United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency FISCAL YEAR 2020Annual Performance Report


United States
Environmental Protection Agency
FISCAL YEAR 2020
Annual Performance Report
January 2021
EPA-190-R-21-001	www.epa.gov/ocfo

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FY 2020 Annual Performance Report
Introduction
EPA's FY 2020 Annual Performance Report (APR) describes the third year of progress toward the
strategic goals and objectives in the FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan, available at
https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan. This APR presents results against the annual
performance goals and targets in the Agency's FY 2020 Annual Performance Plan (APP) and
Congressional Justification (CJ) as updated in the FY 2021 APP and CJ. Please also refer to EPA's
FY 2020 Agency Financial Report (AFR), available at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-
2020-agencv-financial-report, for information on financial performance results.
Organization of the FY 2020 APR
EPA's FY 2020 performance results and trend data are organized by strategic goal. For each
strategic goal, there is a Goal-at-a-Glance Overview and a detailed multiyear table with targets,
results, graphs, and key takeaways for the Agency's strategic objectives and annual performance
goals. This section adopts the terminology and color coding used to measure progress under the
EPA Lean Management System (ELMS), a set of practices and tools that supports Agency
employees in identifying and solving problems for optimal performance results.
FY 2020 Performance Data
FY 2020 Annual Performance Goal Results
For FY 2020, EPA focused on a set of 45 annual
performance goals, including annualized long-term
performance goals to achieve ambitious targets set
in the FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan and
measures representing key work areas that support
those long-term performance goals. EPA met or
exceeded 54% of the targets in their entirety for
annual performance goals with FY 2020 targets and
data available (22 of 41). For 13 of its annual
performance goals with FY 2020 targets and data
available (32%), the Agency achieved between 75-
99% of the target (including eight where the Agency
achieved between 90-99% of the target). For 6 of its
annual performance goals with FY 2020 targets and
data available (15%), EPA achieved less than 75%
of the target.
While EPA is making significant progress toward a
broad range of outcomes, the Agency missed targets for 19 (of 41) annual performance goals that
had FY 2020 targets and data available. Reasons for missed targets include the complexity of the
Performance toward target by goal
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
] 1 (NT)
Goal 1
A Cleaner, Healthier
Environment
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	<75% of target met (R)
~	No target (NT)
2 (Y)
1 (R)
1 (NT)
1(G)
Goal 2
More Effective
Partnerships
2 (NT)
3(Y)
10 (G)
Goal 3
Greater Certainty,
Compliance, and
Effectiveness
1

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environmental challenge, adjustments to standard practice in some areas due to COVID-19, and
other factors outside of the Agency's control (such as fewer requests than expected for EPA
actions). In some areas with missed targets, the Agency nevertheless made significant
improvements in its performance over recent years.1 EPA will continue to make progress toward
its performance targets by applying ELMS to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of its
operations. More detail is available throughout the report.
No FY 2020 results are available for one of the Agency's annual performance goals as of January
2021, because no actions were due during FY 2020.2 FY 2020 results are reported for three of the
Agency's annual performance goals for which no targets were established.
Verification/Validation of Performance Data
The Agency developed Data Quality Records (DQRs) for the long-term performance goals in the
FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan. FY 2020 DQRs will soon be available at
https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/results. EPA maintains the DQRs to ensure consistency and
quality of data used for assessing and reporting progress towards annual performance goals. The
DQRs describe the results being measured; data sources and limitations; methods for calculating
results; and controls to ensure good data quality.
FY 2020-2021 Agency Priority Goals
EPA met targets for three of the six FY 2020-2021 Agency Priority Goals (APGs) in th eFY 2018-
2022 EPA Strategic Plan (redesignation of areas to air quality attainment, water infrastructure,
childhood lead exposure) and missed targets for three of the six APGs (site cleanups, permitting
decisions, and PFAS). Complete FY 2020-2021 APG Action Plans and Quarterly Progress
Updates are available at https://www.performance.gov/EPA/APG epa l.html.
• Improve air quality by reducing the number of areas not meeting air quality
standards. By September 30, 2021, EPA, in close collaboration with states, will reduce
the number of nonattainment areas to 121 fi'om a baseline of 147.
Met FY 2020 target. In FY 2020, EPA took final action on state requests to redesignate 22
nonattainment areas to attainment, reducing the number of nonattainment areas to 125 from
the October 2019 baseline of 147 areas. Based on the latest improvements in air quality as
an indicator of areas eligible for redesignation, EPA expects to meet or exceed its APG
goal of 121 nonattainment areas by September 30, 2021. Overall, EPA is on track to
achieve its long-term performance goal of 101 set in EPA's FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.
• Empower communities to leverage EPA water infrastructure investments. By
September 30, 2021, EPA will increase by $16 billion the non-federal dollars leveraged by
the EPA water infrastructure finance programs (Clean Water State Revolving Fund
1 For example, (PM FIFRA1) Number of FIFRA decisions completed through pesticides registration review; and
(PM CF2) Number of Agency administrative subsystems.
2 PM TSCA2: Number of final existing chemical TSCA risk management actions completed within statutory
timelines.
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[CWSRFJ, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund [DWSRF], and the Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation Act [WIFIA] Program).
Met FY 2020 target. In FY 2020, EPA water infrastructure programs leveraged $10.2
billion non-federal dollars, increasing the funds available to improve, repair, and
modernize the nation's water infrastructure. This exceeded the $8 billion FY 2020 goal and
demonstrates the powerful opportunity to leverage non-federal dollars. In addition to
meeting the annual goal, EPA completed 51 State Revolving Fund (SRF) State Reviews in
FY 2020 and attended several virtual conferences and held several virtual training sessions
and webinars including a half-day video conference with the SRF State-EPA workgroup
for over 360 SRF colleagues.
• Accelerate the pace of cleanups and return sites to beneficial use in their communities.
By September 30, 2021, EPA will make an additional 102 Superfund (SF) sites and 1,368
brownfields (BF) sites ready for anticipated use (RA U).
Missed FY 2020 target. EPA made 34 Superfund sites and 809 brownfield sites RAU in
FY 2020, missing the Superfund target of 51 and exceeding the brownfields target of 684.
EPA is evaluating how to increase the Superfund number in FY 2021. EPA is on track to
meet the FY 2020-2021 goal of 1,368 brownfield sites, due to use of ELMS huddles and
performance boards, strong coordination between EPA headquarters and regional offices,
and data collection from closed cooperative agreements that had not yet reported their
accomplishments.
• Accelerate permitting-related decisions. By September 30, 2021, EPA will reduce the
backlog of new permitting-related decisions to 24 from a baseline of 65; and reduce the
backlog of permit renewals by 38% from a baseline of 417.
Missed FY 2020 target. EPA had 65 new permit applications and 384 permit renewals in
backlog at the end of FY 2020, compared with targets of 33 and 313, respectively. EPA
continued to implement Lean business process improvements to streamline and optimize
the Agency's key permitting programs, but experienced permitting delays due to a high
number of new permit applications and remaining complex issues, including: (1)
incomplete permit applications; (2) time needed to process complex public comments; (3)
interagency consultation; (4) complex policy issues impeding decisions; and (5) issues
raised during state and tribal review. As part of the sustained effort toward eliminating the
permit backlogs, EPA is providing assistance to help permit applicants submit higher-
quality applications, improving key aspects of the permit review processes, and working
to identify challenges and develop solutions to complex permitting issues.
• Reduce childhood lead exposures and associated health impacts. By September 30,
2021, EPA will: establish drinking water lead testing programs for schools in all states
and the District of Columbia; reduce the number of lead nonattainment areas to 10 from a
baseline of 13; complete 48 cleanup actions at sites where lead is a contaminant of
concern; and increase the recertification rate of lead-based paint renovation, repair and
painting firms to 28 percent from a baseline of 23 percent.
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Met FY 2020 target. EPA awarded grants for drinking water lead testing in schools to all
50 states and the District of Columbia, exceeding the FY 2020 target of 45, and provided
additional technical assistance to grant recipients to help establish these programs. EPA
worked closely with states to reduce the number of areas not attaining lead air pollution
standards from 13 to 11, meeting the FY 2020 target. EPA reduced exposures to lead in
soil by completing 21 remedial action projects and 35 removal actions at sites where lead
is a contaminant of concern, a total of 56 cleanup actions, exceeding the FY 2020 target of
24. EPA exceeded all four quarterly targets and achieved a rate of 38.6% for lead-based
paint firm recertifications in FY 2020 Q4, through enhanced outreach and education to
ensure firms are certified to conduct lead-safe work to protect children from lead-based
paint hazards.
• Reduce Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Risks to the Public. By September
30, 2021, EPA will meet several of the designated Priority Action milestones in the EPA
PFAS Action Plan to establish a framework to understand and address PFAS.
Missed FY 2020 target. EPA completed five of six planned milestones in FY 2020. EPA
issued Interim Recommendations for Addressing Groundwater contaminated with
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) (one milestone).
These recommendations provide guidance for federal cleanup programs that will be helpful
to states and tribes. EPA proposed preliminary determinations to regulate PFOA and PFOS
in drinking water (two milestones). If the Agency makes a positive final regulatory
determination, it will begin the process to establish a drinking water regulation. EPA
finalized the Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for Long-Chain Perfluoroalkyl
Carboxylate (LCPFAC) (two milestones). The SNUR requires notice and EPA review
before the use of long-chain PFAS that have been phased out in the U.S. could begin again.
EPA missed the milestone to publish the perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) toxicity
assessment in FY 2020. However, the Agency completed interagency review and is now
finalizing the assessment for publication.
Evidence and Evaluation
Summaries of program evaluations completed during FY 2020, and additional FY 2020
contributions to EPA's portfolio of evidence, are available at
https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/results. EPA uses program evaluations and other evidence to
assess effectiveness of programs in meeting Agency goals, to identify ways to improve mission
delivery, and to strengthen use of evidence in decision making. This is particularly important for
fostering transparency and accountability.
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f O Ts
\2g7J
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
THE ADMINISTRATOR
Reliability of the EPA's Performance Data
I attest to the reliability and completeness of the performance data presented in the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Performance Report. Because
improvements in human health and the environment may not become immediately apparent, there
might be delays between the actions we have taken and results we can measure. Additionally, we
cannot provide results data tor some of our performance measures for this reporting year. When
possible, however, we have portrayed trend data to illustrate progress over time.
Andrew R. Wheeler
Administrator
Date
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Key to Multiyear Table Annual Performance Goal Data Presentation
(PM #) Annual performance goal language here.
Targets by Fiscal
Year (Line)
Target
Actual
FY 2015
FY 2016
12
FY 2017
No Target
Established
11
FY 2018
13
13
FY 2019
13
10
FY 2020
12
Units
Sites
Preferred
Direction
Increase
IlITi
Gray = No Annual
Performance Goal;
No Data
Purple =
No Target
Green = 100%
of Target Met
Yellow = 75-99%
of Target Met
Red = <75%
of Target Met
White (past year) = No Annual
Performance Goal; Data Available
Actuals by Fiscal
Year (Bars)
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Goal 1 at a Glance
A Cleaner, Healthier Environment: Deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out the
Agency's core mission.
FY 2020 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 1 A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Obj 1.1 Improve Air Quality
Obj 1.2 Provide for Clean and Safe Water
Obj 1.3 Revitalize Land and Prevent Contamination
$813,400
$4,454,149
$1,348,499
Obj 1.4 Ensure Safety of Chemicals in the Marketplace	$235,048
n
$6,851,096
(of $9,057,401
EPA total)
Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	<75% of target met (R)
~	No target (NT)
1 (Y)
1(G)
Obj 1.1
Obj 1.2
1 (NT)
3(Y)
Obj 1.3
2(G)
Obj 1.4
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Objective 1.1 - Improve Air Quality: Work with states and tribes to accurately measure air quality and ensure that more Americans are
living and working in areas that meet high air quality standards.
Performance toward target overtime
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
2 (Y)
2 (Y)
1 (Y)
1(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
19 S%
-77%

