OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY AND
POLLUTION PREVENTION
NATIONAL PROGRAM MANAGER
GUIDANCE
FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019
Draft - June 2017
Publication #73OP 17001

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OCSPP FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidance
Table of Contents
I.	INTRODUCTION	2
II.	KEY PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITES	4
1.	STRENGTHENING STATE/TRIBAL PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH CONTINUED EFFECTIVE
MANAGEMENT OF PESTICIDE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS	4
Description	4
Activities	4
Measure	4
2.	ASSISTING IN NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL POLLINATOR PROTECTION EFFORTS	5
Description	5
Activities	5
Measure	5
3.	EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING THE REVISED PESTICIDES WORKER PROTECTION
STANDARD RULE	6
Description	6
Activities	6
Measure	8
4.	EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING THE REVISED CERTIFICATION OF PESTICIDE APPLICATORS
RULE	8
Description	8
Activities	9
Measure	11
5.	FOCUSING REGION-SPECIFIC PESTICIDE PRIORITIES ON THOSE AREAS OF GREATEST
NEED NATIONALLY	11
Description	11
Activities	12
Measure	13
6.	TOXICS RELEASE INVENTORY (TRI)	13
Description	13
Activities	13
Measure	14
III.	APPENDICES	15
Appendix A: FY 2018 NPM Guidance Measures	15
Appendix B: Point of Contact for More Information	16
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OCSPP FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidance
I. INTRODUCTION
The National Program Manager (NPM) Guidances set forth the strategies and actions the
EPA and its state and tribal partners will undertake to protect human health and the
environment. This NPM Guidance for FY 2018-2019 supports the transition to the new
Administration's priorities, which will be reflected in EPA's FY2018-2022 Strategic Plan
(due to Congress in February 2018) and the agency's FY 2018 Congressional Justification.
In the development of this Guidance, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
(OCSPP) engaged in early outreach with states and tribes, and worked in collaboration and
coordination with other NPMs (e.g., Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
(OECA), Office of Water (OW)) and the regional offices to help identify the most important
environmental and human health protection areas of work to be conducted by the regional
offices in FY 2018-2019. During early stakeholder engagement, OCSPP provided copies of
the FY 2016-2017 NPM Guidance to states and tribes for comment. State and tribal
partners were asked to suggest changes in the FY 2016-2017 Guidance to inform the
development of the FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidance. These extensive discussions took place
during a series of tribal and state conference calls, face-to-face meetings and written
correspondence at the national and regional levels. OCSPP's FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidance
takes into consideration these external stakeholder and internal inputs on program-
specific topics and those requiring cross-program coordination. OCSPP and the regional
offices will continue to communicate regularly with the states and tribes to better
understand local, regional and national issues and priorities.
To complement the individual NPM Guidances, Office of Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
developed an "Overview to the FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidances." The Overview to the NPM
Guidances communicates important agency-wide information and should be reviewed in
conjunction with each of the FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidances, grant guidances and other
applicable requirements. This brief stand-alone document is posted separately on OCFO's
NPM Guidance website at: http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/national-program-
manager-guidances.
The agency may update this NPM Guidance, as needed, when more specific policy direction is
provided by the new agency leadership team, more information is available about our
appropriations, and additional information is available through our ongoing planning discussions
with our state, local, and tribal partners. For more specific program descriptions and a detailed
list of past activities that may apply to FY 2018-2019, please reference OCSPP's FY 2016-2017
NPM Guidance flittp://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/national-program-manager-
guidancesl and the point of contacts listed in Appendix B.
The EPA will continue to use the Annual Commitment System (ACS) to track annual
regional performance information and results. FY 2018 commitments are listed in
Appendix A of this Guidance. The annual commitments in ACS will remain as draft until
final performance agreements are reached in October 2017. FY 2018 commitments will be
finalized in October 2017. More information on the agency's NPM Guidance development
process, public comment process, other NPM Guidances to the regional offices and the
agency's official commenting template can be found on the EPA's planning and budgeting
website at http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/national-program-manager-guidances.
