Summer 2004 ISSUE #17 United States Environmental Protection Agency an environmental bulletin for federal facilities Working Toward Environmental Compliance and Sustainability in the Federal Government The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Facilities Enforce- ment Office (FFEO) is responsible for ensuring that federal facilities comply with environmental laws and take actions to prevent, control and abate environmen- tal pollution. Over the years, the ways in which FFEO performs this task have evolved from reliance on traditional EPA tools, such as enforcement and compliance monitoring, to include newer, more innov- ative approaches to more completely address the complexities of environmental problems facing government agencies. This issue profiles FFEO and its pro- gram. We will look briefly at the U.S. gov- ernment sector and its compliance record with environmental laws. In this and related articles, we will look at EPA's fed- eral facility program and its efforts to develop and integrate a range of tools and strategies to ensure facility compliance with environmental laws, and foster greater environmental stewardship within government agencies. Inside 3 US and Israel Joint Management Systems Project 5 President's Management Council Compliance Initiative 8 Update on E.O. 13148 Implementation 9 EMS Mentoring Program and other EMS News 13 P2 and Environmental Stewardship News 19 EPA's "Buying Green Online" 20 EPA's Self-Disclosure Policy 21 EPA's Inspection Initiative, and other Enforcement and Compliance Montitoring News 24 "Closing the Circle" and other awards 25 Upcoming Events 26 EPA's Federal Facility Program Managers Environmental Compliance Challenge The U.S. government owns over 674 mil- lion acres of land - nearly one third of the United States, and owns or leases over 480,000 buildings.1 Federal facilities are buildings, installations, structures, land, public works, equipment, aircraft, ves- sels, and other vehicles and property owned by or constructed or manufactured for the federal government. The govern- ment's approximately 30 agencies, bureaus and departments control over 32,000 facilities, over 7,800 of which are engaged in a broad range of activities reg- ulated under U.S. environmental laws.2 Collectively, the U.S. government is the nation's largest consumer of natural resources and power, and generates sig- nificant amounts of pollution and harm- ful wastes. Federal agencies, like private parties, are required to comply with all federal environmental requirements, including those of states, localities and tribes. U.S. government agencies must also comply with additional requirements set out in Presidential Executive Orders. Since 1993, FFEO has monitored fed- eral agency progress in meeting statutory and regulatory requirements. In its most recent report on compliance, which covers fiscal years 2001 and 2002, FFEO reports compliance rates for Continued on page 5 Environmental Spotlight NEW ENFORCEMENT CHIEF ENCOURAGES GOOD STEWARDSHIP BY FEDERAL FACILITIES By Tom Skinner Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA's Office of Enforcement and, Compliance Assurance I am pleased to have this opportunity to introduce myself, and also share with you some thoughts about the future direction of OECA's federal facility program. As EPA's chief enforcement and com- pliance assurance officer, I want to improve the federal government's envi- ronmental performance through facility compliance with environmental require- ments, pollution prevention, and environ- mental stewardship. This is especially important for the U.S. government. Government facilities must not only comply with regulatory requirements, but I believe they can also be role models and mentors for innova- tion, sustainability and environmental stewardship. The strategies for achieving these goals, first outlined by my predecessor J.P. Suarez as "Smart Enforcement," embrace a "common sense" approach, and are the foundation for the program managed by OECA's Federal Continued on page 2 ABOUT THIS ISSUE... In this issue, we spotlight the U.S. EPA's federal facility enforcement and compliance assurance program, and its changing approach to achieving environmental compliance and stewardship in the federal government. Traditional core program functions, like enforcement and compliance monitoring are discussed, and also new strategies and tools designed to address the complex and changing nature of environmental protection throughout the government. Printed on Recycled Paper ------- ENVIRONMENTAL SPOTLIGHT Continued from page 1 Facilities Enforcement Office. Put simply, our federal facility program will use the most appropriate enforcement and com- pliance tools to address the most signifi- cant problems to achieve the best out- comes. For our federal facility program, this means several things. First and foremost, we will continue to be a strong enforce- ment presence in the field. We are also exploring and embracing new environ- mental compliance tools uniquely suited for the federal community, and encourag- ing innovators and leaders in environ- mental management and stewardship. FEDFACS ON THE WEB This and past issues of FedFacs can be found on EPA's website at: http://www.epa. gov/compliance/resources/newsletters/ civil/fedfac/index.html is published by EPA's Federal Facilities Enforcement Office. EPA #300-N-04-004 Marie Muller, FFEO, Editor Robin Foster, Legin Group, Layout Federal Facilities Enforcement Office Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance U.S. EPA (2261A) 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20460 Phone: 202-564-2510 Fax: 202-501-0069 Internet: www.epa.gov/compliance/ resources/newsletters/civil/fedfac/ index.html Often, a combination of tools, or an "inte- grated strategy" is the best approach. We also recognize that partnerships and collaborative efforts - at both the national and regional level - are critical to furthering environmental compliance, innovation, and information exchange. We have had success in realizing greater environmental benefits through increased cooperation between agencies. For example, EPA and the Office of the Federal Environmen- tal Executive have joined together to help other federal agencies meet Executive Order We are embracing new environmental compliance tools suited for the federal community, and encouraging ronmental Stewardship and Compliance Assistance Center, slated for launch this year. EPA hopes that federal agencies working together and combining their collective knowledge, experience and resources, will result in more environ- mental compliance and innovation throughout the government. As the former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 5 and manager of the Great Lakes Program, I understand the value and neces- sity of programs and initiatives tailored to address regional or local issues. EPA has a wide range of innovative regional fed- eral facility programs and part- nerships, and I look forward to 13148's mandate for innovators and leaders new opportunities in the future. in environmental management and stewardship. appropriate federal facilities to implement environmental man- agement systems, and make the federal gov- ernment a leader in environmental man- agement. The Office of the Federal Envi- ronmental Executive and I share a common vision that facilities can mitigate and sometimes eliminate environmental problems by integrating environmental considerations into all aspects of facility operation. EPA's partnership with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a tem- plate for collaborative efforts between EPA's federal facility program and other federal agencies. By helping agencies such as the VHA identify and address its environmental problems, EPA hopes to enable them to design and implement internal environmental programs that address their specific needs. EPA is creating a forum for collabora- tion and information exchange with the new full service Federal Facilities Envi- Finally, I congratulate federal agencies and facilities that are not only meeting their environ- mental requirements, but going beyond them to incorporate sus- tainable practices in their facility opera- tions. I look forward to guiding EPA's fed- eral facility enforcement and compliance assurance program, and being a vital part of the federal government's progress toward its environmental goals. Thomas Skinner was appointed Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on April 2, 2004. Mr. Skinner was Regional Administrator for the EPA Region 5 in Chicago and previously Direc- tor of the Illinois Environmental Protec- tion Agency before joining the U.S. EPA in 2001. He holds a juris doctorate degree from Northwestern University School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Lawrence University. Mr. Skinner will remain the Great Lakes National Pro- gram Ma nager for the Agency. FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXECUTIVE JOHN HOWARD RESIGNS John Howard submitted to President Bush his resignation as Federal Environmental Executive, effective June 11, 2004. He and his family will be returning home to Austin, Texas. He stated, "It has been a privilege and an honorto have served with so many in working to improve the Federal government's (and America's) environmental stewardship, and I believe we have made substan- tial progress. I wish all of you the best as you continue this important work with 0FEE, through Ed Pinero, Dana Arnold, and the 0FEE team." 2 FEDFACS ------- US and Israel Work on Management Systems for Environment and Security The United States-Israel Science and Technology Foundation (USISTF), Civil Infrastructure Security (CIS) Net- work, and Office of the Federal Environ- mental Executive (OFEE) conducted a stakeholder meeting in March 2004 to initiate an effort to identify the approach, procedures, outcomes and metrics neces- sary to integrate environmental and security management systems. The goal is to develop a blueprint for U.S. and Israeli private, public and gov- ernmental entities to develop integrated systems using the Environmental Man- agement System (EMS) model (particu- larly the ISO-14001 standard). Particu- lar emphasis will be placed on the fol- lowing elements: risk identification and assessment; risk prevention through process improvement and the introduc- tion of new technologies; emergency response; and continual improvement of processes and operations. Pilot sites will be identified to test the draft tools. At the conclusion of the pilots, finalized guidelines, protocols and lessons learned, as well as any other information on the non-sensitive aspects of the demonstration project and collected non-confidential materials will be published. This effort supports the Administra- tion's commitments to EMS, collabora- tive efforts with the non-federal commu- nity, and leadership in international technology development. Other federal entities involved in the project include the Department of Homeland Security, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Postal Service and Environmental Protection Agency. For additional information please contact: Ed Pinero, Deputy Federal Environmental Executive in the Office of Federal Enviromental Executive (202) 564-1297, or Edwin_pinero@ceq .eop.gov. VHA Launches Green Environmental Management Systems The U.S. EPA and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) are partnering to improve environmental compliance at VA facilities. At the VHA's request, EPA conducted or will conduct environmental manage- ment reviews (EMRs) at 17 VA medical centers across the nation. Final reviews will be conducted in 2004. EMRs help individual facilities improve facility opera- tions and minimize impacts on the envi- ronment. They also enable VHA to design and implement national changes to address common environmental issues found at the VA medical centers. The EMRs also evaluated environmen- tal management systems (EMSs) at VA facilities, and were a good foundation for Green Environmental Management Sys- tems (GEMS) - a program the VA launched in April to meet requirements of Executive Order 13148, "Greening the Government Through Leadership in Envi- ronmental Management." The GEMS Guidebook, which lists the steps a facility must take to develop GEMS on-site, proposes a top-down and bottom-up approach for VA medical cen- ters. A key component of GEMS is the requirement of periodic environmental compliance audits which should identify many environmental problems while they can be easily corrected. The GEMS program includes nine steps: 1) appoint GEMS coordinator and GEMS committee; 2) train GEMS com- mittee; 3) conduct initial GEMS gap analysis; 4) identify significant environ- mental aspects; 5) establish operational controls; 6) set objectives and targets; 7) train staff on GEMS policies and stan- dard operating procedures; 8) conduct environmental compliance baseline and periodic follow-up audits; and 9) issue annual program effectiveness review and report. GEMS follows the "plan-do-check-act" model, making integration with Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health- care Organizations (JCAHO) Environ- ment of Care programs easy at health- care facilities. In fact, many of the requirements for GEMS are already in place. During the EMRs, this was a con- sistent finding. With EPA's assistance, the VHA con- tinues to develop and deliver environmen- tal training programs. The VA's medical center top management and safety man- agers also received GEMS training. VA staff also received RCRA hazardous waste compliance training, and EPA Region 1 (Boston) delivered environmental train- ing in May. Many training programs were videotaped and will be re-broadcast, while the VA is also developing more in-depth technical training. A joint Chief Engi- neer/Safety Conference in September, with part of the agenda devoted to GEMS and environmental training, is under development. For further information visit: http:// www.epa.gov/compliance/assistance/ sectors/federal/epavha.html or contact: Diane Lynne, lynne.diane@epa.gov. See related articles in past issues of FedFacs at: http://www.epa.gov/compliance /resources/newsletters/civil/fedfac/index. html. FEDFACS 3 ------- Fort Chaffee and Sheppard AFB Ready for Reuse Pictured from left to right: Marcus Devine, ADEQ Director; Jerry Stewart, M.D., Ft. Chaffee Redevelopment Authority Chairman; Richard Newsome, Assistant for Restoration, Office of the Deputy Asst. Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health; and Carl Edlund, EPA Region 6 Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division Director. Pictured from left to right: Laurie King, EPA Region 6 Federal Facilities Section Chief; Brigadier General Arthur Rooney, Jr., Commander, 82nd Training Wing; and Allan Posnick, TCEQ DSMOA Manager. Ready for Reuse determinations were issued to two facilities in U.S. EPA Region 6 (Dallas). In November 2003, Region 6 and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) issued a Ready for Reuse determination to Fort Chaffee, Ark. In March 2004, Region 6 and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued its determination to Sheppard Air Force Base (AFB) in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Ready for Reuse determination verifies that environmental conditions on affected portions of these facilities are protective of human health and the environment based on their anticipated use as commercial/industrial and resi- dential properties. Determinations pro- vide specific information about a site, including the nature and extent of cont- amination, cleanup work performed, and status with state and federal requirements. The Fort Chaffee determination, the first awarded to a U.S. Army facility, applies to approximately 7,000 acres of land declared excess by DoD. Owner- ship was transferred under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Pro- gram to the Fort Chaffee Redevelop- ment Authority. The property was used for military training and had troop bar- racks, a hospital, administrative offices, maintenance/supply buildings, a golf course and an airstrip. Fort Chaffee closed in 1997. The Ready for Reuse ceremony was held at "Fantasies at the Fort," a former Army administration building now being reused as a wedding banquet hall. In addition to local dignitaries, Army representatives from the Pentagon and the Hampton, Ya. BRAC office attended the event. The Sheppard AFB determination applies to Installation Restoration Pro- gram Site FT003. The site was used for fire protection training exercises from approximately 1957 to 1992. A variety of materials, primarily waste fuels, were burned at the site during the exercises. Sheppard AFB is the largest and most diverse training facility in the Air Force's Air Education Training Com- mand (AETC). The determination is the first awarded to an AETC base. The Ready for Reuse ceremony was attended by local dignitaries, as well as officials from AETC Headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Additional information about the Fort Chaffee and Sheppard AFB ready for reuse determinations is available at www.epa.gov/earthlr6/ready4reuse and www.epa.gov/earthlr6/ready4reuse, respectively. 