"The United States must continue
    to transform its environmental
  management system, not because
    innovation is good per se, but
   because the present system will
     not solve the most pressing
      of the nation's outstanding
      environmental problems."

       —Environment.gov, Transforming Environmental
                Protection for the 21 st Century,
            a report by the National Academy of
           Public Administration, November 2000.
NCEI  Organizational Structure
   and Contact  Information
                                                                                 .
         ffice of Policy, Econom
         and Innovation fOPI
Environmental
    Progress
           through
         Innovation
                                                    Contact Information
    TELEPHONE:
    ADDRESS:
                                                              202566-2119
                                                              National Center for
                                                              Environmental Innovation
                                                              U.S. EPA
                                                              Mail Code 1808T
                                                              1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
                                                              Washington, DC 20460
     NCE
                                                               '
s?4> Printed on paper that contains at least 50 percent postconsumer fiber.
           EPAIOO-F-03-035
             |une 2003
     NATIONAL CENTER FOR
     ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION

       WWW.EPA.GOV/INNOVATION

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 Environmental   Progress
                     through
               INNOVATION
                                                       NCE

                                                       NATIONAL  CENTER  FOR
                                                       ENVIRONMENTAL   INNOVATION
Mission
The National Center for Environmental Innovation
(NCEI) promotes new ways to achieve better environ-
mental results. Working with EPA programs and with
states, businesses, and communities, the Center seeks to
solve challenging environmental problems through new
ideas, creative partnerships, and sound analysis. To fos-
ter creative problem-solving, NCEI:

     Provides a testing ground for innovative ideas that
     advance environmental protection.
     Assists EPA's national programs and regions  in
     adopting innovative approaches.
     Supports improved environmental performance in
     business; communities; and state, tribal and  local
     governments.
NCEI is working to bring about the next generation of
environmental protection, one that focuses more on
results and less on process; emphasizes environmental
protection, not just pollution control; and takes a
comprehensive rather than piecemeal approach to
problem-solving. This environmental protection system
NCEI envisions—and is working toward—will use more
market-based incentives that link environmental and eco-
nomic objectives. It will also provide better information
and meaningful opportunities for public involvement in
decision-making.

Key  Programs

NCEFs Office of Environmental
Policy Innovation strives to continu
ously improve environmental protec-
tion systems by:
     Testing innovative ideas that
     promise better environmental
     and public health protection
     than existing policies.
     Evaluating innova-
     tions to determine
     their potential for
     broader application.
     Encouraging adoption
     of successful innova-
     tions so their value
     can be realized on a
     broader scale.
NCEFs Office of Business and Community
Innovation manages a set of multimedia programs that
strive to improve environmental performance. These
programs focus on:
     Improving environmental performance in industry
     sectors by working with industry leaders, trade
     associations, and state and local governments.
              Assisting small business by providing
              the information and extra services they
              need to understand and successfully
              address environmental issues.
              Creating incentives to recognize and
              encourage top environmental perform-
              ance and to create a more collaborative
              relationship between government and
              business.
              Minimizing the environmental impacts
              of development by working in partner-
              ship with states, local governments,
              developers, and nonprofit organizations
              to create sustainable practices that
              meet the needs of this and future gen-
              erations.

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