development
projects, technical assistance for applicants, and
integrated/coordinated permitting for those who agree to
implement practices, to overcome barriers that limit the
adoption of innovative/best practices (e.g., Smart Growth,
Low Impact Development (LID) site design and storm
water management, Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design Green Building Rating System
(LEED), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Neighborhood Development Rating System (LEED-ND),
Land and Natural Development (LAND) Code).
Collaboration will play a key role in developing and
testing these innovative approaches. In addition to
improved coordination between NHDES permit
programs, NHDES hopes that better coordination of
project review with local municipalities, sister state
agencies, and Federal regulatory entities will streamline
the permitting process for developers.
NCEI
NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION
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NHDES will involve the public and regulated entities in
developing the new permit review processes to determine
what incentives can be provided to encourage participation
in the program. NHDES hopes that the information gained
through increased technical assistance together with the
time and resources saved by an improved permitting
process will provide a sufficient incentive to land developers
to participate and help shift the paradigm from meeting
regulatory minimums to striving to achieve the best possible
environmental results.
NHDES will provide full documentation of the project's
results to ensure the dissemination of information to other
states and municipalities in an effort to promote the use of
successful processes and tools. The upfront review and
technical assistance processes as well as the approach for
coordinated permitting to be developed by NHDES will be
informative for other regulatory agencies.
Connection to EPA's Goals
This project seeks to improve overall environmental
performance by further reducing impacts on air quality and
climate change, water quality and quantity, and wildlife and
habitat associated with land development activities and
thus supports many of EPA's Strategic Plan Goals and
Objectives: Goal 1 (protecting air quality and reducing
effects of climate change and energy efficiency); Goal 2
(providing for safe and clean water); Goal 4 (providing for
healthy communities and ecosystems; and Goal 5
(increasing compliance and promoting environmental
stewardship, particularly Objective 5.2.4).
Project Contacts:
For more specific information on the New
Hampshire State Innovation Grant, please contact
one of the individuals below:
Carolyn Russell, State Project Manager
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95
Concord, NH 03302
603.271.3010, FAX: 617.271.2867
Carolyn.russell@des.nh.gov
Rosemary Monahan, Regional Project Officer
and Technical Liaison
US Environmental Protection Agency-Region 1 (RAA)
1 Congress St., Suite 1100
Boston, MA02114
617.918.1087, FAX: 617.918.1029
Monahan.rosemary@epa.gov
Kristina Heinemann, NCEI Technical Liaison
National Center for Environmental Innovation (MC1807T)
US Environmental Protection Agency, HQ
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
202.566.2183
Heinemann.kristina@epa.gov
Adhir Kackar, DCED Technical Liaison
Development, Community and Environment Division (MC1807T)
US Environmental Protection Agency, HQ
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
202.566.2846
Kackar.adhir@epa.gov
Program Contact:
Sherri Walker
State Innovation Grant Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20460 (MC1807T)
(202)-566-2186; FAX (202) 566-2220
walker.sherri@epa.gov
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Policy,
Economics and Innovation
(1807T)
September 2008
EPA-100-F-08-061
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