WHAT IS
PROJECTXL?
SUM MARY OF
THE
NARAGANSETT
BAY
COMMISSION
PROJECT
SUPERIOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
PERFORMANCE
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of the
Administrator
[Mail Code 1802]
EPA-1OO-F-00-036
September 2000
(http://www.epa.gov)
ProjectXL: Narragansett
Bay Commission
POL
ECONOM CS
INNOVAT ON
Project XL, which stands for "excellence and Leadership," is a national
initiative that tests innovative ways of achieving better and more cost-
effective public health and environmental protection. The information and
lessons learned from Project XL are being used to assist the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in redesigning its current regulatory
and policy-setting approaches. Project XL encourages testing of cleaner,
cheaper, and smarter ways to attain environmental results superior to those
achieved under current regulations and policies, in conjunction with greater
accountability to stakeholders. It is vital that each project tests new ideas
with the potential for wide application and broad environmental benefits. As
of September 2000, thirty-one pilot experiments are being implemented and
over thirty additional projects are in various stages of development.
The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC), a publicly owned wastewater
treatment facility, treats wastewaters from domestic, commercial, and
industrial sources in the Metropolitan Providence area in Rhode Island.
Through this XL project, NBC is seeking relief from portions of the national
wastewater pretreatment regulations for ten metal finishing companies that
have established a history of exemplary environmental performance and
compliance. This regulatory flexibility will act as an incentive for the
companies to maintain their high performance. Perhaps more importantly,
eliminating certain requirements for these high performing companies (Tier 1
facilities) will allow NBC to target its resources at increased compliance
inspections, pollution prevention audits, and technical assistance for lower
level performers (Tier 2 facilities). This XL project, EPA's 40th,was signed on
September 25, 2000.
The NBC Pretreatment XL Project will promote pollution prevention by
identifying source reduction opportunities, process optimization, and
alternative material inputs at Tier 2 facilities. Reallocating resources from
high performers to low performers will allow NBC to improve compliance and
significantly reduce pollution for Tier 2 facilities compared to what is currently
required by pretreatment regulations. Over the six years of this project, NBC
expects that Tier 2 facilities will reduce their process water usage by 25
percent, total metals loadings (which include the regulated metal finishing
pollutants along with arsenic and selenium) in their effluent discharge by 25
percent, and their generation of F006 waste by 25 percent. NBC also
anticipates that Tier 2 facilities will improve their compliance rate by
75percent.
EPA will grant regulatory flexibility allowing NBC to offer program
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FLEXIBILITY
STAKEHOLDER
INVOLVEMENT
modifications to Tier 1 facilities in three areas: 1) reduced frequency of
compliance inspections, 2) reduced frequency of self-monitoring of
wastewater effluent, and 3) elimination of self-monitoring for certain
substances not used within a facility. Each facility must meet specific criteria
for each type of regulatory relief being sought. The exact qualifications
necessary to obtain each of the three regulatory benefits being offered as
part of this project are described in the Final Project Agreement.
The stakeholder process is essential to the potential success of this XL
Project. The first NBC Project XL stakeholder meeting was held on June 13,
2000, at NBC's offices. In attendance at this meeting were representatives
from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM),
U.S. EPA, the Rhode Island Council of Electroplaters (RICE), the American
Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Society (AESF), NBC's Citizen's
Advisory Committee (CAC), Save the Bay, and several individual metal
finishing companies. Members from each of these organizations have been
involved with other NBC initiatives such as: Metal Finishing 2000, CLEAN P2,
NBC's Regulatory Advisory Committee, and the Rhode Island Pollution
Prevention Conference Committee. Additional stakeholder meetings will be
held on a regular basis. In addition to these groups, all other organizations
and individuals are welcome to participate as stakeholders during project
implementation.
APR
CONTACTS RQA
CHE
S TO BE TESTED
FOR ELECTRONIC
INFORMATION
Can NBC demonstrate that through more efficient use of existing resources,
a POTWcan achieve measurable improvements in the environmental
performance levels of Tier II companies while encouraging and assisting Tier
I companies to maintain or possibly improve their current level of
environmental performance?
Regional Contact: Chris Racher
EPA/XL HQ: Chad Carbone
State Contact: Bob Disaia
Project Sponsor: Jim McCaughey
617-918-1834
202-260-4296
401-222-4700x7228
410-222-6680x352
More information about Project XL is available on the Internet at
http://www.epa.gov/ProiectXL, or via Project XL's Information Line at
202-260-5754.
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