[•!• I r: I Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Comprehensive Local Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) Community Challenge (2004 Competition) ie innovation urani rrogram 10 support 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 Cumulative $1.243 Million $1.611 Million $6.376 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 httD://www.eDa.aov/innovation/statear Project Background: In January 2005, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was awarded a State Innovation Grant to develop and implement a voluntary program designed to encourage positive environmental actions from municipalities called the Indiana Comprehensive Local Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) Community Challenge. I OEM's Office of Pollution Prevention and Technical Assistance (OPPTA) devised a multi-agency program to reward municipalities for their voluntary environmental and public outreach achievements. The CLEAN Community Challenge encourages municipalities and units of local government to take steps to plan, develop, and implement an environmental management system (EMS) that includes input and support from the community and local businesses. The goals of the Indiana CLEAN Community Challenge include: 1. Creating a voluntary recognition program for the local government sector 2. Providing increased state consideration for local concerns through improved communication, planned compliance and technical assistance efforts 3. Fostering local government pollution prevention successes in Indiana 4. Promoting high quality environmental project implementation at the local level 5. Offering valuable rewards in proportion to projects implemented 6. Improving overall environmental performance and quality of life for Hoosier citizens 7. Tracking environmental performance associated with EMS implementation 8. Providing cleaner water, improved waste management, reduced toxics 9. Encouraging municipalities to develop cross-media EMS plans NCE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION ------- Project Description OPPTA staff met with various communities throughout the state and asked for feedback during program development to create CLEAN program requirements. Because OPPTA staff had limited experience with EMSs in the public sector, OPPTA hired the Clean Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) at Purdue University to assist with municipal EMS development and implementation. Eight communities applied for piloting the CLEAN program of which three were selected: The Town of Ogden Dunes and the cities of Lawrence and Muncie. The remaining cities of Elkhart, Greencastle, Indianapolis, La Porte, and Madison expressed commitment to the program by participating as demonstration pilots rather than full pilots. During the Program's first year, the selected communities began focusing on creating stakeholder committees and writing Quality of Life Plans (QLP). The Quality of Life Plan refers to the implemented EMS. During the second year the pilot communities of Ogden Dunes and Lawrence received their CLEAN Community designation while Muncie stopped participating in the program because of time constraints and a loss of mayoral commitment. In that same year the cities of Greencastle, Elkhart, and Vincennes decided not to finish developing their QLPs for various reasons. The city of Madison was also unable to be designated due to issues of non-compliance. During the third year OPPTA used workshops, smaller meetings, and site visits to guide the communities of Beverly Shores, Crown Point, Michigan City, Hobart, Gary, and La Porte through the development of their QLPs. Toward the end of the year Indianapolis, Crown Point, La Porte, and Michigan City received their CLEAN designation. Ogden Dunes provided data in their annual performance report showing measurable improvements and significant benefits from participating in the CLEAN program. The city of Richmond was able to resolve non-compliance issues and was designated a CLEAN Community after the project closed. OPPTA learned several lessons along the way in the program and used them to enhance program implementation. An example of a program enhancement was implementing compliance checks on communities at the time the community expressed interest in the CLEAN program instead of waiting for the community to develop its QLP and submit the application. This particular program revision has proven to be beneficial for potential participating communities as it identified potential problems to be addressed prior to community selection of QLP goals. It was also beneficial to OPPTA by allowing a more streamlined and efficient use of resources and staff time. Results: The Indiana CLEAN Community Challenge created a compliance and technical assistance program specifically for the needs of municipalities. Throughout the pilot project period, participants appeared to understand the value of identifying objectives and targets, action steps, and methods for measuring and monitoring progress to ensure the success of their environmental management approaches. They also showed a commitment to carefully documenting the process so that their findings could be transferable to other communities that could learn from CLEAN. The CLEAN Community Challenge demonstrated the central role that states play in ensuring compliance at the local level while also providing the support and resources that allow communities to implement an EMS tailored to local needs and interests. The Indiana communities that received CLEAN designation were the cities of Crown Point, Indianapolis, La Porte, Lawrence, Michigan City, Richmond, and the town of Ogden Dunes. Through this project, OPPTA found several incentives for municipalities to implement an EMS, including assurance to the public about the superior environmental performance of their communities as well as public acknowledgement that communities had met their regulatory requirements and were addressing public concern for the environment, growth management, and efficient use of public funds. OPPTA used such incentives to promote and market the program. ------- OPPTA received feedback from participating communities indicating QLP implementation established commitment from all levels and functions to achieve community goals, assigned responsibility and accountability for achieving goals, and assisted with competence, awareness, and management of potential environmental problems. A flagship community, Ogden Dunes, received its CLEAN designation in 2006 and represents one of the greatest successes of the program. As of September 2007, Ogden Dunes had increased its recycling rate from 0% to 24%, recycled 884 pounds of batteries, implemented a standard operating procedure for recycling, and developed a leaf composting program resulting in the composting of over 1,500 cubic yards of leaves. Ogden Dunes' QLP resulted not only in measurable environmental improvement as described in their annual performance report, but provided ancillary benefits like improved interdepartmental communication as well. Lessons learned from the implementation of the CLEAN Community Challenge include OPPTAs conclusion that QLP implementation will be slow or nonexistent without top management and political support in the participating community. Many communities experienced delays or halts in progress because of internal circumstances such as personnel changes, pending enforcement actions, or changes in the level of commitment brought about by political changes within community government. This pilot program will allow other states and localities considering developing voluntary municipal recognition programs based upon community EMS approaches such as this one to implement them more efficiently. To find out more about Indiana's CLEAN Community Challenge go to the Final Report at http:// www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants/PDFs/ CLEANFinalRepoitpdf Project Contacts: For more specific information on the Indiana State Innovation Grant, please contact one of the individuals below: Stacey Martindale Indiana Department of Environmental Management OPPTA Mail Code 64-00 100 North Senate Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2251 317.233.5554 smartind@jdem.in.gov Sharleen Getschman US EPA Region 5 Air & Radiation Division State & Tribal Planning Section US EPA Region 5 77 West Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604 312/353-3486 getschman.sharleen@epa.gov Gerald Filbin US Environmental Protection Agency- Headquarters National Center for Environmental Innovation (1807T) 1200 PennsylvaniaAve., NW Washington, DC 20460 202-566-2182; 202-566-2220 fax Filbin.gerald@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) June 2008 EPA-100-F-08-049 ------- |