Gross Domestic Product

Vehicles Miles Traveled
•i« '
Population
;
Energy Consumption

95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
•	Redesignated 22 areas to attainment for various National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS). EPA is on track to meet its FY 2022 long-term performance goal of 101.
•	Worked with states to reduce the historic State Implementation Plan (SIP) backlog that
existed as of October 2013 by over 90% (from 699 SIPs to 52 SIPs as of September 30,
2020) and provided states with the "State implementation Plan (SIP) Lean Toolkit for
Collaboration Between EPA and Air Agencies" to support timely action on SIPs through
early engagement. In FY 2020, EPA received 478 new SIPs, took action on 451 SIPs and
reduced the current SIP backlog from 382 to 341.
•	Published Air Trends Report which shows combined emissions of criteria pollutants and
their precursors dropped 7% between 2017-2019, and 77% between 1970-2018 while the
economy grew 285% (see graph at lower left).
•	Issued over 4,800 certificates of conformity for engines, vehicles, and complementary
pieces of equipment allowing manufacturers to enter products into commerce in the U.S.
•	Released the annual Automotive Trends Report that finds that Model Year (MY) 2018
vehicle fuel economy was 25.1 miles per gallon, slightly higher than the 24.9 miles per
gallon MY 2017.
•	Issued annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report showing that since 2005, national
net GHG emissions (including sinks) have fallen by 10%, and power sector C02
combustion emissions have fallen by 27% -even as our economy grew by 25%.
•	Released data on 2019 emissions of NOx, S02, C02, and mercury (Hg) from power
plants in the lower 48 states showing a 23% decline in S02 emissions compared to 2018, a
14% decline in NOx emissions, an 8% percent decline in C02 emissions, and a 13%
decrease in Hg emissions. Additionally, ozone season NOx emissions dropped by 1%.
•	Achieved 100% compliance for power plants in the Acid Rain Program and Cross State
Air Pollution Rule allowance trading programs which together have delivered a 94%
reduction of S02 and an 86% reduction in NOx emissions from 1990 levels as of 2019.
•	Saved 430 billion kWh of electricity and avoided $35B in energy costs with GHG
reductions of 330M metric tons through ENERGY STAR.
•	Kept $32M worth of natural gas in pipelines and reduced methane emissions equivalent to
5M metric tons of C02 between 2016-2018 through EPA's voluntary Natural Gas STAR
Methane Challenge Program.
Challenges:
•	While EPA is making steady and expected progress redesignating areas to NAAQS
attainment, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), states are responsible for initiating the
redesignation process, a process that demands time and resources from states.
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce the number of nonattainment areas to 1013.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM NA1) Number of Nonattainment Areas.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction




im
Target



155
138
132
Nonattaimnent
Below Target





Actual
182
176
166
159
147
125
Areas





Key Takeaways:
•	In FY 2020, EPA took final action on state requests to redesignate 22 nonattainment areas to attainment.
•	The original FY 2020 target of 132 was based on projections that were made prior to FY 2018. EPA was able to reach and surpass the FY 2020 goal by redesignating seven
additional areas with 125 nonattainment areas remaining (of the 166 nonattaimnent areas in the FY 2018 baseline).
•	Looking ahead, EPA will: (1) work with states to update FY 2021-2022 nonattaimnent area projections to identify which states intend to submit approvable redesignation
requests; and (2) continue to encourage states with nonattaimnent areas that are eligible for redesignation to attaimnent to develop and submit approvable redesignation
requests and accompanying 10-year maintenance plans, as required by the CAA.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the status of 166 areas that were designated nonattaimnent and listed in 40 CFR Part 81 as of the end of FY 2017. Areas designated to
nonattaimnent after October 1, 2017 are not included. Nonattaimnent areas are areas that EPA determined do not meet a non-revoked primary or secondary NAAQS. Areas are
considered redesignated based on the effective date of the redesignation. For multi-state nonattaimnent areas, all state portions of the area must be redesignated to attaimnent for
the area to be removed from the list of nonattaimnent areas. Under the CAA, states are responsible for initiating the redesignation process and EPA's authority to approve a state's
request to redesignate nonattaimnent areas hinges on the state meeting the minimum requirements of the CAA, which include: (1) a demonstration that the area has air quality that
is attaining the NAAQS; (2) establishing that pollution reductions in the area are due to implementing permanent and enforceable measures; (3) a 10-year maintenance plan that
includes contingency measures to be triggered in the event of a re-violation of the NAAQS; and (4) satisfying any other applicable and outstanding attaimnent planning and
emissions control requirements. Focusing efforts on reducing the number of nonattaimnent areas helps ensure that states and EPA, in the spirit of maintaining effective
partnerships, prioritize taking timely and necessary actions to improve air quality in nonattaimnent areas through the implementation of permanent and enforceable pollution
control measures, so that states can submit, and EPA can approve, redesignation requests for areas once they attain a NAAQS. This measure tracks progress toward a FY 2020-
2021 Agency Priority Goal (APG).
(PM CRT) Number of certificates of conformity issued that demonstrate that the respective engine, vehicle, equipment, component, or system conforms to all of the
applicable emission requirements and may be entered into commerce.








