State  Innovation  Grant  Program:  Rhode Island
                      An Environmental Results Program (ERP) for Construction Site Runoff Control
                      (2007 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
                      ittD://www.eDa.aov/innovation/statear
Project  Background:
 The Rhode Island Department of Environmental
 Management (RIDEM) is charged with enforcement of
 Construction Site Runoff Control under the stormwater
 management provisions of the Clean Water Act.
 Under the  Phase II Stormwater Rule, operators of
 small municipal separate storm  sewer systems
 (MS4) must include "Minimum Control Measures" in
 their stormwater management programs. To satisfy
 this minimum control measure, the operator of a
 regulated small MS4  needs to conduct public
 education or equivalent outreach activities  and
 determine  the appropriate  best  management
 practices (BMPs) and measurable goals. An MS4
 must meet all of the requirements of its Rhode  Island
 Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (RIPDES)
 permit, which requires an operator of a regulated
 small MS4 to develop, implement, and enforce a
 program to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff to
 their MS4 from construction activities that result in a
 land disturbance of an acre or more. RIDEM and
 most other state environmental agencies lack the
 resources  to inspect every regulated construction
 site for compliance with State Stormwater Pollution
 Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) required under the
 RIPDES General Permit. The RIDEM ERP  is being
 implemented to provide an innovative,  "non-
 traditional" strategy to help  ensure that MS4
 operators meet Phase II requirements.

 The RIDEM, in an effort to  gain federal assistance
 with this effort,  applied for  and received an EPA State
 Innovation Grant in the 2007.

Project  Description
 RIDEM,  working with the University of Rhode Island
 Center for Pollution Prevention and Environmental
 Health, is developing  an ERP approach to control
 erosion and sediment run off from MS4 construction
                         NCE
                         NATIONAL CENTER FOR
                         ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION

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 sites greater than one acre. All applicants for a
 RIPDES permit, as well as RIDEM's stormwater
 Coordinators, will receive a compliance checklist to
 facilitate a program that includes compliance
 assistance and instruction, self-certification, and a
 statistically-based auditing of compliance.  The check
 list requirements will focus on the implementation and
 maintenance of BMPs, as referenced in the State of
 Rhode Island Stormwater Manual, to control sediment
 and erosion from the regulated construction sites.
 RIDEM is also developing a training program  for the
 applicants and inspectors on how to use the check list.
 Environmental Business Practice Indicators (EBPIs),
 based on measurable goals developed by EPA and
 other performance criteria will be selected and
 measured to evaluate the  program's success.

 The ERP approach allows the RIDEM Stormwater
 Coordinators, and the MS4 operators to work together
 to ensure compliance with state regulations. A tandem
 approach of self-certification and statistically-based
 auditing by RIDEM will be used to meet this
 requirement. Additional benefits of this project include:
 improved compliance  targeting; more efficient
 response to public concerns;  and  improved reporting
 on compliance. This strategic innovation will  enable a
 more efficient  use of limited resources and produce
 measurable environmental results.

 The project began with the award of the grant on
 October 1, 2007 and will take four years to complete.

Connection  to  EPA's Goals:
 This ERP is directly aligned with EPA's Strategic Plan
 Goal 2 - Clean and Safe Water. This project's general
 focus is the prevention and reduction of water pollution
 caused from stormwater runoff at construction sites, as
 required by the Clean Water Act - Phase II Stormwater
 Final Rule. The project also assists EPA in  meeting its
 Strategic Objective 2.2, Protect Water Quality, by
 providing an innovative approach to continuing
 implementation of a core national water program
 (NPDES).

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 Project Contacts:

  For more specific information on the
  Rhode Island State Innovation Grant,
  please contact one of the  individuals
  below:

  Ronald  Gagnon
  State Project Manager
  235 Promenade Street
  Providence, Rl 02906
  (401)222-6822 ext.7500 FAX: (401)222-3810
  ron.gagnon@dem.ri.gov

  Marge  Miranda
  US EPA Region 1
  1 Congress Street
  Suite 1100
  Boston, MA02114
  (617)918-1825 FAX: (617)918-1809
  miranda.marge@epa.gov

  Jennifer Linn
  USEPA Headquarters
  EPA West Building
  1301ConstitutionAve.,N.W
  Washington, DC 20004
  (202)566-1258 FAX: (202)566-2210
  linn.jennifer@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)
       May 2008
EPA-100-F-08-041

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