4 FEDFACS ------- PRESIDENT'S MANAGEMENT COUNCIL COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE INITIATIVE In April 2003, the President's Management Council (PMC) and the Office of Management and Bud- get (OMB) asked the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of the Fed- eral Environmental Executive (OFEE)to identify how federal agencies assure environmental com- pliance and offer recommendations for improvements. In the summer of 2003, OFEE and the Interagency Environmental Leadership Workgroup established under Executive Order 13148 con- ducted the first-ever survey of federal agencies' environmental compliance management. The sur- vey reflected ongoing efforts to incorporate environmental management system (EMS) principles into federal agency programs. Questions were presented regarding compliance auditing programs, allocation of resources for compliance monitoring and level of management engagement in the compliance process. OFEE received responses from 63 departments, agencies, services and bureaus. Responses are under review by the Interagency Workgroup, and compilation and analysis of the results is nearly complete. The effort will culminate in identification of best practices and a series of recommenda- tions to improve federal agency compliance programs at the facility and agency level. Reflecting the ongoing federal efforts to implement EMSs at federal facilities by the end of 2005, compliance management recommendations will be made in the context of the EMS framework. In addition, con- sideration will be given to enhancements in compliance support mechanisms across the federal community. The final report will be issued to the PMC and OMB for their review and consideration. Based on recommendations and feedbackfrom the PMC and the OMB, CEQ, the Interagency Workgroup, with OFEE guidance, will develop action plans and milestones. For additional information contact: Will Garvey, EPA (202) 564-2458 or Ed Pinero, OFEE (202) 564- 1297. ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 1 inspected federal facilities regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Clean Air Act (CAA) remain near or above 90 per- cent. Similarly, compliance rates remained above 90 percent for federal facilities inspected under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). In contrast, the compliance rate for major federal facilities regulated under the National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) decreased from 94 percent to 52 percent between fiscal years 1993 to 2001. It increased in fiscal year 2002 to 67 percent, but remains compara- tively low. [See Article Notes, p. 7 for more information on this report] An Integrated Approach FFEO, a Headquarters office under EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), and Federal Facility Program Managers and other staff in EPA's ten regional offices around the country work together to ensure federal facilities take all necessary actions to prevent, control and abate environmental pollution. FFEO, currently headed by David Kling, and regional staff are an interdis- ciplinary group of attorneys, engineers, scientists and program analysts. FFEO works closely with other EPA offices and staff on the variety of issues affecting fed- eral facilities. The sheer size, breadth and diversity of federal activities impacting the envi- ronment creates enormous regulatory compliance challenges not only at the facility level, but also for EPA in design- ing a program to match the complexity and sometimes disparate needs of this diverse universe. One size clearly does not fit all. Over the years, EPA's federal facility program evolved a strategy to meet these challenges, and integrated it into its new program agenda. The strategy is guided in part by OECA's "Smart Enforcement" policy, which uses the most appropriate enforcement and compliance tools to address the most significant problems to achieve the best outcomes. The policy focuses on five key areas: 1) addressing significant environmental, human health and compliance problems; 2) using data to make strategic decisions to better utilize resources; 3) using the most appropriate tool to achieve the best outcome; 4) assessing the effectiveness of program activities to ensure continuous program improvement and desired pro- gram performance; and 5) communicat- ing the environmental, public health and compliance outcomes of EPA activities to enhance program effectiveness. Often the best approach to solving environmental problems is a combination of tools - an "integrated strategy." While EPA's federal facility program rests on the foundation of "smart enforcement" principles, which relies on traditional regulatory tools such as enforcement and compliance monitoring, it also includes other approaches designed to take advan- tage of the full range of possible solutions for environmental problems at govern- ment facilities. An integrated strategy embraces and encourages compliance assistance, pollu- tion prevention and environmental man- agement systems as ways for federal agencies to achieve or maintain compli- ance - and go beyond by institutionaliz- ing sound environmental stewardship policies and sustainable practices into facility operations. Preventing pollution in the first instance minimizes the need for pollution controls or compliance assis- tance, and in some cases may take facili- ties out of regulatory regimes altogether. This more "holistic" approach to envi- ronmental problems also includes new partnering and cooperative efforts within EPA and with other federal agencies and offices. Partnering fosters cooperation and understanding between agencies as they work jointly on practical and sus- tainable solutions to complex issues. Partnering also enables the government to leverage valuable resources and exper- tise among agencies. FFEO's current program agenda iden- tifies specific strategies EPA will use to address federal facility compliance prob- lems, and specific projects and initiatives to forward these goals and efforts. These strategies are described Continued on page 6 FEDFACS S ------- CERL TO MANAGE COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE CENTER EPA's Federal Facilities Enforcement Office recently signed an inter-governmental agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) to develop, launch and manage the new Federal Facilities Environmental Stewardship and Compliance Assis- tance Center. CERL, located in Champaign, III., has experience operating similar interactive com- pliance assistance centers for the military. In addition, for the past decade, CERL assisted a num- ber of federal agencies develop compliance audit protocols through the TEAM process. EPA's existing compliance assistance center, FedSite (http://www.epa.gov/fedsite) will be expanded. The new Center's interactive capabilities will be used to meet the growing environmen- tal compliance needs of the federal community. Eventually, the new independent Center will be governed by member agencies which will direct the Center and its future activities. Launch of the new Center is expected laterthis year. For more information concerning the Federal Facilities Environmental Stewardship and Compli- ance Assistance Center, please contact: Mike Shields (202) 564-9035 or shields.mike@epa.gov. ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 5 briefly below: 1. Maintain Compliance and Administer Enforcement: Compliance monitoring and enforcement remains the backbone of EPA's regulatory program, and FFEO and its regional counterparts will continue to be the "cop on the beat." EPA performs single and multi-media inspections, and will take all necessary enforcement actions, especially when no other appropriate solution to non-compli- ance exists. In 2003, EPA had 34 formal enforce- ment actions against federal facilities, representing over $920,000 in penalties and another $1.8 million in supplemental environmental projects (SEPs). Cur- rently, EPA's multi-media inspection ini- tiative is underway and the Agency is inspecting facilities meeting certain crite- ria to maximize its impact. [See related article in this issue, p. 21] FFEO is also looking to align, where appropriate, its priorities with other Agency enforcement and compliance pri- orities, particularly in regard to Clean Water Act wet weather and stormwater issues. EPA will also encourage facilities to "self-audit" for environmental viola- tions and report these violations under EPA's self-disclosure policy. [See related article in this issue, p. 20] 2. Directed Strategies at Specific Compliance Problems or Sectors: Complex environmental problems or facility operations often require a combi- nation of tools and approaches to attain the best results. For instance, in the course of a broader effort to address envi- ronmental problems at hospital facilities, EPA identified Veterans Health Adminis- tration (VHA) hospitals as good candi- dates for a national integrated strategy approach. EPA and the VHA embarked on a coop- erative partnership to further identify and address these problems. Currently, EPA is completing a series of environmental man- agement reviews at VHA facilities across the country and providing other compli- ance assistance such as training and work- shops. EPA will be looking for other oppor- tunities to partner with federal agencies in similar ways in the future. 3. Cleaning up Federal Facilities: EPA continues to oversee Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and RCRA remediation and cleanup activity at Superfund and other sites at federal facil- ities. FFEO coordinates closely with EPA's Federal Facility Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO) within the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), OECA's Office of Site Remedi- ation and Enforcement and EPA's Regions on these issues. FFEO and other EPA offices must oversee a federal cleanup program which costs nearly $10 billion a year at federal energy and mili- tary facilities alone. The office, in con- ducting its oversight responsibilities, also endeavors to work cooperatively with fed- eral agencies as they improve project management and increase cost-efficiency. Recently, EPA and the Department of Defense (DoD) resolved a nearly three- year dispute on post-Record of Decision (ROD) issues regarding oversite and institutional controls at cleanup sites.3 This agreement is particularly important as cleanup activity is completed, and EPA and DoD look towards long-term mainte- nance of sites. 4. Championing EMS: EPA's federal facility program is advancing, particu- larly in partnership with the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) and EPA Regions, the develop- ment and implementation of environmen- tal management systems (EMSs) at fed- eral agencies. This effort coincides with Executive Order 13148 requirements for "appropriate" federal facilities to have EMSs in place at their facilities by December 31, 2005. EPA and OFEE co- chair an Interagency Workgroup to facili- tate implementation of these require- ments. This federal work group has contributed significantly to increased communication and coordination at fed- eral facilities across the country. EMS training, supported by FFEO staff and funds, has been offered nation- wide by EPA regional staff, and educates federal facility and environmental man- agers on more effective, efficient and enduring stewardship approaches. EPA also conducts environmental management reviews, a collaborative effort between EPA and a federal facility to evaluate the facility's environmental program and management systems. EMRs are voluntary and initiated by an agency or facility; they are not compli- ance assessments, audits or inspections. 5. Forging Beneficial Partnerships: FFEO believes that developing and culti- vating new partnerships is vital to EPA's federal facility program and its continued success at ensuring federal facility stew- ardship and compliance with environ- mental laws. Partnering is active on the national Headquarters and regional level, and several efforts are detailed here and in past issues of FedFacs. EPA looks for new partnering opportunities in the future. EPA is not the only government entity interested in monitoring and fostering environmental compliance within the government. Last year the President's Management Council (PMC) launched Continued on page 7 6 FEDFACS ------- ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 6 the Compliance Assurance Initiative to improve the environmental compliance and performance of federal agencies. FFEO and OFEE have been working closely with the PMC in this effort. [See related article in this issue, p. 5] EPA also shares a common vision for a sustainable government with OFEE, and is partnering with them on various efforts towards this goal. EPA and OFEE are working to institutionalize good envi- ronmental stewardship with the wide- spread use and implementation of effec- tive environmental management systems and other practices. Ultimately, this will minimize the amount of energy and resources the U.S. government expends, the amount of pollution it produces, and provide an example for others to emulate. 6. Improving Data Quality and Accessibility: FFEO is also designing and deploying better information sys- tems to track federal facility compliance with environmental laws. FFEO's new generation of compliance and other envi- ronmental information on federal agen- cies is used to better inform Agency man- agement, federal government officials, and the public of environmental progress. This information is particularly valuable in EPA's enforcement and inspection tar- geting initiatives, and for identifying seri- ous violators. One system, the Federal Agency Com- pliance Tracking System (FACTS) is accessible to federal agencies and enables users to research, track and monitor the environmental compliance history and current status of individual facilities. [See related sidebar in this issue, p. 22] 7. Creating a New Federal Facility Compliance Center: FFEO continues to develop an enhanced web-based, full-ser- vice, environmental stewardship and compliance assistance center for federal facilities. The existing compliance assis- tance center for federal facilities, Fed- Site4, will be expanded and all federal government compliance assistance resources integrated into one indepen- dent site. The site will be maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers Construc- tion and Engineering Research Labora- tory (CERL), which managed the DoD's environmental web site DENIX. EPA plans to enable this new center so that all federal government compliance assis- tance resources are integrated into one site eventually supported and directed by member agencies. 8. Enhancing Communications and Outreach: FFEO is improving its out- reach mechanisms, and also hopes to fos- ter and encourage greater information exchange among federal agencies and facilities. FedFacs, published twice a year by FFEO, informs its audience about environmental issues, activities and events impacting the federal community. Federal agencies are encouraged to share their experiences by contributing articles for publication. The last two issues fea- tured government efforts on the imple- mentation of Executive Order 13148 and environmental management systems, and pollution prevention and environ- mental stewardship5. FedEnviroNews is the federal facility program's electronic newsletter. It is sent approximately once a month and contains short news items and events of interest to the federal community. The federal com- munity is also invited to contribute news items for dissemination to the over 2,300 primarily federal government sub- scribers. Looking Towards the Future EPA's FFEO will continue to maintain core program functions, while incorporat- ing new approaches and initiatives which meet the changing needs of the federal community. FFEO will evaluate program effectiveness and make adjustments as appropriate to work towards these goals. Federal agencies are invited to share their ideas on new strategies. EPA applauds the many federal facili- ties already busy at work institutionaliz- ing sustainable facility operation and environmental practices, and encourages them to be mentors to others in the fed- eral community. FFEO supports, and hopes to cultivate, new programs which will shape the entire federal community into a model of environmental steward- ship. [1] General Services Administration Real Property Profile, September 30, 2002 [2] As reported on EPA's Online Tracking System database: http://www.epa.gov/Compliance /planning/data/multimedia/aboutotis.html [3] An article on the Post-ROD resolution appeared in the Winter 2003-4 issue of FedFacs. http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources /newsletters/civil/fedfac/index.html [4] FedSite is located at: www.epa.gov/fedsite [5] Past issues of FedFacs are found at: http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/newsle tters/civil/fedfac/index.html Additional Article Notes The Office of the Federal Environmental Exec- utive (OFEE) promotes sustainable environ- mental stewardship throughout the federal government by identifying, advocating and dis- seminating sustainability practices across agencies. OFEE trains agency personnel, and measures and reports on agencies' progress. Visit OFEE's website at: www.ofee.gov for more information on how to prevent pollution at your facility and incorporate sustainable practices into its operation. EPA's Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office The EPA's Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO) works with the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and otherfederal entities to develop creative, cost-effective solutions to their envi- ronmental problems. FFRRO's overall mission is to facilitate faster, more effective, and less costly cleanup and reuse of federal facilities. By focusing on partnering and public involve- ment, FFRRO, and its counterpart offices in Headquarters and EPA regions, have made great strides in improving federal facilities cleanup. You can learn more about FFRRO on its website at: http://www.epa.gov/fedfac State of Federal Facilities - An Overview of Environmental Compliance at Federal Facili- ties, FY2001 -2002presents information on the federal government's compliance assessment (inspections), compliance assurance (enforce- ment actions), and environmental perfor- mance (compliance rates). The current report, as well as past biennial reports from 1993, can be found on EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil /federal/crossmedia.html FEDFACS 7 ------- EMS Update on E.0.13148 Implementation The Executive Order (E.O.) 13148 "Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management" Interagency Environmental Leadership Workgroup has been busy working through issues, and implementing several Order require- ments. Below is an update on the progress of several areas: TRI: E.O. 13148 calls for a 40 percent reduction in on-site releases and off-site transfers for treatment and disposal of Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Chemicals by December 31, 2006, from a baseline year of 2001. The most recently available data for TRI shows that reported figures for federal facilities for 2001 totaled about 79 million pounds. The reduction target for the entire federal community is there- fore approximately 32 million pounds. Data for reporting year 2002 is not yet available. Section 503 Chemicals: E.O. 13148 calls for a 50 percent reduction in the use of certain chemicals for identified applica- tions and purposes by the end of 2006. The chemicals are to be identified by EPA in coordination with the Interagency Workgroup. In May of this year, EPA, in coordination with the Office of the Fed- eral Environmental Executive, affirmed that five chemicals and associated appli- cations should be included for the pur- poses of this effort. The chemicals are: mercury, lead, cadmium, naphthalene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with associated uses of switches and measuring devices, electroplating processes, soldering, pesticide use and insulating materials (dielectric fluids). Next steps in this process include provid- ing field level personnel with information on implementation of this effort. EMS: E.O. 13148 requires implementa- tion of environmental management sys- tems (EMS) at federal facilities by the end of 2005. There has been considerable activity at the field level to meet this requirement. Training has taken place through EPA Regional offices as well as within federal agencies. EMS training has also been provided to senior leader- ship at several agencies to ensure their support and commitment towards suc- cessful implementation. In addition, EPA has provided assistance in the form of facility-level Environmental Manage- ment Reviews. Annual Reports: E.O. 13148 requires that each federal agency submit an annual report to EPA outlining that agency's progress towards meeting the goals in the E.O. Guidance for each year's annual report is developed by the E.O. 13148 Interagency Workgroup. The report focuses on various reduction goals in the E.O. and agency and facility level progress in implementing EMS. Reports for calendar year 2003 were due to EPA by March 31, 2004. Twenty-three agen- cies provided annual reports. Information in these reports will be used to prepare the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive biannual Report to the Presi- dent on Federal Energy and Environ- mental Management as well as the Fed- eral Agency EMS "Scorecard" and the list of "appropriate" facilities developing EMSs under the E.O. 7 Environmentally Beneficial Landscaping EPA's GreenScapes program has additional information on environmentally beneficial landscaping. GreenScapes provides cost- efficient and environmentally-friendly solutions for large-scale landscaping. It encourages entities to make more environmentally beneficial and sustainable decisions regarding waste generation and disposal and its associated impacts on land, water, air and energy use. GreenScapes is located at: http://www.epa.gov/greenscapes/ Beneficial Landscaping Guidance to be Revised In 1995 the Federal Environmental Executive released guid- ance on environmentally beneficial landscaping which requires federal agencies to consider using environmentally sensitive landscaping practices and native plants. Executive Order 13148 supports these goals, and also calls for a review and update of this guidance. Currently, a small inter-agency discussion group adjunct to the E.O. 13148 Workgroup is reviewing the 1995 guidance. The group will likely recommend the guidance be updated to incor- porate a more holistic multi-media (i.e. waste, water, air, etc.) approach to landscape construction and maintenance which ensures pollution prevention and resource conservation. For more information, please contact Will Garvey at EPA gar- vey.will@epa.gov. The current guidance can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/docs/fedrgstr/EPA-GENERAL/1995/August /Day-10/pr-664.html 8 FEDFACS ------- EMS EMS Mentoring Program: Partners for Environmental Performance The Office of the Federal Environ- mental Executive (OFEE) is spon- soring a new, voluntary mentoring pro- gram, "Partners for Environmental Performance," that matches private entities that have successful environ- mental management systems (EMS) with federal facilities currently develop- ing their own EMS. This program will enhance federal EMS implementation, required under Executive Order 13148, and provide opportunities for partici- pants to learn from shared experiences. The private sector's experience with EMS is a valuable resource for the fed- eral government. Companies began implementing EMSs in the 1980's and started using the ISO 14001 model in earnest in the mid-1990's. Currently, over 5000 entities are ISO 14001 certi- fied in the United States. Nearly all are in the private sector, compared to only a few hundred EMSs in the federal gov- ernment, of which only 21 are certified. Worldwide there are over 70,000 certi- fied entities. Both the federal government and pri- vate entity mentor will benefit. A federal agency or facility will learn from the hands-on experience its mentor has in developing, implementing and main- taining an EMS. Mentoring will help the private entity meet its own EMS requirements, improve its public good- will, and give it a role in making the government more efficient and a better environmental steward. Mentors must have robust, fully operational EMSs, and are restricted to entities that do not provide related con- sulting services. To help identify the best candidates, state environmental offices, trade associations and individ- ual companies will be contacted and encouraged to act as facilitators and champions. Candidates may also include other entities such as non-prof- its or local governments. Partnerships will be determined in Mentoring provides private entities and federal facilities opportunities to learn from shared experiences. large part by matching the available and interested participants according to interests, geography, desired EMS model, and status of implementation. Selected participants will sign an informal, non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that defines pro- ject-specific details such as timelines, milestones, and expectations. The MOU will address potential legal issues such as conflict of interest, non-endorsement of products, and protection from com- pensation for services claims. As the project progresses, OFEE may ask participants for brief status reports so it can monitor the success of the pro- gram. At the conclusion of the project, participants will receive formal acknowledgement from OFEE. For more information about this pro- gram contact: Ed Pinero, Deputy Fed- eral Environmental Executive in the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (202) 564-1297, or Edwin_pinero@ceq.eop.gov, or visit: http ://www.ofee .gov JOIN FedEnviroNews! FedEnviroNews is EPA's electronic newslet- ter which delivers environmental news and information of interest to federal facilities. This newsletter is free and is part of EPA's continuing efforts to improve awareness of and provide access to environmental infor- mation. Subscribers may cancel their sub- scription at any time, and new subscribers are welcome. To subscribe (or unsubscribe) to FedEnvi- roNews, please visit: http://www.epa.gov /compliance/resources/listserv.html Check "federal facilities" and provide requested information. FEDFACS 9 ------- EMS Park Service Partnership Assists Businesses in Parks On your last visit to a national park, did you buy a trinket in a gift shop, pur- chase a soda in a restaurant, or stay overnight in a lodge? If so, you may have supported one of the 584 businesses authorized under National Park Service (NPS) concession contracts to provide lodging, retail, food and beverage, marina, and other commercial visitor ser- vices within 127 national parks. Last year, the EPA National Center for Environmental Innovation partnered with the NPS Concession Environmental Management Program (CoEMP) to pro- mote environmental management sys- tems and identify cost-effective and appropriate best management practices (BMPs) for concessioners. This partner- ship enables EPA to reach a business sec- tor with high visibility to the general pub- lic - the tourism industry. EPA and NPS are first concentrating on improving the environmental perfor- mance of national park concessioners. They also hope to assist other federal agencies which contract with concession- ers, as well as the tourism industry at large, in identifying appropriate strate- gies to advance environmental perfor- mance. With its mission of "provid[ing] assis- tance and guidance that advances the environmental performance of businesses offering visitor services in national parks," the NPS CoEMP, since its incep- tion in 1999, has developed numerous assistance tools and serves as a national clearinghouse for all matters relating to concessioners and the environment. The CoEMP provides technical assis- tance to concessioners and also conducts environmental audits, required by Execu- tive Order 13148. The environmental audits cover multiple environmental top- ics, such as compliance, BMPs, and envi- ronmental management systems. Houseboat and marina operations at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona and Utah. The NPS CoEMP faces some challeng- ing, but exciting times ahead with approximately 85 percent of NPS conces- sion contracts expiring within the next three to five years. NPS staff faces a heavy workload that involves writing and publicizing concession contracts that emphasize resource protection, environ- mental compliance, and environmental BMPs. Since concession contracts last typically for 10 to 20 years, now is the opportunity for environmental criteria and standards to be included. The NPS CoEMP assists NPS staff in incorporating environmental management standards and criteria into concession contracts. It also educates NPS staff about conces- sioner activities that may potentially affect park resources. Finally, one of NPS CoEMPs main goals is to increase NPS staff and conces- sioner knowledge of potential environ- mental impacts stem- ming from day-to-day concessioner opera- tions, and how these impacts can be avoided and/or miti- gated. The EPA com- plements the CoEMP's conces- sioner assistance efforts in many ways, including providing federal, state, and local resources that describe applicable environmental requirements and BMPs. This EPA/NPS partnership provides a growing network of environmental con- tacts that NPS staff, concessioners, tourism and hospitality businesses can turn to for questions and discussion. Other resources available for both NPS staff and concessioners include: • AGreenLine Phone Number, (303) 987-6913 • A dedicated GreenLine Email (NPS_GreenLine@nps.gov) • The GreenLine Newsletter, a bi-annual publication • The GreenLine Compact Disc • The CoEMP website (www .concessions.nps.gov/program3.cfm) • Numerous concession-specific compli- ance and BMP assistance resource documents For more information on the NPS CoEMP, contact: Wendy Berhman, CoEMP Team Leader (303) 987-6913. EPA ANNOUNCES E.O. 13148 PRIORITY CHEMICALS EPA announced five priority chemicals used by the federal government that are targeted for reduction in accordance with Executive Order 13148 "Greening the Government Through Leader- ship in Environmental Management." The E.O. directs EPA to develop a list of priority chemicals used by the federal government that may result in significant harm to human health or the envi- ronment and that have known, readily available, less harmful substitutes for identified applica- tions and purposes. Federal agencies are to develop and support goals to reduce the use of these chemicals by 50 percent by December 31, 2006. For more information visit: http://www .ofee.gov/wpr/chemical.htm lO FEDFACS ------- EMS TVA Improves EMS with Lead Auditor Training The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) environmental audit team partici- pated in U.S. EPA Region 4 (Atlanta) sponsored Federal Facility Lead Envi- ronmental Auditor training given in New Orleans in March. This training provides federal agencies the informa- tion necessary to design and implement Executive Order 13148 Environmental Management System (EMS) require- ments. The Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB) accredited ISO 14001 Lead Audi- tor class was taught by EPA RAB certi- fied instructors, and participants were able to take the RAB certification exam and apply for RAB EMS auditor certifi- cation following the course. TVA's EMS, in place for several years, is modeled after ISO 14001. It includes a corporate level EMS and tiered EMS implementing procedures at the major organization and facility level. An EMS self-declaration program will be implemented to comply with the requirements of E.O. 13148. TVA will first self-declare the corporate EMS, and then offer each facility the opportu- nity to self-declare conformance to the ISO 14001 standard. The TVA corporate environmental audit team has reviewed EMS audits at their facilities for the last three years, but this EPA sponsored training pro- vided them with opportunities to fur- ther sharpen their skills and learn about other continuous improvement opportunities for their EMS and audit program. These included conducting a gap analysis of TVA's corporate level EMS, designing a self-declaration program, and revising the corporate EMS audit protocols. Facilities were also advised on how to continually strenghten their EMS and improve the audit team credi- bility inside and outside TVA. The training also provided an opportunity for TVA to network with other federal agency EMS auditors. > Interagency participants at the EMS Lead Auditor Training For more information about TVA and its EMS audit program contact: Myron Iwanski, TVA (865) 719-3718 or visit TVA's web site: http://www.tva.com. For more information on EPA classes con- tact: Anthony Shelton, EPA Region 4 (404) 562-9636 or Joyce Stubblefield, EPA Region 6 (214) 665-64-30. For more information about Environmental Management Systems visit: www.epa.gov/ems or www.ofee.gov/ems/ems.htm EMS MANAGERS GUIDE NOW ONLINE The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) and the U.S. EPA have adapted the Army's Environmental Man- agement System guide for managers and tailored it for other agencies to use. This is a useful tool to help educate senior man- agementabouttheirleadership role in EMS. This and other useful EMS tools and guides are available on the OFEE website: http://www.ofe e .g ov/e m s/tra i n i n g/f a cts. htm#guide FEDFACS 11 ------- EMS Fort Polk Integrates Workshop Results into EMS On April 27-29, 2004, the Joint Readi- ness Training Center (JRTC) and Fort Polk, La., hosted a Sustainable Water Resources Workshop. Colonel Thomas McClung, Garrison Chief of Staff welcomed regional stakeholders to the conference and sought their perspectives and thoughts on a regional, sustainable water resources management strategy. Conference participants represented a broad, cross-section of interests. Among the attendees were: Louisiana State Rep. William Daniel; Karen Gautreaux, Deputy Secretary, La. Department of Environmental Quality; Bill Alley, HQ U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Charles Demas, USGS, Baton Rouge, La.; Lisa Lewis, U.S. Forest Ser- vice; and Dr. Charles Allen, Professor of Bog Ecology, Louisiana State University. They were joined by others representing local communities, the Army Installa- tion Management Agency (Southwest Regional Office), Louisiana regulatory agencies, and JRTC and Fort Polk Directorates. Conference attendees agreed to "pro- vide Fort Polk flexibility to meet future mission requirements for water resources and achieve the above without any unacceptable environmental, eco- nomic or social consequences." This strategic objective is comprised of three key components: sustainable water use, water resource protection, and resource restoration (if warranted). Attendees also agreed that both additional baseline monitoring and method analysis are required. For example, increases in demand could be supplied by reducing consumption via conservation methods and/or increased water supply rate, but additional infor- mation is required to determine the optimal method or methods to employ. Fort Polk is incorporating these results into its EMS. Quantifiable tar- gets to improve current baseline data and analysis are being developed for the next EMS review. Water use is one of six areas the JRTC and Fort Polk plans to discuss with regional stakeholders in several months, within the context of its EMS. WOULD YOU LIKE AN EMR? An EMR is generally coordinated out of one of the U.S. EPA's ten regional offices, and may be conducted at any type of federal facility. Federal facilities which request EMRs determine the scope of the review. There are several areas of inquiry for an EMR, including: 1. Organizational structure 2. Environmental commitment 3. Staff resources, training, and develop- ment 4. Internal and external communications 5. Program evaluation, reporting and cor- rective action 6. Environmental planning and risk man- agement formality of environmental programs. To learn more about EMRs and how your facility may schedule one, please contact the EPA Federal Facility Program Manager (FFPM) in your region. A list of FFPMs appears on page 26 of this issue. EPA Conducts EMRs at Temple VAMC and Camp Stanley U.S. EPA Region 6 (Dallas) conducted environmental management reviews (EMRs) at two federal facilities, the Vet- erans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) in Temple, Texas and U.S. Army Camp Stanley Storage Activity (CSSA) in Boerne, Texas. The EMRs included a review of each facility's environmental programs and management system to determine the extent protection pro- grams and plans have been developed and implemented. Because the Temple VAMC is commit- ted to making continuous environmental improvements at its facility, it was an early volunteer and participant in the EPAVHA cooperative partnership. The EMRs were based upon the ISO Environmental Management System 14001 "model, plan, do, check and act." Prior to the EMRs, EPA regional staff worked with each facility and designed the parameters and scope of the review. Temple VAMC has received EPA's draft report of its review, which took place in December 2003. The CSSA Boerne on- site review was completed in February 2004, and a draft report was recently submitted to CSSA for review and com- ment. The EMRs were well received by staff. Temple's VAMC Safety Manager facilitated a flawless scheduling of tours and interviews, and Paul E. Batterton, Administrator for the Waco VAMC, par- ticipated in the EMR out-brief. The CSSA Environmental Coordinator pro- vided valuable assistance in executing the EMR and helped to clarify the intri- cate dynamics of Camp Stanley. For more information, contact: Joyce Stubblefield, EPA Region 6 stubblefield.joyce@epa.gov 12 FEDFACS ------- P2 and Environmental Stewardship The Army Environmental Strategy: A Sustainable Army Raymond, J. Fatz Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupa- tional Health In November 2003, the Army initiated a process to develop a bold, new strategic approach for addressing its relationship with the environment. We have com- menced on a path that will better sup- port the Army mission with environmen- tal principles and practices for years to come: to "Sustain the Mission-Secure the Future." We will be a sustainable Army - one that simultaneously meets mission requirements worldwide, protects human health and safety, enhances quality of life, and safeguards the natural environment. This is a significant commitment, made with full knowledge of the complete redesign that our equipment, operations and installations require — a transforma- tion that has already begun, but still has far to go. This is a long-term commitment, to radically change the way we design, build, buy, transport, and otherwise per- form our mission, as we transform our weapons systems, tactics, and installa- tions over the coming decades. This is a necessary commitment. Senior Army lead- ership is keenly interested in adapting the successful business model of balancing "the triple bottom line of people, profit, planet" for long-term military viability. Sustainability is the paradigm that the Army is using to focus our thinking and efforts to better address present and future needs of our installations, our rela- tionships with communities, as well as impacts to our ability to equip, train, and deploy our Soldiers. By applying the prin- ciples of sustainability, we are creating installations that are "flagships" capable of supporting Army operations through- out the world. The quest for installation sustainabil- ity in the Army began in earnest in 2001 but has rapidly gained momen- tum with senior leader- ship support. Sustainability easily appealed to Army leadership because it is directed at "senior-level decision-making" and illustrates that the Army can, in fact, accomplish its mission, safeguard peo- ple's quality of life, and protect human health and the environment. Sustainabil- ity also appeals to the troops and civilians in the field, the ones on the ground, as they become essential players in the goal- setting processes. This in turn motivates them to use and champion sustainable principles. Finally, sustainability appeals to the many stakeholders and regulatory communities since it focuses their collec- tive efforts and resources to balance requirements that keep everyone more viable far into the future. Since 2001, Army installations across the country have embarked on the jour- ney towards sustainability and the bal- ance of this discussion spotlights their progress in three short years. Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was the first installation to quantify their pursuit of sustainability. Fort Lewis, Washington followed soon after seeking to harness the power of their newly certified ISO 14001 Environ- mental Management System and received special recognition by the gover- nor as a leader in the state. Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Carson, Colorado both began sustainability programs in 2002 with Fort Campbell, Kentucky kicking off their sustainability initiative in 2003. In 2004, we are seeing other installations eagerly stepping forward on the road to sustainability. The Army expects sustainability to play a key role in shaping the culture on our installations and in local communi- ties. As such, we will soon release a new Army environmental strategy with sustain- ability as its underlying framework. It is an exciting time for the Army as we take the next step toward a sus- tainable future. [.Editor's Note: The U.S. EPA invites other government agencies and departments to present their views in FedFacs. The above article contains those views of Raymond Fatz, Deputy Assistant Secre- tary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, and are not necessarily those of the EPA.] JOINT SERVICE P2 OPPORTUNITY HANDBOOK The Joint Service P2 Opportunity Handbook identifies "off-the-shelf" pollution prevention technologies, management practices, and process changes that reduce hazardous and solid waste. The handbook was prepared jointly by the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, the Air Force Centerfor Envi- ronmental Excellence, the Army Environ- mental Center, Headquarters Marine Corps, the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Coast Guard. This tool is found at: http://p2 I i b ra ry. nf e s c. n a vy. m i l/p2_o p p o rtu n ity_ handbook/introduction.html By applying the principles of sustainability, (the Army) is creating installations that are "flagships" capable of supporting Army operations throughout the world. FEDFACS 13 ------- P2 and Environmental Stewardship P2 and Sustainability Programs at Fort Bliss Hazardous Waste Curbside Service Fort Bliss, Texas, implemented a service unique to the Army - one that revolution- ized hazardous waste management at the installation. The Hazardous Waste Curb- side Service (Curbside) saves Fort Bliss hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and minimizes accidents, exposure to hazardous substances and non-compli- ance. This program is the brainchild of Environmental Engineer, Ismael Delgado and began as a pilot program in 2000. Curbside now serves customers at 127 waste accumulation points in Texas and New Mexico. Curbside is a reimbursable service for soldiers, civilians, and tenants, protects human health and the environ- ment, and returns soldiers to the military mission. The program includes paperwork (waste profile and Material Safety Data Sheets, requests for sampling/analysis, etc.), pickup and transport of wastes to the hazardous waste storage facility, con- tainer replacement, and courtesy inspec- tions. Customers are served by appoint- ment within 72 hours by a team of hazardous waste professionals. Without Curbside about 250 people would be tasked, in addition to their other duties, with the waste management activities listed above. Curbside also includes a tracking database that pro- vides customers with reports of items recycled, wastes processed, and disposal costs. The reports are produced annually or at the customer's request. As a large-quantity generator and the owner of a RCRA-permitted storage facil- ity, Fort Bliss is required to reduce the volume and toxicity of hazardous waste it generates. To that end, the Directorate of Environment combined Curbside with pollution prevention initiatives to launch the Installation's Sustainability Center. In 2003, the following processes were implemented at the Sustainability Cen- ter: parts-washer solvent distillation and maintenance; antifreeze recycling; oily rag compaction; soil consolidation conta- minated soil; fluorescent bulb crushing; oil and fuel filter crushing/recycling; aerosol can puncturing; spill kit specifica- tion and assembly; and drum washing and reuse. These processes save disposal costs and are beneficial to the environment. The parts-washer solvent distillation process alone saves Fort Bliss about $250,000 a year for disposal of old solvent and purchase of new solvent for the Installation's 135 parts washers. At the beginning of the calendar year, commanders and directors receive a detailed report of the wastes turned in by each of their waste-generating activities. Curbside costs for the new year are based on quantities of waste generated during the previous year. The popularity of Curbside is evident: 100 percent of Fort Bliss waste genera- tors voluntarily subscribe to the service, and speak favorably about the service they receive. Submitted by: Pat McKernan, Fort Bliss Directorate of Environment; patricia. mckernan@us. army. mil. Oil Water Separator Maintenance Program In an effort to save precious water resources, minimize waste, maintain compliance, and support the military mis- sion, Fort Bliss implemented its Oil Water Separator (OWS) maintenance program. Fort Bliss initiated its OWS mainte- nance contract with Enviremedial Ser- vices Inc. (ESI) to correct a long history of poor OWS maintenance, preclude future Environmental Performance Assessment System wastewater deficiencies, and pro- mote pollution prevention, water conser- vation and waste minimization. ESI's on-site treatment technology uses a package plant on "wheels" which separates oil from water through a cen- trifugal gravitational and inertial force process. Oil separation is achieved through a five-stage process and reusable filters made from the ash of burned sugar cane stalks are used. The unit can handle 100,000 gallons of contaminated water in an eight-hour day. The treatment process also includes a wash cycle for OWS col- lected sediments which are used as land- fill daily cover. Clean treated water is returned to the OWS, instead of recharging the OWS with fresh water and disposing of this dirty waste water and sludge off-site. This contributes directly toward the DoD Measure of Merit for the continuous reduction of waste. Moreover, it allows for inspection of each OWS during the treat- ment process, where problem areas can be identified and addressed quickly. The contractor is also piloting a pro- gram which uses clean sediments in adobe pavers. Combined with cement materials, sediment is formed into adobe bricks, further reducing waste. These pavers may soon be used in xeriscape landscaping and post beautification pro- jects at Fort Bliss. Among the other benefits of the OWS process are that industrial pre-treatment standards are maintained thereby avoid- ing exceedances fixing the cost for OWS cleaning. Also the volumes of waste removed, recycled, treated and disposed are measured and reported to the envi- ronmental office and waste disposal off- site is reduced. Transportation and dis- posal liabilities are also reduced. From May 2002 through October 2003, Fort Bliss calculates it minimized this waste by 99.9 percent. The OSW treated 15,785,200 pounds of water (pre- viously sent as waste), recycled 66,800 pounds oil/fuel (previously sent as waste) and cleaned 8,158,426 pounds of sedi- ment (previously sent as waste). The amount of oil sludge sent as waste was 2250 pounds. Submitted by: David Jevons, Waste- water Program Manager, Fort Bliss; david.jevon@us.army.mil. 14 FEDFACS ------- P2 and Environmental Stewardship White Sands Test Facility Reduces CFCs and Wins Award Employees who work in the Chemistry and Component Services Laborato- ries of the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) near Las Cruces, N.M., have been reducing use of ozone-deplet- ing cleaning solvents like chlorofluoro- carbon (CFC) 113 since 1991. WSTF, a satellite facility of the John- son Space Center, eliminated CFC-113 (commonly known as Freon) in the final cleaning and cleanliness verification of critical spacecraft parts and compo- nents. Employees began implementing an aqueous cleaning and verification process in 1997. This cleans as well as or better than CFC techniques used previously and reduces to zero the use of CFC-113 and the solvent once used for cleanliness veri- fication in aerospace systems. The test facility is an industry leader in the development, of alternatives for cleaning aerospace and oxygen systems. Oxygen systems pose special cleaning challenges because organic contami- nants and particulates can be ignition hazards. Ultra-clean systems and component parts are essential to the WSTF's mis- sion: the safe explo- ration of space. Flight and develop- mental systems from propulsion to life support are tested at WSTF for performance and reliability. Support systems need to be as clean or cleaner than the flight test systems to which they are attached. This ensures the test systems will not be contaminated. The test facility's approach to eliminat- ing CFC-113 included conservation, alter- native water-based processes, ozone- friendly solvent alternatives, and advanced processes to reduce solvent usage and conserve supplies. New processes and solvent alternatives elimi- nated annual usage of 3,870 gallons of CFC-113. ft The WSTF team developed the aque- ous cleanliness verification using ultra- sonic agitation followed by total organic carbon analysis to test for residual organics and filtra- tion for particulate count in the clean- ing process. The team then estab- lished detectability of flight hardware contaminants, veri- fied part configura- tion for aqueous application and verified material compatibility for aqueous application. The team then started the cleaning operations using the cleanli- ness verification process. The team measured results through WSTF-developed technology, and this data was used to gain approval to incor- porate the new processes in NASA pro- cedures. Harold Beeson and Mike Kirsch of NASA, and Mark Stevens, Steve Hor- nung, Jose Lopez, Mike Padilla, t=h ft I* Raphael Delgado of Honeywell, were recognized for their efforts by the U.S. EPA at the Stratospheric Ozone Protec- tion Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. This year, EPA awarded seven cor- porate and governmental awards, eight individual awards and two team and organizational awards, selecting among a global field of entrants. Mike Kirsch, Deputy Manager of the White Sands Test Facility summed up the impact of the EPA award. "NASA takes thousands of pictures from space that help us appreciate how wonderful and fragile our planet is, and how important it is to protect our environ- ment. NASA's mission is to understand and protect our home planet and to empower future generations to continue space exploration in search of new fron- tiers." Submitted by: Cheerie R. Patneaude, NASA White Sands Test Facility. For more information about NASA's White Sands Test Facility visit: http: //www .wstf.nasa.gov Award winners (back L to R) Mark Leifeste, HTSI Program Manager; Stephen C. Nunez, Manager of the White Sands Test Facility, Richard McCarson for Mark Stevens, Mike Padilla, Mike Kirsch, Deputy Manager of the White Sands Test Facility (Front L to R) Harold Beeson, Steve Hornung, and Jose Lopez The test facility is a leader in developing alternatives for cleaning aerospace and oxygen systems. FEDFACS IS ------- P2 and Environmental Stewardship Working Towards Sustainability at USDA Beltsville Over the past decade, Beltsville Agri- cultural Research Center (BARC) staff and management have worked dili- gently to make the Center as environ- mentally friendly and sustainable as pos- sible. As a result of their efforts, BARC received four White House "Closing the Circle" Awards and a "Business for the Bay Award." The BARC is part of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture (USDA), is located just outside Washington, D.C., and encompasses approximately 6,600 acres. The facility is comprised of laboratories, offices, wooded areas, research farm plots, forage production land, barns, pas- tures and associated infrastructure for a large complex. Several initiatives have improved envi- ronmental quality in the research and for- age areas of the agricultural production program. For instance, two certified nutri- ent management specialists ensure com- InBrief pliance with all state and federal regula- tions. As a result, BARC exceeded its nutrient reduction goals and also imple- mented a phosphorus management pro- gram prior to any state mandates. To reduce the amount of pesticide and manure run-off to the Chesapeake Bay, precision agriculture and site-specific pin- point placement of nutrients techniques are used. BARC also uses no-till farming methods in approximately 90 percent of its farming efforts. Integrated pest management is used on a regular basis. Only when the pest population reaches an action level is pes- ticide applied, and then is limited to areas over the threshold. Sustainable agricultural practices are incorporated into day-to-day farming activities. Fall-seeded legumes act as nat- ural mulch and release nitrogen into the soil. This, along with cover crops, reduces weeds and herbicides. BRAC produces all mulch used in landscaping. Animal waste is combined with leaves and other materials to make the compost - this reduces the amount of materials for disposal and also saves money. Landscape practices at BARC were also significantly changed to help the environment. "No mow" areas near streambeds allows natural growth, reduces stream bank erosion and cools the water — a benefit for the fish. Previ- ously mowed areas were reforested and provide habitats for other wildlife. BARC uses American produced bio- diesel fuel in approximately 150 vehicles and equipment. B-20 fuel (20 percent bio- based and 80 percent diesel) reduces sul- fur content, unburned hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide by 20 percent, and par- ticulate matter by 15 percent. BARC also uses biodiesel for its heating plant opera- tions and for fueling generators that pro- vide backup power. BARC uses all environmentally and worker friendly or biobased products for cleaning and elsewhere in the facility. All paper products are made of recycled con- tent, and new carpet is made of soy mate- rial. Hydraulic fluid, two-cycle engine oil, chain saw bar oil, hand cleaners, lubri- cating oil and motor oil are also bio- based. BARC also replaced slate roofs with recycled Royale Polymore material, which looks like slate but is less expen- sive. Recycling is a major initiative at BARC. All paper, magazines and card- board are recycled. Research scientists work together to utilize chemicals and reduce the amount of chemical waste. Several chemicals are maintained at a dispensary, and scientists take what they need rather than buy a large quantity. BRAC recycles effluent from its waste- water treatment plant by pumping it to one of the boiler plants and producing steam. This method saves approximately $40,000 per year on water. For more information contact: John Van de Vaarst: vandevaj@ba.ars .usda.gov EPA ISSUES PLUG-IN TO ECYCLING GUIDANCE EPA has released new, voluntary guidance to its Plug-In To eCycling partners, who will test its pro- visions to determine the most effective and practical methods for safely managing used electronic equipment. The Plug-In To eCycling partnership, formed in 2002, aims to increase the safe recycling of used electronic products by providing recognition and other incentives to partners. The new guidance, "Plug-In To eCycling Guidelines for Materials Management/'spells out preferred waste management practices for used electronic products and defines partner eligibility. In addition to ensuring environmentally safe recycling of old electronics, this guidance promotes and maintains adequate markets for the reuse and recycling of electronic equipment. For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/plugin/index.htm REVIEW AND COMMENT FOR PURCHASING GUIDES On June 30th, EPA published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability for public review and comment of four draft Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Guides. These guides pro- vide information to federal procurement officials making EPP decisions that can help protect human health and the environment. The four guides cover purchasing for "greener" carpets, clean- ing products and copiers, and for making meetings and conferences more environmentally friendly. The 60 day public comment period ends August 30, 2004. Stakeholders can access these docu- ments and submit comments through EPA's internet site for Federal Register Dockets at: http://www.epa.gov/edocket/. The guides are also available on EPA's EPP website at http://www.epa.gov/epp/documents/pfs.htm. For more information contact EPA's Terry Grogan (202) 564-6317 orgrogan.terry@epa.gov. 16 FEDFACS ------- P2 and Environmental Stewardship GSA Brings Solar Power to Downtown Los Angeles The U.S. General Services Administra- tion's (GSA) Pacific Rim Region com- pleted installation and start-up of the largest photovoltaic system in the GSA inventory, at the Federal Building located at 300 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, Calif. Over the life of the system, the solar generated electricity will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 2,842 tons, nitrogen oxide by 5,064 lbs and sulfur dioxide by 1,544 lbs. These emission reductions are equivalent to planting over 800 acres of trees or removing 568 cars from the roads of Los Angeles. In addition to generating clean solar energy, the solar modules, which use a thick layer of polystyrene foam under- neath the tiles, provide significant insula- tion. This reduces heating and air condi- tioning costs and extends the life of the roof by protecting it from the damaging effects of weather. Ancillary benefits, not considered in payback calculations, include an estimated roof cooling of around 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit. The solar system is tied directly to the building's lighting and power switchgear, taking full advantage of free solar power during the weekends and holidays when the major heating venti- lation and air conditioning equipment, such as chillers, are not operating. The total project cost was $2.4 million. Through the Pacific Rim's use of state and local incentive programs, only 15 per- cent, or $369,000 of the total cost was paid by GSA. Rebates were received from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Southern California Gas Company. Payback for this project is 5.6 years, making it a veiy economical photovoltaic project. The system consists of 2,054 Power- Guard TL modules with rated capacities of a 308 KW peak DC (245 KW usable AC). This is a tilted, ballasted system that requires few roof penetrations. For additional information contact: Roston Manoukian, Electrical Engineer, P.E., roston.manoukian@gsa.gov. The above statements do not necessarily rep- resent that of the U.S. Government. InBrief CAMP PENDLETON SOLAR INITIATIVE SAVES LIVES AND HELPS ENVIRONMENT Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton has one of the largest appli- cations of solar-powered light in the federal government. Solar-powered streetlights and traffic beacons were installed to enhance driver safety and base security, promote renewable energy, and reduce installation and operating costs. MCB Camp Pendleton, located in southern California about 40 miles north of San Diego, has over 125,000 acres of varied terrain and 17 miles of shoreline. When auto accident rates increased on a stretch of Basilone Road, nicknamed "Dead Man's Curve," the base energy team was asked for innovative ways to light this dangerous strip of road. Many locations were more than a mile from the nearest power connection and would require electric lines to be trenched and power poles to be installed and maintained. An environmental impact study also would be required for a grid-connected system. The base energy team first piloted a renewable/solar energy project on Basilone Road, and later installed more than 200 additional photo- voltaic (PV)-powered streetlights, flashing warning signs, and force pro- tection/anti-terrorism lighting to support base safety and meet force pro- tection and anti-terrorism requirements. Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity also installed PV lights to reduce their grid-connected energy consumption and meet force protection requirements. The solar-powered lights' reliability, ease of installation and cost- effectiveness make it an ideal choice for base safety, security, and force protection needs. These lights also help Pendleton minimize green-house gas emissions and meet Executive Order 13123. For more information contact: Randy J. Monohan, Tetra Tech EM Inc., MCB Camp Pendleton, Facilities Maintenance Department (760) 725-0566, or monohanrj@pendleton.usmc.mil FEDFACS 17 ------- P2 and Environmental Stewardship USPS Sacramento Continues Recycling Efforts Since the United States Postal Service (USPS) Sacramento District launched a recycling program in 2001 at its Royal Oaks Drive facility, it has gen- erated additional revenue, saved money and reduced waste. The Royal Oaks Drive facility was formerly the collection point for Unde- InBrief liverable Standard Mail (USM). Since 1999 the USM has grown from 86 tons per month to nearly 149 tons per month in 2001. In 2002 the USM program was modified so that materials (e.g., newsprint, magazines and office pack) were collected at individual facilities and recycled. Revenues exceeding $73,500 were generated in 2001 and more than $100,000 was saved through this recycling program. While revenue decreased in 2002 and 2003, cost avoid- ance increased, and the work hours nec- essary to prepare and backhaul the mail decreased. In 1999, the District reduced waste by over 1,033 tons of mixed paper (an average of over 86 tons per month). By 2003, this increased to 3,000 tons (an average of 250 tons per month). Recycling up to 250 tons of newsprint, magazines and office pack per month diverted this tonnage from landfills and saved the District more than $250,000. Backhauling of cardboard is collected at the Sacramento Postal Distribution Center and the cardboard comes from post offices in Sacramento County. The cardboard recycling program has expanded to USPS Marysville, Modesto, Stockton and Redding facilities. USPS Marysville also has an USM program. The Sacramento District is also a member of EPA Waste wise and the EPA Wastewise Electronic Challenge. In 2003, hundreds of diskettes and video- tapes were reused, and hundreds of printer toner cartridges and electronic equipment (e.g., CRT, computers, copiers, etc.) were recycled. While rev- enue from these is minimal, landfill space is saved and disposal costs are cut. Vehicle, building and equipment maintenance management personnel have worked to reduce chemical use, identify less toxic chemicals and reduce waste. The Vehicle Maintenance Facility recycles all fluids removed from fleet vehicles and purchases re-refined motor oil, recycled antifreeze, retread tires and rebuilt motor parts. For additional information contact: Michael Young, Manager Maintenance, Sacramento Main Office, michael.d. young@usps .gov. OKLAHOMA DEQ PROMOTES P2 Oklahoma's Department of Environmental Quality's pollution prevention (P2) program, with the support of partners in both the public and private sectors, is promoting two voluntary programs designed to demonstrate that organizations can profit from sound environmental performance. The Environmental Performance and Recognition Program provides an integrated EMS tied to leadership, planning, information usage, employees, customers, suppliers, market require- ments, performance and key business indicators. The Oklahoma Star Incentive Program provides recognition for facilities that may not be ready to explore EMSs but go beyond minimal compliance to protect the environment and worker health and safety. The P2 Program and partners will work together with facilities that participate in the OK Star Incentive Program to promote compliance, waste reduction, energy efficiency, environmentally preferable purchasing, and resource conservation. For additional information contact: Dianne Wilkins (405)702-9128 or (800) 869-1400, or dianne. wilkins@deq.state.ok.us. ONLINE P2 VIDEO LIBRARY The Pollution Prevention Regional Information Center (P2RIC.org), with funding from the Nebraska Dept. of Environmental Quality, has created an online video library to make pollution prevention and waste reduction videos easily accessible to P2 specialists, waste reduction edu- cators and service providers. This collection complements the document library of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (http://www.P2Rx.org). Videos can be viewed online or down- loaded for use in PowerPoint presentations, and can be accessed at http://www .p2ric.org/video/index.cfm. If your organization has P2 videos it would like included in this library, please contact: Dan 0'Dell, (402) 595-1823, or dpodell@mail.unomaha.edu. EPA ISSUES DESIGNATION FOR SEVEN RECYCLED PRODUCTS In the April 30 Federal Register, EPA issued the final designation and recommendations for seven recycled content products: modular threshold ramps, non-pressure pipe, roofing materials, office furniture, rebuilt vehicular parts, bike racks, and blasting grit. EPA also revised the desig- nations for cement and concrete, railroad grade crossing surfaces (new recycled content options), and polyester carpet (revised designation of polyester carpet for moderate end-uses only). The requirement to buy these products containing recycled materials starts May 2, 2005. For more information visit: http://www.ofee.gov/wpr/cpg4.pdf or http://www.ofee.gov/ wpr/rma n4.pdf. 18 FEDFACS ------- Green Procurement EPA Buying Green Online With a New Agreement JUST HOW POPULAR ARE PURCHASE CARDS? • In 2002, government agencies charged over$15 billion dollars on more than 400,000 purchase cards. • EPA estimates annual office supply expenditures of $5 million, or about 14 percent of its $35.8 million total purchases via 2,000 purchase cards. • The Army spends approximately $100 million on office products each year, or about 6 percent of its $1.7 billion in purchases via 100,000 purchase cards. Like many federal agencies, the U.S. EPA buys most office supplies from a variety of sources using individual pur- chase cards. Unfortunately, this prevents EPA from receiving group discounts and makes it difficult for it to track and man- age purchases. It is also challenging to train purchase card holders to buy "green" products in accordance with fed- eral requirements, ensure they will ask about the environmental product attrib- utes, or get the answers from vendors in a timely fashion. As the agency responsible for adminis- tering the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) and Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) Pro- grams, EPA decided to "green" its office supplies blanket purchase agreement (BPA). EPA launched an effort to purchase all non-electronic office supplies via an agency-specific e-catalog, an online direc- tory of products and services, available for sale under a pre-negotiated BPA with a commercial vendor, Corporate Express. EPA purchase card holders use the EPAe- catalog to select from a large array of office supplies, including those meeting CPG requirements for recycled-content and the Executive Order 13101 mandate to purchase environmentally preferable products and services. EPA developed its e-catalog by identi- fying and interviewing procurement and environmental staff from several govern- ment agencies that already have e-cata- logs for purchasing office supplies. This information is contained in the report "Buying Green Online: Greening Govern- ment E-Procurement of Office Supplies." It includes federal agency success stories, EPA's green criteria for office supplies, EPA's Request For Proposal language for its BPA, and a chart describing a range of federal office product e-catalogs. To improve tracking purchases and ensure requisite group discounts, some agencies made their e-catalogs the only authorized mechanism for office supply purchases. In an effort to increase the purchase and use of green products, other agencies limited the products available in their e-catalog to those meeting EPA's recycled content guidelines. Although other government agencies have successful programs for encouraging online purchase of green office products, EPA's green purchasing criteria, located in Appendix A of the Buying Green Online Report noted above, are more comprehensive. EPA will modify and aug- ment these criteria as new green prod- ucts become available. EPA's BPA also requires recycling of all used toner car- tridges and batteries. Vendor evaluation criteria used in the award of the BPA included having an Environmental Man- agement System (EMS) in place or in development, and having green fleet pur- chase and maintenance programs. For more information contact: Holly Elwood of EPA, (202) 564-8854 or elwood.holly@epa.gov. According to federal agency staff inter- viewed for Buying Green Online: Greening Government E-Procurement of Office Sup- pliesthe benefits of buying office supplies through BPAs include: Cost savings through group discounts. Reduced time spent on routine pro- cessing of orders. Improved tracking and monitoring capabilities. Increased availability of up-to-date product information. Ease of use. Increased ability to meet mandatory source-of-supply requirements. Increased ability to meet agency-spe- cific purchasing goals. Improved satisfaction of customers and procurement professionals. P2RX NEWS UPDATE Now you can get environmental news from five P2Rx (Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange) centers every morning when you open your browser. The news features regional environmental news, activities and publications from state and other regional programs, plus news stories of interest to pollution prevention and technical assistance professionals. Currently, the Pollution Prevention Resource Information Clearinghouse (P2RIC) in region 7, Northeast Waste Manage- ment Officials Association (NEWM0A) in regions 1&2), Pollution Prevention Resource Clearing- house (PPRC) in region 10, Peaks to Prairies in region 8, and Great Lakes Region Pollution Pre- vention Roundtable (GLRPPR) in region 5 all have news feeds at "my yahoo." Additionally, ChemAlliance,the National Compliance Assistance Center Clearinghouse, and the National Pol- lution Prevention Roundtable provide news. To see a list of environmental news providers and learn how to set up this service for yourself, go to http://www.p2ric.org/EnvNews/newsRSSdi- rectory.cfm. For more information on news feeds and P2Rx, contact Jean Waters of P2Rx at jwaters@mail.unomaha.edu or 402-595-1826 or visit http://www.p2rx.org. FEDFACS 19 ------- Enforcement & Compliance Monitoring EPA's Self-Disclosure Policy: A Complementary Tool for EMS The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's environmental self-audit policy (65 FR 19618, April 11, 2000) can eliminate or greatly reduce penalties for noncompliance found during self-audits. Under the policy, federal facilities that voluntarily discover, promptly disclose, correct violations and take active steps to prevent recurrence may not face gravity-based penalties. Self-audits and disclosures provide facilities an opportunity for self directed, proactive environmental com- Self-audits and disclosures provide facilities an opportunity for self directed, proactive environmental compliance. pliance. When compared to EPA inspec- tions, information requests, subsequent enforcement proceedings, penalties and supervised corrective action, self-disclo- sure can be a preferred course of action. Self-disclosure is also a way to avoid additional transactional costs and nega- tive press associated with adversarial litigation. To encourage prompt disclosures of noncompliance discovered through a regular program of self-auditing, EPA will waive up to 100 percent of the grav- ity penalty associated with the viola- tion. In addition, EPA will not refer the noncompliance to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. Of course, no policy is without its exceptions. Each of the policy's require- ments must be met in order for facilities to obtain its incentives. Moreover, a facility cannot use the policy if the vio- lations caused real or potential endan- germent to public health and the envi- ronment, or if disclosure is involuntary, untimely, or made independent of gov- ernment or third parties. Supplemental environmental projects may also be used to further reduce cash penalties from noncompliance. Self-audits are a critical element of any well thought out environmental management system ("EMS") geared towards regulatory compliance. As the United States government continues implementing EMS throughout its facil- ities, environmental noncompliance may be encountered. A more detailed examination of the policy and its threshold requirements are discussed below: • Environmental noncompliance must have been discovered through a sys- tematic self-audit. For noncompli- ance discovered outside of the self- audit process the gravity penalty may be mitigated by 75 percent. • Reporting noncompliance as required by permit or a state audit process is not considered voluntary and does not fall under the policy. However, the policy does allow non- compliance reported as part of a Clean Air Act Title V permit annual compliance certification. • The most recent policy expands the time for disclosure from 10 to 21 days from the time of discovery. This may be challenging for federal facil- ities since disclosure may require review through the chain of com- mand, briefings, meetings, etc. Meeting this requirement may be accomplished if the facility has con- sidered self-disclosure beforehand and developed a process to use the policy prior to discovering its non- compliance. A facility's early commu- nication with EPA during the period it is considering using the policy may also help its case. • Independent discovery and disclo- sure is required by the policy. Once EPA sends a facility an information request letter or received a third- party complaint of suspected non- compliance, the policy's incentives are no longer available to the facil- ity. • The policy requires correction of the noncompliance within 60 days. Given the federal budget cycle, gov- ernment contracting rules, and the internal mechanics of each agency, this policy requirement may seem challenging or even insurmountable. As a means of addressing the 60-day remediation deadline, a facility's submission to EPA of a corrective action plan containing proof of oblig- ated funding and contract initiation within the 60-day time period may be sufficient to meet this require- ment. • The policy requires facilities prevent recurrence of noncompliance. EPA will require facilities to demonstrate and certify that corrective action has been implemented. Ideally, an EMS will address the root cause of the environmental noncompliance. • The policy will not accept self-disclo- sure of noncompliance similar to that which was subject to an enforcement action in the previous three years, or which fits into a pat- tern of organization-wide noncom- pliance in the previous five years. In order to maximize efficiency and protect the environment, EMSs should be designed to seek out and correct con- ditions which may cause harm to human health and the environment. The EPA self-disclosure policy, like EMSs, can also be used by senior man- agement to guide their facility to envi- ronmental compliance. For more information about EPA's self- audit policy or how to disclose, contact: Andrew Cherry, EPA (202) 564-2589 or cherry.andrew@epa.gov. The policy can be found on EPA's website: http://www.epa .gov/compliance/re sources/policies /incentives/auditing/auditpolicy.pdf 20 FEDFACS ------- Enforcement & Compliance Monitoring EPA Addresses Stormwater Violations as Part of National Strategy I n 2003, the U.S. EPA issued a national strategy for storm water compliance and enforcement. The purpose of the strategy is to improve compliance with storm water requirements and to protect our nation's waters from the harmful effects of polluted storm water. These storm water requirements have been in effect for more than ten years, but EPA and state storm water inspection data show that a majority of facilities inspected over the last ten years do not have a Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permit. In addition, even at permitted sites the regulators are finding significant noncompliance. Storm water run-off is a major cause of water quality impairment. Storm water run-off can carry high levels of pollutants such as sediment, oil, grease, suspended solids, nutrients, heavy metals, pathogens, toxins and trash into sewer systems and ultimately into our streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries and oceans. The strategy includes a number of ele- ments for EPA and states to address this noncompliance problem. One element of the strategy is a storm water expedited settlement offer (ESO) program. An ESO should provide "real time" enforcement in situations where violations can be cor- rected quickly and a penalty assessed within a short amount of time. The pur- pose of expedited settlements is to sup- plement, not replace traditional enforce- ment options. Recently, EPA Region 10 (Seattle) used the ESO approach to address storm water violations found at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, (Whidbey) Wash. EPA found that the Navy's contrac- tor, Rockford Corporation, did not meet General Permit for Storm Water Dis- charges from Construction Activities (CGP) requirements for its P-157 Direct Aircraft Refueling Station Construction Site. The Navy also failed to file a Notice of Intent under the CGP during this con- struction project. EPA gave the contractor an ESO with a penalty of $6,850 to resolve its viola- tions. In April 2004, EPA Region 10 issued Whidbey a CWA Notice of Non- compliance for its failure to file the required Notice of Intent. For more information contact: Melanie Garvey, EPAHQ, (202) 564-2579 or Kristine Karlson, EPARegion 10, (206) 553-0290. FEDERAL FACILITIES COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT TERMINATED AT PANTEX On January 23,2004, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Pantex facility certified it was compliant with requirements of its Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA). On February 2,2004, a ter- mination notice was filed closing out the FFCA and the associated administrative order in accor- dance with the agreed terms. Located in Amarillo, Texas, Pantex has had a FFCA for Clean Water Act (CWA) violations in place for some time. For the past two years, Pantex sought termination of the FFCA and wanted a written acknowledgment from EPA of its narrowed CWA jurisdiction based on the Supreme Court's decision in the "Solid Waste Authority of Northern Cook County" case. Pantex invoked the dispute resolution clause of the FFCA to force EPA resolution of issue. Under the schedule established by the FFCA, Pantex completed its obligations. A settlement was recently reached in which Pantex agreed to the administrative closure of the FFCA under the terms and conditions of its CWA NPDES permit. For additional information contact EPA Region 6's Jana Harvill, (214) 665-8369 or William Puplampu, (214) 665-8591 or Andrew Cherry (HQ), (202) 564-2589. EPA's Inspection Initiative Continues The U.S. EPA's Federal Facilities Multimedia Inspection and Enforcement Initiative ("Initia- tive") is an EPA compliance moni- toring effort to inspect federal facil- ities and take appropriate enforcement response nationwide. Currently in its fourth year, the Ini- tiative is coordinated by the Fed- eral Facilities Enforcement Office (FFEO) and follows the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance's "Smart Enforcement" principles. The Initiative, which FFEO developed in conjunction with its ten regional offices, targets civilian and military government facilities which meet certain criteria, and is intended to address significant environmental, public health, and compliance problems. In particular, EPA is inspecting facilities with low compliance rates, such as Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollution Discharge Sys- tem (NPDES) majors, and those reg- ulated by under-inspected programs under the Clean Air Act, Safe Drink- ing Water Act and other CWA pro- grams. EPA is also partnering with state and local agencies when appro- priate, and also evaluating environ- mental justice considerations in its targeting assessments. For additional information con- tact EPA's Federal Facility Enforce- ment Office's Lance Elson, (202) 564-2577, David Levenstein, (202) 564-2591 or Rich Satterfield, (202) 564-2456. FEDFACS 21 ------- Enforcement & Compliance Monitoring EPA Releases Superfund 120-Day Study For the past several years, EPA and members of Congress have expressed concern about EPA's difficulty funding long-term cleanups at Superfund sites. Due to funding constraints, EPA's Acting Deputy Administrator, Stephen Johnson, directed an internal workgroup to study ways to improve Superfund's efficiencies in order to fund the backlog of long-term cleanups using current resources. The study emphasizes ways to improve how Super- fund expends resources and communicates its successes. On April 22, 2004, the workgroup released a report entitled "Superfund: Building on the Past, Looking to the Future." The group found that Superfund "is a complex, viable cleanup program with an effective enforcement component." However, the team made a number of recommendations for the continued improvement of the pro- gram. These recommendations typically suggest ways to better implement a strong and evolving program. While the study failed to include a federal facilities- specific focus, many of its recommenda- tions could have an impact on cleanup at federal facilities. The study team made a total of 102 recommendations for improving program efficiencies. Many apply specifically to fund-lead cleanups and private party enforcement actions, but would likely apply to federal facility cleanups. For instance, federal agencies cur- rently submit certain remedy decisions to EPA's National Rem- edy Review Board (Board). The work- group recommends expanding the jurisdic- tion (e.g., possibly low- ering the remedy cost threshold for review) of the Board to improve cost effectiveness. Another suggested remedy is to re- visit older decisions and consider apply- ing new ideas such as innovative tech- nologies and the most cost-efficient cleanup approach. Other suggestions impacting remedy selection include expanding the presumptive remedy guid- ance to add more technical designs, and developing more standardized methodol- ogy for selecting remedies. For the placement of sites on the Superfund National Priorities List, the workgroup recommends keeping an active listing process to help ensure EPA prioritizes its work properly, and that there is incentive for other parties to work effectively under other federal or state cleanup programs. The report also makes recommenda- tions affecting all facets of the program such as improving contract management, de-obligating excess money from con- tracts so that it can be spent elsewhere, developing regional expertise, performing benchmarking studies to improve perfor- mance, and considering shifting resources among regions based on workload. The 120-Day Study provides a very thorough report of ways to improve Superfund program performance. The workgroup consisted of Superfund-expe- rienced EPA regional and headquarters staff who work in the Superfund pro- gram or had in the past. To review the study, visit EPA's website: http://www .epa.gov/superfund/news/120daystudy .pdf The study empasizes ways to improve how Superfund expends resources and communicates successes. FEDERAL AGENCY COMPLIANCE TRACKING SYSTEM EPA's Federal Agency Compliance Tracking System (FACTS), formerly known as the Online Envi- ronmental Compliance Status Report (ECSR), enables users to research, track and monitor the environmental compliance history and current status of individual regulated federal facilities. EPA employees, registered federal, state, local and tribal government agencies can view and analyze inspection, enforcement and compliance data in EPA's national database systems, and query data by federal agency, EPA region and state. FACTS is available as a partner site on EPA's Online Tracking Information System (OTIS). Non- registered users can obtain instructions and register at: http://www.epa.gov/idea/otis/register by selecting the link: Obtaining Gov't Access/Registering for OTIS. To visit FACTS, go to: http://www.epa.gov/idea/fedfac. Questions or comments about FACTS can be directed to EPA's Richard Satterfield satterfield.richard@epa.gov. Questions or comments pertaining to OTIS or access problems during registration should be directed to Rebecca Kane, kane.rebecca@epa.gov. Got an Article? If you have an article about an environ- mental activity or program at your agency or facility, and you'd like us to consider it for publication in the next FedFacs, please contact: Marie Muller at muller.marie@epa.gov. FedFacs is published twice a year; articles should be 500 words or less. The U.S. EPA reserves the right to edit or decline any article. 22 FEDFACS ------- Enforcement & Compliance Monitoring 2002 Toxics Release Inventory Online EPA issued its 15th annual Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), the annual report on the amount of toxic chemicals released into the environment by reporting facilities for calendar year 2002. Almost 25,000 facilities reported on nearly 650 chemicals. Atotal of 315 federal facilities reported for 2002, an increase of 10 percent from the 286 facilities reporting in 2001. Total production-related waste managed decreased by six percent. The data also show total on and off-site disposal or other releases from federal facilities increased by nine percent, attributed pri- marily to higher coal usage by one facility. For all facilities, the TRI Public Data Release shows a 15 percent decrease in total disposal or other releases into the environment from 2001 to 2002. That decrease is largely attributable to a court decision which required reporting by the metal mining sector. Without metal mining, there was a five percent increase from 2001 to 2002, primarily due to increases reported by one facility. Since the inception of TRI in 1988, f trends analysis shows chemi- cal releases decreased 49 per- cent. EPA provides the public with data on chemical emis- sions and releases in many formats from many different databases. TRI tracks the chemicals and industrial sectors specified by the Emergency Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 and its amendments. EPA's efforts to improve TRI data quality and to make data publicly available sooner has been made possible by increased electronic reporting from the TRI com- munity. Over 23 percent of TRI reports this year were submitted electronically through EPA's Environmen- tal Information Exchange Network. The TRI data and back- ground information are available at http://www.epa .gov/tri. Facilities (including federal facilities) and chemi- cal releases can be identified by using the TRI explorer mapping tool available at: http://www.epa.gov/triexplore. Screening and Analysis Tool Evaluates Environmental Impact EPA's Geographic Information System Screening and Analysis Tool (GISST), developed by EPA Region 6 (Dallas), evaluates environmental vulnerability and impact using over 100 different types of environmental resource and stressor "criteria" developed by EPA. GISST is Geographic Information System (GlS)-driven, and combines EPA's technical assessments into a mathematical algorithm. This weighs environmental information or criteria of a specific geographic area, and identifies and maps environmental concerns. EPA is using this expanded analysis capability to evaluate potential environ- mental impacts resulting from highway construction activities. The application facilitates NEPA section 309 reviews, and enables EPA to provide quick and early notification of environmental impact statement (EIS) and assessment (EA) concerns. The tool also helps EPA identify and develop alternatives (e.g., study corridors, alignments) to best avoid adverse environmental impacts. EPA Region 6 developed GISST orig- inally as an enforcement targeting and environmental justice tool to assess and flag a variety of single and multi-media environmental concerns. EPA Region 6 is expanding GISST to better support NEPA transportation needs - from planning and scoping phases to Final EIS and RODs (Record of Decision). Examples of specific assistance include identification of sensitive areas (e.g., endangered species habitat, wet- lands, parks, streams and rivers, cul- tural resources, air nonattainment areas), environmental assessment of alternatives to support decisions on selection, and locations of potential bor- row, disposal and fill materials for con- struction sites. GIS-driven analysis tools have a long history within EPA. More recently, other federal and state agencies, such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), began to recognize and advo- cate its utility. Much of this focus is also in response to environmental streamlin- ing requirements per the Transporta- tion Equity Act of 2001 (TEA-21). EPA Region 6 has found the GISST to be an excellent tool for cutting NEPA review time in responding to trans- portation or other NEPA-related activi- ties. Transportation agencies using sim- ilar GIS technology cut total processing time by 30 to 50 percent (from pre-scop- ing to ROD). For more information contact EPA Region 6 staff: David Parrish (214) 814- 5810, Dominique Lueckenhoff (512) 916-5012, Dr. Gerald Carney (214) 665- 6523, Rob Lawrence, (214) 665-8150, Dr. Sharon Osowski (214) 665-7506. FEDFACS 23 ------- In the Spotlight Champions for Environmental Leadership and Green Government Awards U.S. EPA Region 10 (Seattle) announced its second annual "Champions for Envi- ronmental Leadership" and "Green Gov- ernment Innovation" awards, which rec- ognize federal agencies going beyond compliance and promoting pollution pre- vention, sustainability, and EMS. Region 10 congratulates all facilities nominated for this award. The recipients for 2004 are: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Fuel Cell Test Site - Fuel Cell Development and Deployment - Department of Defense, Avista Labs, Inc., and the Northwest Mountain Region partnered to test the Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell. The first fuel cell was commissioned at McChord Air Force Base, Remote Trans- mitter Receiver, and was the first at a FAA facility. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island - P2 Hazardous Waste Reduction Project - The Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Detachment reduced or eliminated haz- ardous waste. This P2 project elimi- nated approximately 192,000 pounds of hazardous waste and enhanced person- nel safety, as well as efforts to meet the requirements of Executive Order 13148. Hazardous waste disposal cost savings were $28,850. NAS Whidbey Island Solid Waste Reduc- tion - Solid Waste-Recycling - In FY04, Whidbey's wastewater treatment plant will be upgraded, and the lagoon closed. This will be the first Navy-owned com- posting facility, and will reduce annual shipping and disposal costs by almost $42,000. National Park Service (NPS), Pacific West Region (PWR) - Development of Sustainability Tools - The Facility Management and Contracting teams of the NPS PWR is developing sustainable products, prac- tices, tools, and guides to aid park pro- grams meet sustainability commitments in Region 10's Greening the Parks pro- gram. National Parks Service (NPS), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and General Services Administration (GSA) Berkeley Lamp/Watt Stopper Islet Project - Updated lighting for NPS in the Old Federal Building in Seattle. Updated lighting eliminating hundreds of fixtures, lamps, ballasts and other solid waste. Occu- pancy controlled power strips reduce power consumption in the office. BPA assisted in product procurement through negotiated bulk purchase actions. Since the employees have portable light sources, future office moves will not require significant changes in overhead lighting fixture placement switch placement or rewiring. 2004 Closing the Circle Awards The Office of the Federal Environmen- tal Executive (OFEE) is pleased to announce the winners of this year's White House Closing the Circle (CTC) Awards, which recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship through pollution prevention, recycling, green purchasing, sustainable building, and the use of environmental management systems. Thank you to all agencies that submitted nominations this year. The 2004 Closing the Circle Award Winners are: Environmental Management Systems • Dept. of Defense (DoD), Fort Bragg, NC: The Right Way, The Green Way, All the Way! • Dept. of Energy (DOE), Battelle Memorial Institute, Lab Ops Group, Ohio: Corporate Commitment to Environmental Stewardship and Environmental Management Sys- tems. Waste/Pollution Prevention • DoD, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.: Environmental Management Direc- torate, Taking Strides Forward in Pollution & Waste Prevention at Robins AFB. • Dept. of Homeland Security, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Ga.: Green Ammunition. • New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health- care Systems, NM: Mr. Mark Boyers, Hazardous Waste Reduction at the NM VA Healthcare System Recycling • DoD, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.: Solid Waste/Recycling Team, Rejuve- nation of Base Recycling Program at Tinker AFB. • DoD, Vandenburg Air Force Base, Calif.: Mr. Patrick Maloy, Vandenberg AFB QRP Exceeds 90% Diversion Rate. • Dept. of Justice, Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman, Fla.: Recycling Program. Green Purchasing • DoD, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.: Environmentally Friendly Prod- ucts Section at Homestead Air Reserve Base Store. • DOE, Sandia National Laboratories, NM: Five Keys to Success: Continu- ous Improvement for Construction Purchases. Sustainable Design/Green Building: • DoD, U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.: YPG Energy Efficient Model Home. • Dept. of the Interior, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Va.: Going Green Over Buildings at Chin- coteague NWR. The summer issue of "CTC News" spotlights these success stories more extensively, and is found at: http://www.ofee.gov/ctc/ctcspr04.pdf 24 FEDFACS ------- InBrief New Rules For Hazardous Air Emissions The U.S. EPA announced four new rules which require certain facilities to install Maximum Achievable Control Technologies (MACTs). The MACT rules cover: Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters; Plywood and Compos- ite Wood Products; Stationary Reciprocating Internal Combus- tion Engines (RICE); and Automobile and Light Duty Trucks Manufacturing (Surface Coating). For more information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/. Corps Study Concludes Water Sources Safe For Central Texas Congress directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District (USACE) to assess the impact of perchlorate associated with the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant at McGregor, Texas. The three year, $5.5 million study, begun in 2001 to investigate possible perchlorate impacts to the water- sheds and raw water sources for 500,000 people in Central Texas, is now complete. According to the study results, data indicate there is no risk of exposure to perchlorates in Lakes Belton and Waco, however, some springs and streams in the area have been impacted, and consumers are cautioned that they could potentially be exposed by consuming plants and small animals from these areas. The Army Corps discussed these results at two public meet- ings in early April 2004 in Waco and Temple, Texas. The final report is available at: http://www.swf.usace.army.mil /links/ppmd/perchlorate/index.html. For more information con- tact: Wayne Elliott, USACE (817) 886-1666. Waste Reduction and Recycling Report EPA released its first annual report on the Resource Conserva- tion Challenge (RCC), a cross-agency initiative which identifies and uses innovative ways to conserve natural resources and energy. The report, entitled "The Resource Conservation Chal- lenge: A Year of Progress," shows how federal and state govern- ments, tribes and industry are achieving significant results in waste reduction and recycling. The report is available on the RCC website at: http://www.epa.gov/rcc. E.0.13327 on Federal Real Property Asset Management On February 4, President Bush signed Executive Order 13327 "Federal Real Property Asset Management" to promote efficient and economical use of federal real property resources. Of partic- ular note are the statements regarding application of life cycle costing and environmental concepts, and the requirement for conformance with Executive Order 13148 (Section 3(b)(iii) and (vi), as well as 4(b) and 4(b)(v)). For more information visit: http://www.ofee.gov/whats/eo_asset_management.html. UpcomingEvents August 8 - 11 2004 Energy 2004 Rochester, NY 7th Annual workshop of federal, state, local and pri- vate sector energy managers, service companies, utili- ties, procurement officials, engineers and other energy professionals. Sponsored by U.S. DOE Federal Energy Management Program; co-sponors are DoD and U.S. General Services Administration. For more information please visit: http://www.energy2004.ee.doe.gov/ August 14-15,2004 CleanMed 2004 Philadelphia, PA For more information visit: http://www.cleanmed.org/2004/overview.html August 16 - 19,2004 9th Annual Joint Services Environmental Management Conference IFormerly P2&HWM Conference) San Antonio, TX "Sustaining the Force: Optimizing Readiness Through the Prevention of Pollution" For more infor- mation visit: http://www.jsemconference.com August 28- September 3,2004 World Renewable Energy Congress VIII Denver, CO For more information, visit: http://www.wrenuk.co.uk/wrenviii.html September 20-22,2004 Brownfields Conference 2004 St. Louis, M0 The national Brownfields Conferences bring together key experts from all levels of government, business, and finance and from local communities to share ideas and experiences in the field of urban and envi- ronmental development. For More information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/bfconf.htm Or http://www.brownfields2004.org (Note regarding non-EPA conducted or sponsored events: EPA is providing this information because it may be useful or interesting to FedFacs readers. However EPA can- not attest to the accuracy of information provided by event organizers, nor does this constitute an endorsement by EPA or any of its employees of the sponsors of the site or the information or products presented.) FEDFACS 25 ------- EPA's Federal Facility Program Managers I n addition to its Washington, D.C. Headquarters staff, EPA's federal facil- ity enforcement and compliance assur- ance program is implemented in large part through its 10 regional offices throughout the country. Each region has a Federal Facility Program Manager (FFPM) who acts as a point of contact on many environmental issues for federal facilities located in their region. FFPMs also coordinate many of the region's fed- eral facility activities and initiatives. Below is a map which identifies U.S. EPA regions, and the states belonging to each region. A brief profile for each region, and Federal Facility Program Managers and Superfund contact infor- mation is also provided. EPA's Regional Federal Facility Programs EPA New England- Region 1 Toxics, Pesticides and Federal Programs Office of Environmental Stewardship One Congress Street, Suite 1100 Boston, MA 02114 States: MA, NH, VT, CT, II, ME FFPM: Anne H. Fenn, 617-918-1805; fenn.anne@epa.gov Other Contacts: Bryan Olson (Superfund) 617-918-1365 Regional Initiatives: EMRs; EMS Tutorials; Qrt Information Seminars; Conferences; EPCRA & Facility Security; Sustainability; P2; Compliance Training (VHA, DOFNPS); Multimedia Inspection. Regional Resources: Additional information about Region 1 is found at: http://www.epa.gov/regionl EPA Region 2 Compliance Assistance Section 290 Broadway, 21st Floor New York, NY 10007-1866 (212) 637-3000 States: NJ, NY, PR, Virgin Islands FFPM: Kathleen Malone; 212-637- 4083; malone.kathleen@epa.gov Other Contacts: John Malleck (Superfund); 212-637-4263 Regional Resources: The region's federal facility website is found at: http://www.epa.gov/Region2/ff/index.html EPA Region 3 Office of Enforcement, Compliance and Environmental Justice (3EC00) 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 States: PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV FFPM: Jose J. Jimenez; 215-814-2148, jimenez.jose@epa.gov (Compliance assurance, compliance assis- tance, and EMS) Other Contacts: Paul Leonard (Superfund); 215-814-3350 William Arguto (NEPA and EMRs); 215-814- 3367 Regional Initiatives: Region is focusing on VA Hospitals, U.S. Post Office Vehicle Mainte- nance Facilities, and facilities with NPDES problems. Region offers NPDES training, tar- geted to DoD facilities, and EMS workshops for federal sector. Regional Resources: Federal Facilities Compliance Kit (compilation of compliance documents, checklists, and EMS information about federal facilities on CD). Region's web- site contains more information about upcom- ing training. Visit: http://www.epa.gov /reg3ecej/federal_facilities.htm. Other: The Region partnering with U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army and GSA, and also with states PA and VA to host the 2005 EPA/DOD/State Colloquium. Please contact Region for more information, or to participate in program agenda. Region also provides training "7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Qu—I ! m»i Ifrtilenii MlvVmft Mar wm Iffcpfrdg , EPA Region 4 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30303 States: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN FFPM: Mark Robertson (DoD, DOE) 404- 562-9639; robertson.mark@epa.gov Anthony Shelton (civilian agencies) 404-562- 9636; shelton.anthony@epa.gov Other Contacts: Jon D. Johnston (Super- fund) 404-562-8527 Anne Heard (RCRA//UST/OPA) 404-562-9521 Regional Initiatives: CWA SPCC Compli- ance Assurance Initiative - Region 4 will pro- vide compliance assistance to selected federal facilities on SPCC compliance issues, and encourage selected federal facilities to use EPA's Audit Policy to self-disclose violations. Region will also inspect selected facilities. Regional Resources: EPA co-sponsors an annual June con- Continued on page 27 26 FEDFACS ------- EPA'S FEDERAL FACILITY PROGRAM MANAGERS Continued from page 26 ference with the U.S. Army Environmental Center-Southern Regional Environmental Office, for federal facilities in the southeast. More information is found at: http://aec.army .mil/usaec/reo/region4/index.html. Region also provides various training. Additional informa- tion about Region 4 generally is found at: http://www.epa.gov/region4 EPA Region 5 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, IL 60604 States: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI FFPM: Lee J. Regner; 312-353-6478; regner.lee@epa.gov Other Contacts: Gary Schafer (Superfund and BRAC); 312-353-8827 Phil Kaplan (Pollution Prevention); 312-353- 4669 Regional Initiatives: Region 5 is conducting environmental management reviews (EMRs). Facilities interested in having an EMR at their facility should contact the region. Regional Resources: Additional information about Region 5 generally is found at: http://www.epa.gov/region5 EPA Region 6 Compliance Assurance and Enforcement Division Office of Planning and Coordination (6EN-XP) 1445 Ross Avenue Dallas, TX 75202 States: AR, LA, NM, OK, TX FFPM: Joyce Stubblefield; 214-665-6430; stubblefield.joyce@epa.gov Gabriel Gruta; 214-665-2174; gimta.gabriel@epa.gov (Compliance assistance, P2, EMS) Other Contacts: Gus Chavarria (Superfund NPL); 214-665-3162; George Malone; 214-665- 8030; and Michael Barra; 214-665-2143 (Superfund Legal Coun- sels) Walt Helmick (Superfund QA); 214-665-8373 Laurie King (Permits and BRAC); 214-665-6785 Regional Initiatives: Environmental man- agement reviews; Federal Interagency EMS training(s); Regional Resources: Geographical Informa- tion System Screening Tool (GISST) website: www.epa.gov/earthli-6/6en/xp/enxp2a3.htm Please contact FFPM Joyce Stubblefield if interested in this environmental screening tool. Additional information about Region 6 generally can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/region6 Other: Federal/State partnerships, Leader- ship and P2 Programs. (Please contact Joyce Stubblefield for specific state contacts) EPA Region 7 Enforcement Coordination Office 901 North 5th Street Kansas City, KS 66101 States: IA, KS, MO, NE FFPM: Kris Goschen; 913-551-7027; goschen.kiis@epa.gov Other Contacts: Gene Gunn (Superfund); 913-551-7776 Regional Resources: Additional information about Region 7 is found at: http://www.epa.gov/region7 EPA Region 8 999 18th Street Suite 300 Denver, CO 80202-2466 States: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY FFPM: Dianne Thiel (Mail stop: 8P-P3T); 303-312-6389; thiel.dianne@epa.gov (EMS, EMRs, P2, environmentally preferable pur- chasing, greening government) Elisabeth Evans (Mail stop: 8ENF-T); 303-312-6217 evans.elisabeth@epa.gov (Compliance assistance, inspections and enforcement) Other Contacts: Terry Anderson (Super- fund); 303-312-6244 Marie Zanowick (P2 and EMS) 303-312-6403 Regional Initiatives: EMRs; EMS - training, Leadership Opportunities for Senior Man- agers; module environmental policy develop- ment; environmental compliance and P2 training presented at annual DOI conference. Regional Resources: "Permitting Stormwa- ter Discharges from Federal Facility Con- struction Projects" (posted on Region's website in June); "Cleaning National Parks: Using Environmentally Preferable Janitorial Prod- ucts at Yellowstone and Grand Tbton National Parks." Found at: http://www.epa.gov/Region8 /conservation_recycling/yellowstone.pdf. Addi- tional information about Region 8 is found at: http://www.epa.gov/region8. EPA Pacific Southwest Region - Region 9 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105 States: AZ, CA, HI, NV, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Mariana Islands; 147 tribal nations. FFPMs: Larry Woods Federal Facilities Coor- dinator (Mail Stop: CMD-1); 415-972-3857; woods.lariy@epa.gov Tarn Kelly, Federal Facilities Coordinator (Mail Stop: CMD-1); 415-972-3856; kelly.thomasp@epa.gov Other Federal Facility Contacts: Kathleen Johnson (Superfund); 415-972-3873 Lisa Hanf (EIS/NEPA review); 415-972-3854 Regional Resources: Region 9 assists federal facility compliance through partnership activi- ties, such as training, recognition programs like Champions of Green Government, and EMRs for gap analysis assistance for EMS implementation. More information about these activities is found on Region 9's Federal Facil- ity Compliance Program website: http://www.epa.gov/Region9/cross_pr/fedfac/ Other: Map of Federal and Tribal Land in Region 9: http://www.epa.gov/Region9/cross _pr/fedfac/fedmap.html Region 9 Libraiy: http://www.epa.gov/Region9 /libraiy/ Region 9 Environmental Management System: http://www.epa.gov/Region9/cross_pr /ems/index.html The Federal Network for Sustainability, a Region 9 FFCP Partner: http://www.federal sustainability.org/ EPA Region 10 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101 States: AK, ID, OR, WA FFPM: Michele Wright; 206-553-1747; wright.michele@epa.gov Other Contacts: Nancy Hamey (Superfund); 206-553-6635 Nick Ceto (Hanford); 509-376-9529 Regional Initiatives: EMRs, EMS training and other assistance; Champions of Environ- mental and Green Government Innovation Recognition program. Regional Resources: Region's website is located at: http://www.epa.gov/regionlO. For enforcement and compliance information visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/ENFORCE.NSF /Homepage/OCE+Main+Page Other: The West Coast Federal Network for Sustainability, and the newly created Seattle Federal Executive Board subgroup (Intera- gency Environmental Leadership Council) FEDFACS 27 ------- United States Environmental Protection Agency (2261) Washington, DC 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 Forwarding & Return Postage Guaranteed Address Correction Requested FIRST CLASS POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT NO. G-35 ------- |