Preferred


FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units



Direction
III
II
Target



5,200
5,000
5,000
Certificates
Above Target


Actual
4,360
4,453
5,109
4,869
4,711
4,843
III
III
Key Takeaways:
• The total number of certificates issued by EPA in FY 2020 was 132 more than in FY 2019.
3 The baseline is 166 nonattaimnent areas as of 10/1/2017.
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
• EPA continues to issue vehicle and engine certificates of conformity in a timely manner and in pace with the numbers of requests received.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of certificates of conformity issued in a given year. The CAA requires that engines, vehicles, equipment, components, or systems
receive a certificate of conformity which demonstrates compliance with the applicable requirements prior to introduction to U.S. commerce. EPA reviews all submitted requests
and issues certificates of conformity when the manufacturer demonstrates compliance with all applicable requirements. This measure illustrates EPA's annual certification
workload. The number of certification requests is dictated by the product planning of manufacturers and will fluctuate from year to year.
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Objective 1.2 - Provide for Clean and Safe Water: Ensure waters are clean through improved water infrastructure and, in partnership with
states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence
activities.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	No target (NT)
1 (NT)
2(G)
2 (Y)
3(G)
3(Y)
2(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include measures
that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Non-Federal Dollars (Cumulative, in Billions) Leveraged by EPA
Water Infrastructure Finance Programs, Sep 2018 - Sep 2020
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Sep-18 Dec-18 Mar-19 Jun-19 Sep-19 Dec-19 Mar-20 Jun-20 Sep-20
i i Artnak ^^»Targets
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
•	Finalized the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, Clean Water Act (CWA) Section
401 Water Quality Certification Rule, and Steam Electric Reconsideration Rule.
Also advanced state assumption of CWA Section 404 wetlands programs. In
addition, EPA proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, finalized the "Lead Free
Rule" and proposed a determination to regulate perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water. EPA also published a final
action to not regulate perchlorate in drinking water.
•	Exceeded $8 billion target for non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA water
infrastructure finance programs (see graph at lower left). The Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program closed 22 transactions totaling over
$3.2 billion in loans to help finance over $6.6 billion for water infrastructure projects
and create over 14,000 jobs.
•	Sustained system operations during the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting the
water sector to identify potential materials and supply chain challenges, advancing
solutions to fill potential gaps, providing guidance and incident checklists to utilities,
and working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to distribute 3.5
million Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) masks to the nation's water systems.
•	Reduced the number of square miles of watershed areas that contained impaired
waters in 2019 by over 13,000 square miles.
•	Acted on over 20 state lists of impaired waters and approved more than 1,750 Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
•	Increased by 25% the number of states and territories with a methodology for
notifying the public when a harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurs (from 24 to 30 states)
and continued to develop a policy for determining if a HAB or hypoxia event in
freshwater is an "event of national significance," per the Harmful Algal Bloom and
Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act (HABHRCA).
Challenges:
•	Nutrient pollution remains a challenge in our nation's lakes and streams. EPA
continues to partner with states, tribes, local government, communities and other
federal agencies to accelerate progress in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loadings.
•	Impervious surfaces and increased flows result in sewer overflows, water quality
impairment, and public health concerns. EPA continues to support communities in
developing stonnwater plans, promoting green infrastructure and providing resources
and training to reduce stonnwater pollution.
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce the number of community water systems out of compliance with health-
based standards to 2,7004.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM DW-01) Community water systems out of compliance with health-based standards.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
1 1 -

1 ¦
Target

3,510
3,380
3,280
CWSs
Below Target

Actual
5,050
4,817
3,508
3,480
3,547
3,423
1 1 1 1 1 1
Key Takeaways:
• Ninety-tliree percent of the population served by community water systems (CWS) received drinking water that meets all applicable health-based drinking water standards.
While 2,542 of the 3,508 CWS with health-based violations as of September 30, 2017 have returned to compliance, EPA missed the FY 2020 target predominately due to new
violations of the Stage 2 Disinfection By-Product Rule, Ground Water Rule, and Revised Total Colifonn Rule.
• Reduced systems out of compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule from 290 to 239.
• Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, finalized the "Lead Free" Rule, proposed a determination to regulate PFOA and PFOS, and published a final action to not regulate
perchlorate. Published the proposed Methods Update Rule.
• Conducted approximately 500 engagements with states, tribes, and communities to strengthen the technical, managerial, and financial capacity of drinking water systems, and
trained over 4,900 utilities on resiliency against natural, accidental, or intentional (including cybersecurity) events.
• Included cyber threats to IT Technology (business enterprise) and Operation Technology (process control) systems at water facilities in Malevolent Acts guidance_(available at
https://www.epa.gov/waterriskassessment/baseline-infonnation-malevolent-acts-communitv-water-svstems): Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool risk assessment software
(available at https://www.epa.gov/waterriskassessment/conduct-drinking-water-or-wastewater-utilitv-risk-assessment) and Small System Risk Assessment Checklist_(available
at https://www.epa.gov/waterresilience/small-svstem-risk-and-resilience-assessment-checklist). designed to provide system specific analyses; and the Emergency Response
Plan template (available at https://www.epa.gov/waterutilitvresponse/develop-or-update-drinking-water-utilitv-emergencv-response-plan). designed for systems to incorporate
risk assessment findings.
• Supported system operations during the COVID-19 pandemic by: collaborating with DHS to include water sector workers in the Guidance on the Essential Critical
Infrastructure allowing these workers to access the workplace during times of restrictions; working with the water sector to identify potential materials and supply chain
challenges and solutions to fill potential gaps; and providing guidance and incident checklists.
• Provided critical support to drinking water systems through technical assistance grants. Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) grants, America's Water
Infrastructure Act (AWIA) grants, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Awarded Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care Program Drinking Water grants
to 50 states and the District of Columbia which will assist local educational agencies in voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child-care
programs.
• Provided support to small systems. EPA awarded the technical assistance grant to Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the National Rural Water Association.
• Identified drinking water systems out of compliance as an Evidence Act priority area. Outlined a plan to gather and analyze data in EPA's Interim Learning Agenda.
4 Baseline is 3,508 community water systems out of compliance with health-based standards as of FY 2017. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published
February 12, 2018.)
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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of CWSs out of compliance with the health-based National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (Maximum Contaminant Level or
treatment technique) during any part of the year. A CWS is a public water system that supplies water to the same population year-round. There are approximately 50,000 CWSs.
Data are derived from the Safe Drinking Water Information System Federal Data Warehouse (SDWIS-FED), which contains information about violations by public water systems
as reported to EPA by the primacy agencies (states and tribes with EPA-delegated enforcement responsibility).
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, increase by $40 billion the non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA water
infrastructure finance programs (CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA)5.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PMINFRA-01) Billions of non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA water infrastructure finance programs (CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA).

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
¦ ¦ ¦


Direction












Target



8.0
8.0
8.0
Billions of
Above Target
|l

Actual
5.3
8.1
8.6
9.7
10.3
10.2
Dollars


Key Takeaways:
•	In FY 2020, the WIFIA Program closed 22 transactions totaling over $3.2 billion in loans to help finance over $6.6 billion for water infrastructure projects and create over
14,000 jobs.
•	In FY 2020, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), DWSRF, and WIFIA Programs leveraged over $10.2 billion in non-federal dollars for water infrastructure
projects. The programs are on track to meet their FY 2021 Agency Priority Goal of leveraging $16 billion by the end of FY 2021.
Metric Details: Combined, the three primary water infrastructure programs, DWSRF, CWSRF, and WIFIA Program, represent the largest federal source of funds to address this
critical component of our nation's drinking water and clean water infrastructure. SRF data are tracked in the CWSRF Benefits Reporting System and DWSRF Project Reporting
System. The baseline does not include WIFIA leveraged dollars because no loans were closed prior to FY 2018. Targets represent annual increments needed to reach the long-term
performance goal by FY 2021. This measure tracks progress toward a FY 2020-2021 Agency Priority Goal (APG).
5 Baseline is $32 billion in non-federal dollars leveraged from the CWSRF and DWSRF between FY 2013 and FY 2017 (i.e., loans made from recycled loan repayments, bond
proceeds, state match, and interest earnings). The baseline does not include WIFIA leveraged dollars because no loans were closed prior to FY 2018. (Footnote updated from FY
2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
13

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce the number of square miles of watershed with surface water not meeting
standards by 37,000 square miles6.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM SWP-01) Square miles of watersheds with surface waters not meeting standards.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
II
Target

No Target
Established
497,728
564,536
Square Miles
Below Target
Actual

N/A
493,930
561,268
Key Takeaways:
• EPA has removed 26,268 square miles from the universe of waters identified as impaired as of December 2018 (which includes the adjustment to the universe that occurred in
August 2019). Of the 26,268 square miles removed, 13,470 were removed in FY 2020.
• Results under this measure are dependent upon state submittal of Integrated Reports (CWA Section 303(d)/305(b) reports), which are due on April 1 every two years. EPA is
working with the states to promote on-time submission for their 2022 reports. This will improve EPA's ability to report on this measure.
Metric Details: Beginning in FY 2020, this measure tracks water quality standards attaimnent in the 587,536 square miles of waters previously identified as impaired in a state
Integrated Report as of August 30, 2019. In FY 2019, the measure tracked progress using a baseline of 506,728 square miles of waters identified as impaired in a state Integrated
Report as of December 31, 2018. Progress will be evident by a downward trend in previously impaired waters attaining water quality standards. Water quality standards attaimnent
means that (1) the impairments have been effectively removed due to actions including water quality restoration efforts, more complete monitoring to better understand waterbody
conditions, or appropriate changes in water quality standards; and (2) the waterbody now either fully supports the use or meets the water quality criterion for that particular
pollutant or stressor for which it had been impaired. Data are tracked in EPA's Assessment, TMDL Tracking and Implementation System (ATTAINS). States submit to EPA their
Integrated Report every two years, which includes information on the status of their waters, and state geospatial data are used to calculate results.
(PM TMDL-02) Percentage of priority TMDLs, alternative restoration plans, and protection approaches in place.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
..id
Target

50
67
Percent
Above Target
Actual

9
14
33.3
51.2
63.5
Numerator

8,822
14,045
33,194
48,544
59,470
Square Miles
Denominator

101,141
99,424
99,415
94,806
93,653
Key Takeaways:
• States, with the assistance of EPA, continue to make progress toward the goal of having 100% of state priority plans in place by the end of FY 2022.
• States and EPA narrowly missed the FY 2020 target by 3.5% due to unforeseen circumstances such as changed water quality conditions and revised priorities having an
impact on state development of plans.
6 Baseline is 587,536 square miles of impaired waters as of August 30, 2019. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
14

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
• Measures tracking resources (e.g., Qlik measures dashboard and the Scenario Builder Tool) assist states and EPA in determining informal annual commitments and monitoring
plan development over the course of the year.
Metric Details: This measure tracks state priority waters with a TMDL, alternative restoration, or protection plan in place. EPA, states, and tribes cooperatively developed A Long-
Term Vision for Assessment, Restoration and Protection under the CWA Section 303(d) Program, which encourages focused attention on priority waters and acknowledges that
states have flexibility in using available tools - TMDLs, alternative restoration plans, and protection approaches - to restore and protect water quality. The calculation method
provides 0.5 credit for plans under development and full credit when EPA approves a plan. The goal is to have 100% of priority waters with plans approved or accepted by FY
2022. Data are tracked in ATTAINS. EPA does not expect the universe of waters associated with these long-term priorities to substantially change from FY 2016 to FY 2022.
However, the Agency recognizes that some adjustments may be needed due to unforeseen circumstances or planning processes.
(PM NPDES-03) Number of existing EPA-issued NPDES permits in backlog.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

h
Target

360
280
Permits
Below Target

Actual

456
373
333

11
Key Takeaways:
• EPA reduced the backlog of existing National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits by 11% in FY 2020, and by 40% since the high point in May 2018.
EPA also prevented 38 existing permits from becoming backlogged in FY 2020.
• EPA faced and addressed several highly technical issues such as the Supreme Court Decision on direct hydrological connection and the implementation of a new revised 40
Code of Federal Regulation Part 121 regulation that oversees the CWA 401 certification process to verify compliance with water quality requirements as a condition for a
permit, and continued to address emerging contaminants. In addition, the program worked collaboratively to address enviromnental concerns identified during Endangered
Species Act (ESA) and National Enviromnental Policy Act (NEPA) consultations, as well as significant public interest in specific permits, such as aquaculture permits. Permit
writers balanced and prioritized their workload to address highly technical and complex permits, implement new requirements, and prevent new permits from becoming
backlogged.
• Business processes implemented in FY 2020 will facilitate reduction of the backlog and help EPA meet ambitious future year goals. These include improved tracking,
prioritization and assistance to permit writers to address technical and policy issues impeding permit issuance, facilitation of virtual hearings, publishing checklists to aid
NPDES permit applicants in submitting complete NPDES permit applications and establishing processes for handling paper permit applications during remote working.
Metric Details: This measure tracks existing EPA-issued NPDES individual permits that are administratively continued because they have passed their expiration date and are
awaiting reissuance. Improving the timing for issuance and reissuance of NPDES permits provides greater certainty for the regulated community and ensures that permits reflect
the most up-to-date requirements and scientific information to protect water quality across the nation. The CWA limits the length of NPDES permits to five years. However, a
permit can be administratively continued if the facility has submitted an application for reissuance and EPA does not renew the permit before its expiration date through no fault of
the permittee. This means that the conditions of the expired permit continue in force until the effective date of the new or reissued permit. For purposes of this measure, permits are
removed from the backlog as soon as the Agency takes final action on the permit (issuance or denial). Data are tracked in EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System
(ICIS)-NPDES Database.
15

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Objective 1.3 - Revitalize Land and Prevent Contamination: Provide better leadership and management to properly clean up contaminated
sites to revitalize and return the land back to communities.
Performance toward target overtime
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	<75% of target met (R)
1(Y)
6(G)
3(Y)
4(G)
4 (Y)
3(G)
1 (Y)
3(Y)
1 (Y)
7(G)
6(G)
6(G)
1(R)
i(R)
3 (R)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Cumulative Brownfields Accomplishments,
Dec 2017 - Sep 2020
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5.000
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
•	Made sites Ready for Anticipated Use (RAU) under EPA cleanup programs: 34 Superfund
site-wide: 809 brownfields; 169 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); and
7,211 Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST).
•	Leveraged $4.9 billion and 14,519 jobs through assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of
brownfield sites (see graph at lower left). This was achieved through increased use of EPA
Lean Management System (ELMS) tools to track accomplishment reporting and reduce
reporting delays, strong coordination between EPA headquarters and regional offices, and
data collection from closed cooperative agreement recipients missing accomplishment
data.
•	Completed 91 remedial action projects at Superfund sites, including several at federal
facilities.
Challenges:
•	COVID-19 presented challenges associated with travel restrictions that delayed field work
and construction completions.
•	EPA faced challenges reaching its ambitious target for LUST cleanups. EPA has
intensively engaged state partners to identify long-term strategies to meet the Strategic
Goal. In FY 2020, LUST cleanups decreased to 7,211 despite continued work with state
partners - primarily due to the impacts from COVID-19, such as many states shutting
down site visits for significant periods, owners and operators delaying new cleanup
activities due to cost concerns, state staffing impacts due to furloughs and state budget
issues because of decreased state gas tax revenues.
•	Implementing Institutional Control (ICs) remains a major barrier to achieving sitewide
RAU at many Superfund sites because EPA relies on external parties, such as state, local
and tribal governments. ICs require those entities outside of EPA to perform tasks and
consent to actions that are outside of EPA's control for implementation to occur.
•	The number of viable Superfund sitewide RAU candidates is declining due to factors
including site complexity and contaminants of concern.
Dec-17Mar-18 Jun-18 Sep-18 Dec-18Mar-19 Jun-19 Sep-19 Dec-19 Mar-20 Jun-20 Sep-20
^Brownfields RAU Dollars Leveraged (in Millions) ^^Wobs Leveraged
16

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, make 255 additional Superfund sites ready for anticipated use (RAU) site-wide7.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM S10) Number of Superfund sites made ready for anticipated use site-wide.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred




Direction
1 .
Target
45
45
45
51
51
51
Sites
Above Target
MINI
Actual
45
41
43
51
48
34
Key Takeaways:
•	The number of viable sitewide ready for anticipated use (SWRAU) candidates is declining due to factors including site complexity and newly identified contaminants of
concern at a site. The number of site-wide accomplishments has decreased with the number of viable SWRAU candidates.
•	In FY 2020, EPA headquarters and regional offices held multiple multilateral conversations to identify potential performance measure alternatives and methods for SWRAU.
These conversations are ongoing.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA's progress in cleaning up and preparing Superfund sites for reuse (both private and federal facility), while ensuring human health and
enviromnental protection. It measures the number of construction complete National Priorities List (NPL) or Superfund Alternative Approach (SAA) sites for which all: (1)
remedy decision document (e.g., record of decision [ROD]) cleanup goals have been achieved for media that may affect a site's current and reasonably anticipated future land use,
so that there are no unacceptable risks; and (2) institutional or other controls required in remedy decision document(s) have been put in place. EPA documents the SWRAU
determination directly in the Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS) once a site meets all required criteria and the appropriate EPA regional office has approved the
determination. The site universe tracked for this measure includes construction complete final and deleted NPL sites and non-NPL sites with SAA agreements. EPA's universe of
sites that have met the SWRAU criteria has a net total of 969 sites, including 955 final and deleted NPL sites and 14 non-NPL sites with SAA agreements in place. As of the end of
FY 2020 there were 1,327 final NPL sites and 66 non-NPL sites with active SAA agreements. Targets represent annual increments needed to reach the long-tenn performance goal
by FY 2022. This measure tracks progress toward an FY 2020-2021 Agency Priority Goal (APG).
(PM 170) Number of remedial action projects completed at Superfund sites.








Preferred
Direction



FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units

Jin
Target
105
105
105
95
95
80
Projects
Above Target


Actual
104
105
97
87
89
91

111111
Key Takeaways:
•	One region exceeded their projected accomplishments by 14 actions, primarily at federal facilities. This exceedance is the result of some actions completed expeditiously, as
well as focused attention on open actions and updated site management plans.
•	Regional plans fluctuate significantly from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Some planned projects are dropped as obstacles are encountered, and some sites are
added as noted above. As a result, total accomplishments fluctuate year to year in comparison to targets.
7 By the end of FY 2017, 836 Superfund sites had been made RAU site-wide.
17

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Metric Details: By tracking the completion of a discrete scope of Superfund cleanup activities (for both private and federal facility sites), this measure documents incremental
progress in reducing risk to human health and the enviromnent. Multiple remedial action projects may be necessary to achieve sitewide construction completion. EPA captures
regional remedial action project completion data in SEMS.
(PM 151) Number of Superfund sites with human exposures brought under control.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
,1 .
Target
9
9
9
8
12
10
Sites
Above Target

Actual
10
12
24
32
17
20
1 1 1 I 1 1
Key Takeaways:
• Due to implementation of ELMS, the Superfund Program and EPA regional offices were able to make a significant number of sufficient data determinations (SDDs) that
yielded additional Human Exposure accomplishments untied to any specific remedial activity.
Metric Details: This measure documents progress achieved in controlling unacceptable human exposures to contamination at both private and federal facility Superfund sites and
denotes a site-wide accomplishment. The human exposure determination at a site can change over time as conditions across portions (operable units) of a site change. EPA regional
offices enter human exposure determinations and supporting data into SEMS. Results reflect a net accomplishment as sites can shift between human exposure under control to
human exposure not under control or human exposure insufficient data. The status change often occurs when a previously unknown exposure pathway (e.g., vapor intrusion) or
contaminant is discovered, and a reasonable expectation exists that people could be exposed or that there is insufficient data to make such a determination until further
investigation takes place.
(PM 137) Number of Superfund removals completed.

Preferred
Direction

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
1

¦
.
*

Target
275
275
275
175
175
141
Removals
Above Target

Actual
278
226
255
242
233
197
Key Takeaways:
• FY 2020 results declined due to restrictions and limitations on travel and in-person coordination imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as competing priorities
presented by a significant number of natural disasters.
Metric Details: This measure is a tabulation of Comprehensive Enviromnental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) removal-related hazardous waste cleanups,
known as Superfund removal actions, including those that are Superfund-lead and PRP-lead. There is no pre-established universe of removal sites, as removal actions take place
after a release has occurred. Data are tracked in SEMS.
18

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, make 3,420 additional brownfields sites RAU8.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM B30) Number of brownfields sites made ready for anticipated use.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target
550
600
600
684
684
684
Sites
Above Target
n
Actual
668
547
531
861
910
809

Key Takeaways:
• EPA exceeded the target by utilizing ELMS huddles and performance boards, strong coordination between EPA headquarters and regional offices, and data collection from
closed cooperative agreements that had not yet reported their accomplishments.
• EPA concluded a data cleanup initiative in the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database. Data cleanup in ACRES occurred from FY
2018-FY 2020, resulting in higher RAU reporting.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of properties/sites benefiting from EPA brownfields funding that have been assessed and determined not to require cleanup, or
where cleanup has been completed and institutional controls are in place if required, as reported by cooperative agreement recipients into the ACRES database. This activity results
in additional sites available for productive reuse, while also helping to quantify the impact of funding from EPA's Brownfields Program. Targets represent annual increments
needed to reach the long-tenn performance goal by FY 2022. This measure tracks progress toward an FY 2020-2021 APG.
(PM B37) Billions of dollars of cleanup and redevelopment funds leveraged at brownfields sites.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
- _ ¦ ¦ 1

Target
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.3
1.3
Billions of
Dollars
Above Target
Actual
1.71
1.47
1.7
2.2
2.3
4.9

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, make 536 additional Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective
action facilities RAU9.
Annual performance goals that support this long-tenn performance goal:
(PM RSRAU) Number of RCRA corrective action facilities made ready for anticipated use.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
inlii
Target

75
91
117
Facilities
Above Target
Actual
93
75
72
117
127
169
Key Takeaways:
• EPA exceeded the target through improved data processing, RAU-targeted quarterly stretch goals, and enhanced communication with EPA regional offices and states.
• By the end of FY 2020, 1,642 RCRA corrective action facilities had been made RAU site-wide.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of RCRA corrective action facilities made RAU. To be determined RAU, facilities must meet the following criteria: human
exposure under control; final cleanup goals achieved for media that would affect the anticipated use; and if needed, controls in place to ensure long-tenn protectiveness. The
universe for this measure was established in FY 2009 and includes the 3,779 facilities subject to RCRA corrective action. Information is entered into the RCRAInfo database by
authorized states and/or EPA regional offices overseeing cleanups. Targets represent annual increments needed to reach the long-tenn perfonnance goal by FY 2022.
(PM CA5RC) Number of RCRA corrective action facilities with final remedies constructed.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
¦¦Ills
Target

98
98
Facilities
Above Target

Actual
60
64
67
70
80
64

Key Takeaways:
• The reduction in remedies constructed is partly due to the difficulty and complexity of remaining cleanups. EPA and the states faced unique challenges to completing remedy
constructions due to the COVID-19 pandemic where staff could not physically be on-site.
• EPA made progress in FY 2020 by applying Lean principles to evaluate the process, which help to identify the barriers that were affecting remedy construction. The potential
solutions were implemented at the facilities after consulting the Regions and (indirectly) the states.
• A newly established Mission/Vision/Goals for the Conective Action Program (available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/202Q-
09/documents/rcra corrective action program vision.pdf). spanning until 2030, will drive future target setting, perfonnance, and implemented process efficiencies.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of RCRA conective action facilities with final remedies constructed. The universe for this measure was established in 2009 and
includes the 3,779 facilities subject to RCRA conective action. Infonnation is entered into the RCRAInfo database by authorized states and/or EPA regional offices overseeing
cleanups. This measure tracks a mid-tenn step in the progression toward completing facility cleanup.
9 From FY 1987 through FY 2017, 1,232 of the universe of 3,779 high priority RCRA conective action facilities had been made RAU site-wide. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-
2022 EPA Strategic Plan.)
20

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
(PM HW5) Number of permit renewals issued at hazardous waste facilities.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
1 |

iM
Target



64
64
105
Facilities
Above Target


m
Actual
100
89
125
109
124
104
1 1

iii
Key Takeaways:
• Permitting progress was down the second and third quarter of FY 2020 due to COVID-19, but EPA almost caught up with its permitting workload in fourth quarter. Impacts
include, for example, delays in site visits, public meetings, and lack of access to public libraries which serve as information repositories for documents related to the permitting
process. To partially mitigate these impacts, EPA has promoted the use of virtual meetings/hearings in the RCRA permitting process.
Metric Details: This measure tracks RCRA hazardous waste permit renewals or clean-closures in the universe of permitted facilities using the RCRAInfo database. This does not
include all permit maintenance since permit modifications cannot be projected and are not included. Maintaining up-to-date permits ensures that permitted facilities have consistent
and protective standards to prevent releases. Proper standards for waste management can protect human health, prevent land contamination/degradation and other releases, and
avoid future cleanups and associated costs.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, complete 56,000 additional leaking underground storage tank (LUST) cleanups that
meet risk-based standards for human exposure and groundwater migration10.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM 112) Number of LUST cleanups completed that meet risk-based standards for human exposure and groundwater migration.








Preferred


FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units


Direction









¦ ¦
Target
8,600
8,600
8,600
11,200
11,200
11,200
Cleanups
Above Target

Actual
9,869
8,977
8,775
8,128
8,358
7,211
1 1 11 1 1
Key Takeaways:
•	In FY 2018-2020 the cumulative total for LUST RAU was 23,697 cleanups, which is 71% of the three-year goal of 33,600 cleanups.
•	By the end of FY 2020, a total of 497,407 LUST cleanups had been completed, out of a universe of 559,900 confirmed releases.
•	The overall national cleanup rate is at 89% of total identified releases since the beginning of the program in 1988. In FY 2020, the cleanup backlog dropped from 64,760 to
62,439. As part of the ELMS process, EPA is working with the states to develop strategies to address issues regarding cleanup progress.
•	As the universe of available cleanups decreases, many of the remaining releases are ones with greater challenges such as no responsible party, technically difficult cleanups
and no available funds. COVID-19 played a significant role in the decrease of cleanups completed in FY 2020 due to many states shutting down site visits for significant
periods, owners and operators delaying new cleanup activities due to cost concerns, state staffing impacts due to furloughs and state budget issues because of decreased state
gas tax revenues.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of petroleum-contaminated sites where the states, tribes and EPA have completed cleanup activities. The totals include cleanups
reported by states as well as EPA cleanups in Indian Country. Sites in Indian country represent approximately 0.2% of total cleanups completed. EPA uses the LUST4 database to
111 By the end of FY 2017, 469,898 LUST cleanups had been completed.
21

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
track progress. The universe of confirmed releases pending cleanup changes over time as releases are identified and cleanups are completed. Targets represent annual increments
needed to reach the long-term performance goal by FY 2022.
22

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Objective 1.4 - Ensure Safety of Chemicals in the Marketplace: Effectively implement the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, to ensure new and existing chemicals and pesticides are reviewed for their potential risks to
human health and the environment and actions are taken when necessary.
Performance toward target overtime
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	<75% of target met (R)
~	No target (NT)
2 (NT)
AM.
4(G)
2 (NT)
3(Y)
3(G)
1(NT)
3(Y)
I 1(G) I I 1(G) | | 1(G) |
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019
2(G)
FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
•	Published final Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluations for methylene
chloride on time in June 2020, for 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) in August 2020, and for the
cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster (HBCD) in September 2020; missed the deadline but
published six of the remaining seven risk evaluations initiated in December 2016 by the
end of calendar year 2020 and on track to publish the seventh in January 2021.
•	In December 2019, released an updated list of alternative test methods or strategies that do
not require animal testing as required under TSCA Section 4(h).
•	Initiated risk evaluation for 20 High-Priority chemical substances in December 2019, with
20 Low-Priority chemical substances also identified in FY 2020. Final scope documents
for all 20 High-Priority chemical substances released in FY 2020.
•	Approved 174 expedited emerging viral pathogen submissions in support of COVID-19
response, raising the total number of products evaluated as likely to be effective against
COVID-19 to nearly 500 from a baseline of 90 in early March. Developed an expedited
review process for products that would like to qualify for inclusion on EPA's List N:
Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.
Challenges:
•	Final TSCA risk evaluations were delayed by: comments from the public and Science
Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) that were more numerous and complex than
anticipated; changes resulting from the November 2019 Ninth Circuit decision relating to
legacy exposures (asbestos and HBCD); and additional data for Pigment Violet 29 (PV29)
from a test order issued in March 2020.
•	Competing demands between review of new Pre-Manufacture Notices (PMNs) and
Exemption Notices within 90 days, and reducing the backlog of submissions under review
for greater than 90 days.
•	Lingering delays in Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) new active ingredient
decisions caused by changes to the peer review schedule in FY 2019, deficient
applications, and the need for additional information to make regulatory determinations.
•	EPA missed the PRIA new active ingredient decision turnaround time target of 619 days,
in part due to a handful of more complex reviews taking significantly longer than other
decisions (completed Alphachloralose review in 2,441 days, and three other new active
ingredient decisions took more than 1,000 days to complete).
•	EPA missed the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)-mandated
registration review completions target in part because of comment period extensions and
the need for data and/or registrant input before finalizing decisions.
23

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, complete all EPA-initiated TSCA risk evaluations for existing chemicals in
accordance with statutory timelines11.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM TSCA1) Number of final EPA-initiated TSCA risk evaluations completed within statutory timelines.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

No Target
Established
N/A
10
Evaluations
Above Target
No Trend Data
Actual

0
N/A
N/A
1

Key Takeaways:
• Published the final risk evaluation for methylene chloride in June 2020 within the statutory deadline. Also published two additional final risk evaluations but missed the
statutory deadlines: 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) in August 2020 and HBCD in September 2020; missed the statutory deadlines but published six of the remaining seven risk
evaluations initiated in December 2016 by the end of calendar year 2020, and on track to publish the seventh (PV29) in January due to extension of the comment period.
• Finalized the designation of 20 chemical substances as High-Priority for upcoming risk evaluations on December 20, 2019, and the designation of 20 chemical substances as
Low-Priority on February 20, 2020.
• Initiated risk evaluations for the 20 High-Priority Substances in December 2019 and released final scope documents for all 20 in September 2020.
• Final TSCA risk evaluations were delayed by: comments from the public and the SACC that were more numerous and complex than anticipated; changes resulting from the
November 2019 Ninth Circuit decision relating to legacy exposures (asbestos and HBCD); and additional data for PV29 from a test order issued in March.
Metric Details: This measure tracks risk evaluation activity under TSCA. The risk evaluation process is the second step, following prioritization and before risk management, in
EPA's existing chemical process. A risk evaluation is considered complete when the Federal Register Notice is signed. The purpose of risk evaluation is to determine whether a
chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk to health or the enviromnent, under the conditions of use identified in the final scope document. As part of this process, EPA
must evaluate both hazard and exposure, and ensure decisions are based on the weight-of-scientific-evidence. The baseline is zero in FY 2017, as the TSCA Program is operating
under new statutory authority. EPA initiated the next set of 20 risk evaluations in FY 2020, which are targeted to be completed within the full statutory timeframe of three and a
half years. FY 2019 has a target of Not Applicable because there were no statutory deadlines in that year.
11 There is no baseline for this measure, as the program is operating under new statutory authority.
24

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, complete all TSCA risk management actions for existing chemicals in accordance
with statutory timelines12.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM TSCA2) Number of final existing chemical TSCA risk management actions completed within statutory timelines.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend Data
Target

No Target
Established
N/A
N/A
Actions
Above Target
Actual

0
N/A
N/A
N/A
Key Takeaways:
• EPA is on track to achieve all risk management targets by initiating interagency review of the risk management action for four of the five rules in FY 2020. EPA is poised to
complete risk management for all five persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals by the statutory deadline.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of risk management actions completed within statutory deadlines under TSCA. Risk management actions targeted for completion
through FY 2022 address certain PBT chemicals. Statute requires a final rule to be issued by December 21, 2020 (in FY 2021). The baseline is zero in FY 2017, as the TSCA
Program is operating under new statutory authority. FY 2019 and FY 2020 have targets of Not Applicable because there were no statutory deadlines in those years. Future actions
to be targeted will address risks from existing chemicals identified in the risk evaluation process. Final risk management actions for those chemicals must be completed within the
statutory period of two years after publication of the final risk evaluation (if unreasonable risk to human health or the enviromnent is identified); a maximum two-year extension is
allowed.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, complete all TSCA pre-manufacture notice final determinations in accordance with
statutory timelines13.
Annual performance goals that support this long-tenn performance goal:
(PM TSCA3) Percentage of final TSCA new chemical determinations for Pre-Manufacture Notices, Significant New Use Notices and Microbial Commercial Activity
Notices completed within the initial 90-day statutory timeframe.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

65
80
80
Percent

Ml
Actual

27
58.4
78
65
Above Target
¦Ml
Numerator

67
45
103
52
Final
Denominator

248
77
132
80
Determinations

12 There is no baseline for this measure, as the program is operating under new statutory authority.
13 Baseline is 58.4% of determinations made within 90 days in FY 2018. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
25

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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Key Takeaways:
• Increased the percentage of PMN final determinations completed within 90 days from 27% in FY 2017 to 58.4% in FY 2018, and to 78% in FY 2019, but fell down to 65% in
FY 2020. The backlog of PMNs under review for more than 90 days continued to decrease at a steady pace in FY 2020 to the lowest recorded level (187 in September 2020).
EPA missed the target of completing 80% of cases in under 90 days in FY 2020 because of a focus on completing older, backlog cases. For FY 2021, EPA is targeting
resources to focus on new cases and is enhancing internal processes with the goal of improving our performance with respect to the 80% target.
Metric Details: This measure tracks a subset of EPA's new chemicals review activity under TSCA - the review of PMNs, Significant New Use Notices (SNUNs) and Microbial
Commercial Activity Notices MCANs) (but not new chemicals reviews covered by exemptions). EPA conducts these reviews prior to approving new chemicals or microbial
substances in commerce, or new uses for existing chemicals that are subject to a Significant New Use Rule, to determine whether the chemical substance or significant new use
presents an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. The statute requires a base review period of 90 days and allows EPA to extend this period another 90 days or for
a different period at the request of a submitter. This measure tracks performance against the initial 90-day deadline only. This measure tracks final determinations for submissions
received by EPA in that fiscal year. Additional information and statistics about the New Chemicals Program are available at https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-
toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/statistics-new-chemicals-review.
(PM TSCA3b) Percentage of final TSCA new chemical determinations for Pre-Manufacture Notices, Significant New Use Notices and Microbial Commercial Activity
Notices completed within the full timeframes allowable by statute.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

100
100
Percent
Above Target
1

Actual

100
100
100
100
Numerator

567
292
429
347
Final
Determinations
Denominator

567
292
429
347
Key Takeaways:
• EPA has continued to complete all new chemical final determinations within the full timeframes allowed by statute.
Metric Details: This measure tracks a subset of EPA's new chemicals review activity under TSCA, the review of PMNs, SNUNs, and MCANs (but not new chemicals reviews
covered by exemptions). EPA conducts these reviews prior to approving new chemicals or microbial substances in commerce, or new uses for existing chemicals that are subject to
a Significant New Use Rule, to determine whether the chemical substance or significant new use presents an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. EPA has the
authority to agree to voluntary suspensions of the initial 90-day statutory deadline at the request of a submitter. These suspensions provide EPA additional time to complete the
required review following receipt of additional necessary information. This measure tracks performance against the full timeframes authorized under the statute. A performance
result of 100% indicates that there were no instances in which EPA failed to complete a final determination within the period of review agreed to. The baseline is 100% of
determinations made within full timeframes allowable by statute in FY 2017.
26

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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, complete all cases of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)-
mandated decisions for the pesticides registration review program14.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM FIFRA1) Number of FIFRA decisions completed through pesticides registration review.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
A
Target

58
75
110
Decisions
Above Target
ninl
Actual
33
41
56
64
80
98
Key Takeaways:
* EPA missed the FY 2020 target for the following reasons: (1) Comment period extensions requested by stakeholders on proposed decisions from previous quarters. This
included many of the pyrethroids, all of the neonicotinoids, and several other chemicals (10-12 chemicals overall). Extended comment period for a proposed decision
typically delays the interim/final decision by at least one quarter. (2) Awaiting data or registrant input prior to publishing the interim/final decisions for certain chemicals
(five chemicals overall).
• EPA is assessing registration review processes to identify and implement efficiencies; FY 2020 projects include the human health and enviromnental risk assessment
processes, the benefits assessment process, and, for conventional pesticides, the registration review process from the draft risk assessment stage to the proposed interim
decision stage.
Metric Details: Through the Pesticide Registration Review Program, EPA is reviewing each registered pesticide every 15 years to determine whether it still meets the FIFRA
standard for registration. FIFRA requires that all pesticides intended for use in the U.S. be registered (licensed) by EPA to ensure that they do not cause "any unreasonable risk to
man or the enviromnent, taking into account the economic, social, and enviromnental costs and benefits of the use of any pesticide." By law, EPA must complete the first 15-year
cycle of registration review by October 1, 2022. The baseline is a total of 239 decisions completed through FY 2017 of a known universe of 725 cases (33%). Targets represent
annual increments needed to reach the long-tenn performance goal by FY 2022.
(PM FIFRA2) Number of FIFRA registration review draft risk assessments completed.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

70
72
80
Risk
Above Target
¦
nim
Actual
59
59
76
112
85
100
Assessments
Key Takeaways:
• EPA significantly exceeded the FY 2020 target, which puts these cases in a better position to be fully completed by the statutory deadline of October 2022.
Metric Details: Through the Pesticide Registration Review Program, EPA is reviewing each registered pesticide every 15 years to determine whether it still meets the FIFRA
standard for registration. FIFRA requires that all pesticides intended for use in the U.S. be registered (licensed) by EPA to ensure that they do not cause "any unreasonable risk to
"Baseline is a total of 239 decisions completed through FY 2017 of the known universe of 725. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12,
2018.)
27

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GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
man or the environment taking into account the economic, social, and enviromnental costs and benefits of the use of any pesticide." By law, EPA must complete the first 15-year
cycle of registration review by October 1, 2022. The baseline is a total of 349 draft risk assessments completed through FY 2017 of a known universe of 725 cases (48%).
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) registration decision
timeframe by an average of 60 days15.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM PRIA1) Average number of days to complete PRIA decisions for new active ingredients.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
¦


Direction
¦ ¦ ¦ M









¦ 1

Target



643
631
619
Days
Below Target


Actual
627
687
638
603
686
876
1 1 1 1 1 1

Key Takeaways:
•	EPA experienced delays because of changes to the peer review schedule in FY 2019, deficient applications, and the need for additional information to make regulatory
determinations. EPA completed fifteen new active ingredient decisions in FY 2020, with decision timeframes ranging from 368 to 2,441 days; the standard deviation was
493 days. The Agency completed review of Alphachloralose in 2,441 days; three other new active ingredient decisions took more than 1,000 days to complete.
•	EPA has augmented internal tracking of conventional new active ingredient actions to improve timeliness and is assessing and implementing consistent utilization of the
preliminary technical screen for biopesticide new active ingredients.
•	One-third of FY 2020 new active ingredient completions have original statutory timeframes that exceed the annual target of 619 days.
Metric Details: To expedite the review and licensing of pesticides' new active ingredients, EPA will reduce the incidence of PRIA negotiations, improve meeting the timeframes
specified in PRIA, and expedite the overall processing of reduced risk pesticides. The baseline is an average timeframe of 655 days (range: 93 to 2,086 days, standard deviation of
395 days) for PRIA decisions for 68 new active ingredients completed in FY 2015-2017. There are 36 different PRIA categories that relate to new active ingredients, with statutory
time frames ranging from 7 to 24 months.
(PM 091) Percentage of decisions (registration actions) completed on time (on or before PRIA or negotiated due dates).

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction











Target
96
96
97
99
99
99
Percent

II

Actual
98.4
99
99
99.7
98
98
Above Target


Numerator
2,078
2,157
2,008
2,193
2,034
2,339
Decisions
1 1 1 1 1 1

Denominator
2,111
2,174
2,026
2,199
2,085
2,385


Key Takeaways:
• Twenty-five of the 46 late completions in FY 2020 are related to Gold Seal letter applications that were received or being actively worked on when EPA began working
remotely in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a paper-based process at that time, which presented challenges to completing these actions in a timely
15 Baseline is an average timeframe of 655 days (range: 93-2,086 days) for PRIA decisions for 68 new active ingredients completed in FY 2015-2017.
28

-------
GOAL 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment
manner while EPA was working remotely. An electronic process for reviewing these applications was quickly developed with coordination from the Department of State, but
a number of applications were closed as "late" due to this transition. Excluding these actions, the "on-time" completion rate for FY 2020 was 99.1%.
Metric Details: Whereas PM PRIA1 tracks performance for new active ingredient decisions only, this measure relates to all PRIA categories described in the fee tables in FIFRA
section 33(b)(3). Additionally, FIFRA section 33(f)(5) allows that EPA and the applicant may mutually agree to extend a decision time review period. Decisions completed on or
before the negotiated due date but after the original PRIA due date are still considered "on-time" under this measure. More information on PRIA can be found at
https://www.epa.gov/pria-fees/pria-overview-and-historv. The baseline is 94% average of decisions completed on-time from FY 2014-2016.
29

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GOAL 2: More Effective Partnerships
Goal 2 at a Glance
More Effective Partnerships: Provide certainty to states, localities, tribal nations, and the regulated community in carrying out shared
responsibilities and communicating results to all Americans.
FY 2020 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 2 More Effective Partnerships
$323,369
(of $9,057,401
EPA total)
Obj 2.1 Enhance Shared Accountability
$304,751
Obj 2.2 Increase Transparency and
Public Participation
$18,618
Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
Obj 2.1
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	No target (NT)
Obj 2.2
30

-------
GOAL 2: More Effective Partnerships
Objective 2.1 - Enhance Shared Accountability: Improve environmental protection through shared governance and enhanced collaboration
with state, tribal, local, and federal partners using the full range of compliance assurance tools.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ No target (NT)
1 (Y)
1 (Y)
1 (Y)
2 (NT)
1(G)
1 (NT)
2(G)
1 (NT)
1 (Y)
1(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Piloted measurement of grant commitment achievement with the Comprehensive
Enviromnental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a)
grant program. On average, 95% of states, districts, or territories receiving grants were on
track with their grant workplans as written.
• The Administrator selected measurement of EPA's grant commitments as a priority area
to be addressed under the Evidence Act. EPA outlined a plan for gathering and analyzing
data in the Interim Learning Agenda. This work will help EPA better understand current
grant reporting and tracking processes across the Agency's grant programs and more
efficiently evaluate enviromnental outcomes on a national scale.
• Released new software to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of compliance
inspections conducted by EPA and authorized states for the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) Hazardous Waste Program. Similar tools are being developed for
the Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program.
• Transitioned the E-Enterprise for the Enviromnent 2020 National Meeting to monthly
webinar series in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for a significant increase
in participation from states, tribes, and EPA (32% increase, 381 participants).
• Worked with states and tribes to implement a new Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)
review and approval process—an outcome from a 2018 Lean event that included state and
tribal participants, as well as EPA Regional Quality Assurance Managers.
• An internal work group is collaborating to establish goals, metrics, and an overall
performance accountability framework for each EPA tribal direct implementation
program.
• Implemented over 2,100 actions from the 500 completed EPA-Tribal Enviromnental Plans
(ETEPs), a joint planning approach to inform decisions on financial and technical
assistance for enviromnental programs. EPA will continue to monitor regional actions to
implement ETEPs.
• Completed a record 121 tribal consultations in FY 2020. Since 2011, EPA has completed
over 600 tribal consultations.
Challenges:
• EPA does not yet have a system to track grant commitments under its 109 grant programs.
• COVID-19 has disrupted some key compliance assurance activities, including a reduction
in on-site inspections.
• COVID-19 has made it difficult to host in-person consultations with tribes, limiting their
full participation in EPA consultation.
31

-------
GOAL 2: More Effective Partnerships
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, increase the number of grant commitments achieved by states, tribes, and local
communities16.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM ST1) Percentage of grant commitments achieved by states, tribes, and local communities.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend Data
Target



No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Percent
Above Target
Actual



N/A
N/A
95
Numerator





53
Commitments
Denominator





56
Key Takeaways:
• EPA piloted measurement of grant commitment achievement with the Comprehensive Enviromnental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a)
grant.
Metric Details: Grant commitments are negotiated by EPA and the state, tribal, or local grant recipient. This measure is calculated as the annual average of quarterly assessed
percentages of states, districts, and territories on track with their grant workplans as written for CERCLA Section 128(a) grants to establish and enhance state and tribal response
programs for brownfield sites. The numerator is the number of states, districts, and territories for which EPA Project Officers report grantees as being on track. The denominator is
the total number of states, districts, and territories with CERCLA Section 128(a) grants.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, increase the use of alternative shared governance approaches to address state,
tribal, and local community reviews17.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-tenn performance goal:
(PM ST2) Number of alternative shared governance approaches used to address state, tribal, and local community reviews.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
1
Target



No Target
Established
3
20
Alternative
Approaches
Above Target
A
Actual



0
14
25

16	Universe (number of commitments contained in Performance Partnership Grants) is under development. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published
February 12, 2018.)
17	There is no baseline for this measure. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
32

-------
GOAL 2: More Effective Partnerships
Key Takeaways:
• The Agency exceeded its target again in FY 2020 resulting in increased and more standardized communication between EPA and states in the review of NPDES and Clean Air
Act Title V operating permit program reviews.
• With the oversight framework for programs implemented by states and tribes successfully deployed, the Agency will begin measuring the deployment of its National
Permitting Oversight Policy in place of alternative shared governance approaches.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the number of program areas where EPA launched the framework for oversight of federal enviromnental programs implemented by states
and tribes. EPA defined, developed, piloted, evaluated, and launched a comprehensive system to evaluate state and local implementation of federal enviromnental programs in FY
2020. The "oversight framework" is defined as the overarching principles laid out in the Principles Memo (available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-
04/documents/fep oversight memo.l0.30.18.pdf). coupled with a template populated with state-and regional-specific details on the review activity in question. The purpose of this
effort was twofold: to begin to standardize EPA's oversight work across EPA regions, and to maximize the benefits of state and federal resources by focusing on the most
important work.
Other Core Work supporting Objective 2.1
Annual performance goal:
(PM 409) Number of federal on-site compliance monitoring inspections and evaluations and off-site compliance monitoring activities.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target
15,500
15,500
14,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
Inspections &
Above Target

Actual
15,400
13,500
11,800
10,600
10,300
8,500
Evaluations

Key Takeaways:
• Due to the challenges of COVID-19, on-site inspection numbers dropped substantially during much of FY 2020. However, EPA was able to increase its off-site compliance
monitoring activities (for example review of responses to information requests to assess compliance; review of facility monitoring reports and/or sampling data), and launched
efforts with the Enviromnental Council of the States to pilot remote video partial compliance evaluations.
• The final result is considerably closer to the target than would have been expected given a six month interruption in inspections and evaluations due to COVID-19.
• The FY 2020 results included approximately 3,600 on-site inspections and 4,900 off-site compliance monitoring activities. The sum of the two categories is a more reliable
value because it smooths out some variability due to inconsistent definitions. Additionally, EPA has not historically required most types of off-site compliance monitoring
activities to be entered into an EPA database, so these numbers are likely an incomplete snapshot of EPA's compliance monitoring activities. EPA issued guidance in April
2020 to provide nationally consistent definitions for on-site inspections and off-site compliance monitoring (effective for all of FY 2020 for on-site inspections and from
4/1/2020 forward for off-site compliance monitoring). More consistent definitions and data entry will make the subtotal data more reliable going forward.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA inspections and off-site compliance monitoring activities to determine whether a facility or group of facilities is in compliance with
applicable law. The measure was modified in FY 2018 to clarify the types of activities included. The targets reflect a recognition that states conduct the vast majority of inspections
and an EPA focus on direct implementation programs.
33

-------
GOAL 2: More Effective Partnerships
Objective 2.2 - Increase Transparency and Public Participation: Listen to and collaborate with impacted stakeholders and provide effective
platforms for public participation and meaningful engagement.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of ta rget met (R)
~ No target (NT)
1 (NT)
1 (Y)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Number of Overdue FOIA Requests, Mar 2018 - Sep 2020
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
EPA, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, has highlighted this
objective as a focus area for improvement due to significant challenges in responding to
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Significantly increased the pace of FOIA backlog reduction in FY 2020, building on the
progress EPA made in FY 2019 reversing the prior year-over-year FOIA backlog
increases. In FY 2020, EPA reduced the backlog by 34% from the beginning of the year,
resulting in a total reduction of 45% from the baseline set in 2018 (see graph at lower left).
• