•EPA
 WHAT IS
         •-J..  1= • •
 PROJECT XL?
                      United States
                      Environmental Protection
                      Agency
                             Office of the
                             Administrator
                             Mail Code 1802
EPA-100-F-00-026
September 2001
(http://www.epa.gov)
Project XL:
Clermont  County.  Ohio
                                                                        ECOKOM
                                                                        INXOVAT 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.  Project XL encourages local public
sector and community organizations to test new ideas that demonstrate
community-designed and directed strategies for achieving greater
environmental quality consistent with community economic goals. 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.  It also requires
substantial involvement by stakeholders, i.e. the people and organizations
affected by EPAs decisions. EPA hopes that these projects will provide
opportunities for everyone to think "outside the box" of our current system and
to find solutions to obstacles that limit environmental performance.
 SUMMARY OF
 THE CLERMONT
 COUNTY
 PROJECT
Through Project XL, Clermont County has entered into a multi-phase
agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) to develop an innovative plan that
will help Clermont maintain a balance between economic growth and
preservation of its rural character and, in particular, protect the area's water
quality.  The primary goal of Phase I is to create a comprehensive watershed
management plan that will provide an integrated framework for achieving a
variety of more narrowly-defined water quality goals in subsequent phases.
SUPERIOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
PERFORMANCE
This multi-phased approach is expected to achieve superior environmental
performance through greater local responsibility and management of point and
non-point sources of water quality. The proposed project is comprehensive in
scope and will include water quality related development issues such as land
use, development procedures, open space and farmland preservation,
economic development, and smart growth. Clermont County is investing in
watershed management controls not currently required by federal regulations
and offering them much sooner than would otherwise be required under state
regulations. Because rapid development in the watershed is expected to
degrade water quality in spite of existing regulations and practices, the goal for
this XL project is to obtain superior environmental performance with
"indicators showing no adverse trends in water quality." Consequently, this
innovative project should result in environmental benefits sooner than would be
realized under current and anticipated regulations.

-------
FLEXIBILITY
COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT
While regulatory flexibility is a primary motivation for Clermont County's
involvement in the XL project, no regulatory flexibility is being requested during
Phase I of this agreement.  However, types of tools needed to manage and
protect the water resources will likely require flexibility. These tools may
include land use planning, storm water ordinances, erosion and sediment
control measures, riparian and buffer zone management, and implementation
of urban and agricultural best management practices. Some of the current
impediments to water quality protection are lack of authority in land use
planning and limited ordinances for storm water, sediment, and erosion
control.

Clermont County has engaged stakeholders in identifying problems,
establishing goals, determining data needs, reviewing monitoring results, and
identifying potential management actions.  Some of these stakeholders include
the local community, OEPA, and local environmental groups. One local
environmental group that has indicated significant interest in the project can be
found atwww.oeq.net. Clermont also has established a Science Advisory
Committee that includes academic, industrial, and environmental groups.
APPROACHES
TO BE TESTED
                      Can using an innovative watershed management plan involving point and non-
                      point sources improve environmental conditions for a rapidly growing
                      community?
CONTACTS
EPA Region 5 Contact:
EPA HQ:
OEPA Contact:
Project Sponsor:
Christopher Murphy, 312-886-0172
Ted Cochin, 202-566-2181
Jim Simpson, 937-285-6033
Paul Braasch, 513-732-7745

-------