United States
                      Environmental
                      Agency
            Protection
Office of the
Administrator
[Mail Code 1802]
EPA-100-F-00-042
September 2000
(http://www.epa.gov)
&EPA
WHAT IS
PROJECT  XL?
   **  Protect '
SUMMARY OF
THEPROJECT
SUPERIOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
PERFORMANCE
FLEXIBILITY
 Project XL:  NASA White

 Sands Test Facility Web          , c ()Nspl

 Based  Electronic  Reporting    ^vXroN

 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,
 over thirty pilot experiments  are being implemented and several additional
 projects are in various stages of development.

The National Aeronautic Space Administration (NASA) White Sands Test
 Facility (WSTF), near Las Cruces, New Mexico, operates as a field  test
 installation for the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
The facility also provides test service and support for federal and foreign
 government agencies, and private industry.  In this XL project, NASA WSTF
 proposes to implement an internet-based information management  and
 compliance reporting system. The web-based system will electronically provide
 regulatory reports and permit information to the New Mexico Environmental
 Department (NMED) in lieu of paper reports to satisfy existing EPA and NMED
 regulatory requirements.  In addition to regulatory information, NASA's web-
 based system will include a public access section that will provide the general
 public with access to historical site information, groundwater database
archives,  Geographic Information System (CIS) reports, ISO certification
 information,  recycling data, waste minimization  reports, NEPA information,
community-right-to-know issues, and other associated compliance information.
This XL project, EPA's 39th, was signed on  September 22, 2000.

 Implementation of this project will provide EPA, NMED, and the public with
improved access to higher quality regulatory information, scientific data, and
analytical tools The web-based information system will also facilitate a more
thorough analysis of NASA WSTF's environmental data and reports by NMED
and the general  public.

To implement this project, NASA WSTF requests regulatory flexibility from
existing EPA and NMED regulations that require a written signature or paper
submission of the regulatory  reports and permit information affected under this
project. As part of this project, EPA will draft a site-specific rule to facilitate the
electronic transmission of permit information and compliance reports.

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STAKEHOLDER
INVOLVEMENT
APPROACHES TO
BE  TESTED
NASA WSTF has developed a formal stakeholder outreach process that
includes holding public meetings and comment periods at key points
throughout the  project.

This  project will test the use of a centralized, multi-media, inter-net-based
regulatory reporting and information system.
CONTACTS
FOR ELECTRONIC
INFORMATION
Regional Contact:
EPA/XL HQ:
Project Sponsor:
Adele Cardenas
John DuPree
David Amidei
214-665-7210
202-260-4468
505-524-5024
More information about Project XL is available on the Internet at
http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL, or via Project XL's Information Line at
202-260-5754.

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