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Additional information on the EPA performance measures, planning and budgeting can be
found at http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget. More OCSPP-specific information can be
found at http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-chemical-safety-and-pollution-
prevention-ocspp.
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OCSPP FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidance
II. KEY PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITES
1. STRENGTHENING STATE AND TRIBAL PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH
CONTINUED EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF PESTICIDE COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS
Description
The National Pesticide Program depends on cooperative agreements with states and tribes
to implement many of the requirements of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and to help ensure our regulatory decisions and programs achieve
intended protections. This ensures that Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), OECA, and the
EPA regional offices are responsive to co-regulator and stakeholder needs while effectively
managing cooperative agreements. Regional offices are responsible for negotiating,
implementing and managing state and tribal cooperative agreements, and are uniquely
positioned to provide technical assistance and oversight given their proximity and working
relationships with states and tribes.
Activities
•	Negotiate state and tribal cooperative agreements and work plans consistent with the
FIFRA Cooperative Agreement Guidance.
•	Issue grant funds to states and tribes in a timely manner once they become available
and/or consistent with the start of the cooperative agreement funding period (unless
another timeframe is negotiated with the grantee). Ensure resources are directed
consistent with the FIFRA Cooperative Agreement Guidance to areas where they are
most needed.
•	Ensure mid-year and end-of-year reporting is consistent with the mechanisms, quality
and timeframes listed in the FIFRA Cooperative Agreement Guidance.
•	Foster prompt and accurate communication of EPA Pesticide Program regulations,
policies and guidance to states and tribes.
•	Communicate with states and tribes regularly to ensure grantees conduct meaningful
work in priority areas, and can meet their cooperative agreement responsibilities.
•	Provide effective technical assistance and policy support for states and tribes on
national pesticide priorities listed in the FIFRA Cooperative Agreement Guidance to
help the grantees be successful.
Measure
(ACS Code: CORE) Percent of overall required pesticide program cooperative
agreement activities that are included in grantee work plans and completed consistent
with the pesticide program portion of the FIFRA Grant Guidance.
•	Commitment target is 100 percent of pesticide program required activities completed
by grantee that are required, under pesticide program portion of the FIFRA Grant
Guidance.
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•	Data for this ACS measure will not be available for reporting purposes until February 28
of each year due to the end of year reporting cycle for states and tribes.
2. ASSISTING IN NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL POLLINATOR
PROTECTION EFFORTS
Description
Through risk assessment, mitigation, education, and outreach, EPA's Office of Pesticides
Programs' goal for pollinator protection is to ensure all pollinators, including managed
pollinators such as honey bees, and native pollinators including Monarch Butterflies, are
protected from adverse effects of pesticide exposure.
Activities
•	Assist with the development and outreach conducted related to state and tribal pollinator
protection plans. Regional offices should support states who are still developing MP3s
or broader tribal Pollinator Protection Plans (P3), and assist tribes who are in the
process of developing P3s. Further, regional offices should also conduct outreach and
technical assistance activities on these plans throughout FY 2018-2019. Regional offices
should also conduct outreach on measures developed by the Pesticide Program
Dialogue Committee (PPDC) and OPP, State FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation
Group (SFIREG), states, tribes, and other stakeholders to determine the effectiveness of
these plans in reducing pesticide risk to pollinators.
•	Conduct outreach and education on pollinator protection approaches and efforts
including the Monarch Protection Strategy. Regional offices should disseminate existing
outreach materials to promote pollinator protection Best Management Practices (BMP),
and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in crops attractive to bees. Existing EPA-
developed materials include a Region 9 guidance for tribal pollinator protection plans
developed for Region 9 tribes; a Region 9 "Bee Aware" brochure; a flyer for tribes
developed by Region 10; and information on OPP's website. In addition, an extensive
amount of outreach and educational materials are available on stakeholder websites,
such as the Xerces Society and the Honey Bee Health Coalition websites.
•	Identify opportunities to partner with other agencies and organizations interested in
promoting pollinator protection. Regional offices should consider partnering with
United States Department of Agriculture Regional IPM Centers to leverage
opportunities for outreach on pollinator protection BMPs.
•	Promote the EPA Bee Inspection Guidance and timely state and tribal responses to all
suspected pesticide incidents involving pollinators. Provide additional outreach to states
and tribes to facilitate the use of the Bee Inspection Guidance. Regional offices should
work with states and tribes to report the results of investigations of all known or
suspected pesticide incidents involving pollinators to OPP at: beekill@epa.gov.
Measure
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The activities and outcomes described in this section are not measurable at this time.
Therefore, no ACS measures are proposed to be associated with this area of focus for FY
2018-2019.
3. EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING THE REVISED PESTICIDES WORKER
PROTECTION STANDARD RULE
Description
On November 2, 2015, EPA published final revisions to the Worker Protection Standard
(WPS) rule (40 CFR Part 170). The WPS revisions address pesticide safety training,
notification, communication materials, use of PPE, and decontamination supplies. These
revisions are intended to reduce the number and severity of pesticide exposure incidents
and prevent unreasonable adverse effects among agricultural workers, pesticide handlers
and vulnerable groups, including minority and low income populations, farmworker
children, farmworker families and the general population. More than two million
farmworkers nationwide receive protections under the WPS regulation.
The Agency determined in May 2017 that additional resources and training were necessary
for effective implementation of the revised provisions in the WPS. EPA is currently in the
process of taking necessary regulatory steps to extend the compliance date for all revised
provisions in the WPS until at least January 2, 2018. The principal activities for all regional
offices in the WPS program area for FY 2018-2019 will be to contribute to the development
of additional guidance and training materials to support the states and tribes in their
implementation of the WPS (e.g., WPS Inspection Guidance, FIFRA Project Officer Manual,
WPS Interpretive Policy guidance, Region- and program-specific WPS guidance, etc.).
Regional offices should also support any additional WPS implementation activities that
may be identified in subsequent agency guidance documents or directives due to potential
rule modifications that may occur after this guidance is issued (e.g., delayed compliance
dates or other WPS rule revisions).
Activities
•	Provide training, outreach and communication to states and tribes, other co-regulators,
farmworker advocates, and State Land Grant Universities/Extension educators on the
key requirements and impacts of the revised WPS rule. This includes organizing
training for states, tribes and other co-regulators as needed (in person or by webinar)
and coordinating the communication and resolution of issues and concerns between
states, tribes and OPP or OECA when necessary.
•	Support state and tribal WPS rule and program implementation efforts and provide
effective oversight of state and tribal WPS programs so that agency resources are
directed to areas where they are most needed and best support the WPS program goals.
Allocate resources as available to support travel for regional staff to attend and
participate in national WPS PREP and PIRT courses, as well as other national WPS
training courses or programs that may be held to train regional staff and inspectors and
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build regional infrastructure and/or capacity for supporting WPS program
implementation.
•	Support national efforts designed to address field implementation issues that may arise
(e.g., developing WPS fact sheets, "Q&A's", addressing equivalency requests, developing
region-specific training and/or compliance assistance materials, etc.).
•	Conduct WPS-related outreach, education and technical assistance on the revised rule's
requirements to the regulated and impacted community:
•	Support WPS worker and handler training activities. This includes assisting with the
development and distribution of EPA approved WPS training materials, reviewing new
or updated training materials submitted to EPA for approval as applicable and
appropriate.
•	Work with states and tribes in the region to ensure mechanisms and procedures are in
place to enable coordination and follow-up on reports of occupational pesticide
exposure, incidents or illnesses that may be related to pesticide use or misuse, or WPS
violations, and facilitate any efforts to establish or enhance such efforts.
Regional offices with more WPS-affected establishments, large farmworker populations or
specific/special WPS implementation issues should also consider undertaking
supplemental special initiatives or activities in the following areas:
•	Facilitate development and adoption of EPA-approved WPS train-the-trainer (TTT)
programs and materials. OPP encourages regional offices to support the establishment
of state and tribal WPS TTT programs that will improve the quality of WPS trainers and
WPS training programs.
•	Support programs and provide resources to facilitate employer compliance with the
new WPS requirements related to respirator use (i.e., medical evaluation, fit-testing and
respirator training). This may include developing partnerships with medical providers,
regulatory partners, grower and commodity groups, and/or nongovernmental
organizations to support understanding and adoption of the requirements as well as
providing resources and mechanisms for fulfilling the requirements.
•	Work with regional community-based WPS training providers. When possible, regional
offices should work with community-based training providers, such as Association of
Farmworker Opportunity Programs, Telamon and other farmworker assistance groups,
to support WPS training efforts and ensure training providers are meeting WPS
requirements. Regional offices should facilitate linkages between training providers
and state and tribal contacts and members of the agricultural community so their
services can be utilized more effectively.
•	Develop cooperative relationships with farmworker service organizations. Regional
offices should identify and work with groups in the region that provide services to
farmworkers to establish cooperative relationships and better communications and
linkages.
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• Support the National Strategy for Outreach to Health Care Providers
fhttps://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety). which is an important component of
the agency's pesticide worker safety program and the cornerstone of the EPA's effort to
improve recognition and management of pesticide poisonings by health care providers.
The strategy is also key to facilitating better communications regarding pesticide
incidents. There are a broad range of activities regional offices can undertake under this
WPS program area, such as working with rural physicians and migrant clinics to
conduct outreach and raise awareness about the WPS and occupational pesticide
exposure, working to facilitate regional incident reporting, etc. This could also include
activities that address or impact children's health (e.g., establishing decontamination
facilities and/or educational messages at daycare centers used by migrant farmworker
children, doing outreach on new minimum age requirements, etc.).
Measure
No ACS measure is proposed to be associated with this area of focus for FY 2018-2019 to
allow regional offices the flexibility to direct their efforts where they are most needed, and
to select the activities and level of effort appropriate for the needs of their region.
4. EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING THE REVISED CERTIFICATION OF
PESTICIDE APPLICATORS RULE
Description
On January 4, 2017, EPA published final rule revisions to the Certification of Pesticide
Applicators rule (40 CFR Part 171). The revisions address private applicator competency,
standards for recertification programs, standards for supervision of noncertified
applicators, competency requirements for noncertified applicators applying Restricted Use
Pesticides (RUP) under the supervision of a certified applicator, minimum age for certified
and noncertified applicators, application-method specific categories, requirements for
state, tribal and federal agency certification plans, and implementation requirements.
These revisions are intended to reduce the number and severity of pesticide exposure
incidents associated with the use of RUPs, and prevent unreasonable adverse effects among
certified applicators, noncertified persons applying under the supervision of a certified
applicator, vulnerable groups, including minority and low income populations, and the
general population.
The Certification and Training (C&T) program is critical to ensuring that persons using or
supervising the use of RUPs are competent to use these products without causing
unreasonable adverse effects to human health or the environment and to provide a
mechanism by which states, tribes, and federal agencies can administer their own
programs to certify applicators of RUPs as competent. The C&T program also plays a vital
role in ensuring that important pesticide tools remain available to pest control officials and
users to address critical pest management needs.
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Although EPA has delayed the effective date of the Certification of Pesticide Applicators
rule until May 22, 2018, this does not substantively change the C&T-related activities the
regional offices should undertake in FY 2018-2019.
Activities
The principal activities for all regional offices in the C&T program area for FY 2018-19 will
be to ensure state and tribal pesticide applicator certification programs are being
implemented and maintained in accordance with their EPA-approved certification plans.
Additionally, regional offices should support implementation of the January 4, 2017, rule
revisions to the Part 171 Certification of Pesticide Applicators rule, and carry out C&T
program implementation activities in accordance with this and any other applicable EPA
guidance (e.g., FIFRA Inspection Guidance, FIFRA Project Officer Manual, region-specific
C&T guidance, etc.).
Specific activities include:
•	Regional offices must ensure state and tribal pesticide applicator certification programs
are being implemented and maintained in accordance with their EPA-approved
certification plans. Regional offices should ensure states and tribes continue
implementing pesticide applicator certification programs in accordance with current
EPA-approved certification plans and Part 171 requirements until such time that
revised, EPA-approved certification plans complying with the new revised Part 171 rule
requirements are in place.
•	Provide training, outreach and communication to states and tribes, other co-regulators,
and State Land Grant Universities/Extension educators on the key requirements and
impacts of the revised C&T rule.
•	Support state and tribal C&T rule and program implementation efforts and provide
effective oversight of state and tribal C&T programs so that agency resources are
directed to areas where they are most needed and best support the C&T program goals.
•	Allocate resources as available to support travel for regional staff to attend and
participate in national C&T PREP and PIRT courses, as well as other national C&T
training courses or programs that may be held to train regional staff and inspectors and
build regional infrastructure and capacity for supporting certification program
implementation.
•	Support and participate in the "National HQ-Regional C&T Implementation Workgroup"
as appropriate. The National C&T Implementation workgroup will be designed to
ensure nationally consistent certification plan reviews and address any C&T field
implementation issues that may arise.
•	Provide C&T-related outreach, education and technical assistance on the revised rule to
the regulated and protected communities, and key stakeholder groups in the region
(e.g., certified applicators, RUP dealers, non-certified applicators applying RUPs under
the supervisions of a certified applicator, commercial pesticide application businesses,
agricultural organizations, crop or commodity groups, training organizations,
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regulatory partners, key nongovernmental organization stakeholders, and other
affected agencies and/or organizations).
•	Support state and tribal development and submission of revised certification plans that
meet the requirements of the revised rule.
•	Ensure states and tribes meet Part 171 requirements for certification plan maintenance
and annual reporting using the Certification Plan and Reporting Database (CPARD).
Regional offices must ensure that state and tribal certification plans are entered,
submitted and maintained and kept current within the Certification Plan and Reporting
Database (CPARD) in accordance with the requirements in 40 CFR Part 171 and
associated EPA guidances. Regional offices must ensure revised certification plans are
entered and submitted through CPARD in accordance with program policy and
guidance, and that plans are updated in CPARD annually, making any necessary updates
and all pertinent information to reflect any changes to their certification programs and
plans made during the year.
•	Regional offices must ensure states and tribes use the CPARD database system for
submitting their required annual certification program accomplishment reporting
information. The annual certification program accomplishment reporting information
required by Part 171 must be entered into CPARD annually by December 31st of each
calendar year regardless of the actual grant project period. By properly and completely
filling out the reporting section of the CPARD system, states and tribes will provide the
annual C&T accomplishment reporting information to EPA that contains all the
information required by Part 171. Regional offices should work with their states and
tribes if any technical assistance is needed for using CPARD.
As resources allow, regional offices with large numbers of certified applicators,
noncertified applicators applying RUPs under the supervision of a certified applicator, or
unique pesticide applicator certification issues should consider undertaking supplemental
special initiatives or activities in the following areas described below.
•	Suggest project ideas that would support the implementation of the revised
Certification rule to the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC), a
cooperative agreement between the Office of Pesticide Programs and University of
California Davis Extension, in collaboration with Oregon State University. Projects could
include the development or revision of manuals, exam banks or other materials.
Proposed project ideas can be submitted on PERC's web site:
http://pesticideresources.org/.
•	Promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) concepts in applicator certification
programs. The EPA encourages regional offices to promote adoption of IPM concepts
and principles in pesticide applicator certification and recertification training materials
and programs to raise awareness about and adoption of IPM. Regional offices should
consider working with states and tribes on the following activities to promote IPM:
review and revise initial certification programs to assure adequate coverage of IPM; and
review and revise recertification training programs to assure adequate coverage of IPM
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concepts and principles, and making IPM-related outreach and education materials and
resources available to applicators.
•	Support Certification and Training Assessment Group (CTAG) projects. The agency
continues to actively work on projects and activities stemming from the CTAG process
and recommendations. Regional offices should keep abreast of the ongoing CTAG
projects and activities and identify potential opportunities for collaboration with their
states and tribes and OPP and CTAG. Regional offices should also provide input and
comment on CTAG issue papers and other CTAG documents.
•	Undertake efforts to measure program outcomes. Regional offices should consider
working with their states and tribes to conduct program assessments or develop
program measures that help document certification program outcomes. This may
include such things as developing processes to document positive behavior change
resulting from training and/or certification, or developing pre- and post-test
evaluations for certified applicators that may help document the increased competency
that resulted from certification and training.
•	Encourage states and tribes to use exam development and validation principles. Where
resources permit, regional offices should encourage states and tribes to use exam
development and validation principles to revise their applicator exams and help lead to
improved competency of applicators, and regional offices should involve themselves in
any state and tribal activities related to such efforts.
•	Encourage states and tribes to undertake special compliance initiatives related to
certification requirements that may focus on sale and distribution of restricted use
pesticides (RUPs) to applicators in fumigation sector(s) of concern due to the high
potential for severe, acute incidents from exposure.
Measure
No ACS measure is proposed to be associated with this area of focus for FY 2018-2019 to
allow regional offices the flexibility to direct their efforts where they are most needed, and
to select the activities and level of effort appropriate for the needs of their region.
5. FOCUSING REGION-SPECIFIC PESTICIDE PRIORITIES ON THOSE AREAS
OF GREATEST NEED NATIONALLY
Description
Region-Specific Pesticide Priority areas supports the agency's national pesticide program
efforts. In addition, these projects support one or more of the agency's Strategic Plan goals
and strategies, and directly benefit states and/or tribes. The relative priority of each of
these program areas will vary across the country. Therefore, this national focus area
enables regional offices to select priority areas which address the greatest needs of their
states, tribes, environmental justice communities, and vulnerable populations, and will
likely result in the greatest reduction of potential pesticide risk in their area of the country.
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Regional offices are to select one priority area out of the Region-Specific Pesticide Priority
list provided below for special focus and will conduct one special project in the area
selected. Regional offices must ensure that they propose substantive projects for the
priority area selected. Regional offices are encouraged to work together on projects to
leverage resources.
Region-Specific Pesticide Priority areas to choose from are:
1.	Promotion of State and Tribal Pesticide Program Coordination and Communication;
2.	Bed Bug Outreach and Assistance;
3.	Promotion, Development or Support of Integrated Pest Management Efforts;
4.	Support of Water Quality Risk Assessment and Mitigation;
5.	Spray Drift Outreach and Incident Data Collection; and
6.	Support of Emerging Public Health Pesticide Issues.
Activities
The following should be considered to assure robust and substantive special projects for
the one program area selected:
•	Each regional office must conduct a project in one of the listed Region-Specific Pesticide
Priority areas.
•	All project proposals must be discussed with and approved by the OPP/FEAD
Government and International Services Branch Chief before the project is initiated.
•	Projects must be designed to achieve the stated goals of the project and show
meaningful results.
•	Projects may entail outreach, education, training, stakeholder coordination, program
evaluation, state or tribal program capacity building and support, or other similar
projects or initiatives that may lead to program improvement.
•	Proposals for projects should include a clear statement of what work will be done, what
the project hopes to accomplish and how it will support the goals of the program areas.
•	Regional offices are encouraged to set ambitious goals that result in true protections.
•	Projects must be designed to be completed in one to three years. Multi-year projects
should have measurable milestones for each year of the project. Regional offices
currently conducting a multi-year IPM-related project from a previous fiscal year that
meets the other requirements of this section may request that the project be considered
as the region's project for the current fiscal year
•	Projects (or one phase of a multi-year project) must be completed by the end of the
fiscal year. Regional offices must submit project reports to OPP within 60 days of the
end of the federal fiscal year.
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•	The results of each project will be reviewed by OPP and regional offices at the end of
the fiscal year and discussed on a conference call or meeting so that innovations and
lessons learned may be shared across the regional offices and pesticide program.
•	Project results will be compiled for National Pesticide Program Accomplishments
reports and shared within OPP.
Measure
(ACS Code: RSP2) Number of region-specific projects or initiatives contributing to the
implementation and enhancement of the region-specific pesticide program priority
areas.
• Commitment target is one project or initiative (one Region-Specific Pesticide
Priority area selected by the region).
6. TOXICS RELEASE INVENTORY [TRI]
Description
The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program supports the EPA's mission by annually
publishing, for the public, release and other waste management data (e.g., recycling) on
over 650 toxic chemicals from more than 21 thousand industrial and federal facilities. The
TRI program, working with the EPA's Environmental Information program, will continue to
provide reporting facilities with an online reporting application, TRI-MEweb, to facilitate
the electronic preparation and submission of TRI reports through the EPA's Central Data
Exchange (CDX). CDX manages access and authentication services for most EPA reporting
systems, including the TRI. In particular, it provides a third-party authentication for
reporting facilities using LexisNexis.
The TRI data collected by the EPA are shared with states who have an active node on CDX
and are partners of the TRI Data Exchange (TDX). Facilities located in states that
participate in this exchange submit reports to the EPA through CDX. The data are then
downloaded by the states or transferred to their nodes using TDX. The EPA will continue to
maintain the TDX used by states, tribes, and territories.
Activities
•	Regional offices should conduct data quality checks, primarily through data quality
phone calls and emails. These phone calls and emails are directed at: 1) ensuring a high-
quality TRI National Analysis dataset; and 2) identifying facility call lists (post TRI
National Analysis calls or "ad hoc" calls) that focus on outlier and comparative
analyses. The ad hoc analyses include, but are not limited to: facilities reporting invalid
classification codes; low or no air releases for volatile TRI chemicals despite reporting a
large amount of the chemical on-site; identical release quantities in subsequent years;
and comparative analyses of TRI facilities reporting to other EPA and/or non-EPA
programs. The data quality calls are conducted by headquarter and regional staff.
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•	Regional offices should work with facilities to determine if chemical release and threshold
calculations are consistent with national TRI guidance.
•	Regional offices should tailor the ad hoc data quality phone calls to the region's specific
interests or priorities.
•	Regional roles should assist state, tribal and local governments with TRI data access and
understanding, for the purposes of addressing toxic chemicals in their communities under
their own authorities, particularly for community waste reduction and clean-up actions
Measure
(ACS Code: TRI1) Number of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data quality checks.
•	Measure TRI-1 measure allows us to track performance of the TRI program, and aid in
improving the accuracy and reliability of environmental data. This measure will provide
valuable information as more than 21,000 facilities report to the TRI program annually.
•	For FY 2018, TRI-1 is a non-commitment measure of data quality calls and emails to
600 facilities in total across all regional offices.
•	For FY2019, TRI-1 will be a commitment measure of data quality calls and email to 600
facilities in total across all regional offices.
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III. APPENDICES
Appendix A: FY 2018 NPM Guidance Measures
ACS
Code
Measure Text
Indicator
(Y/N)
FY 2018
National
Planning
Target
Comments/Clarification
CORE
Percent of overall required pesticide program cooperative
agreement activities that are included in grantee workplans and
completed consistent with the pesticide program portion of the
FIFRA Grant Guidance.
N


RSP2
Number of region-specific projects or initiatives contributing to
the implementation and enhancement of the Region-Specific
Pesticide Priority areas.
N


TRI1
Number of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data quality checks.
Y


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OCSPP FY 2018-2019 NPM Guidance
Appendix B: Point of Contact for More Information
Contact Name
Subject Area
Phone
Email
Jennifer Vernon
OCSPP Planning and Accountability Lead
NPM Guidance Development
202-564-6573
vernon.jennifer@epa.gov
Lance Wormell
Office of Pesticides Programs
Field and External Affairs Division
703-603-0523
wormell.lance@ epa.gov
Mike Burns
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
Environmental Assistance Division
202-564-8273
burns.mike@epa.gov
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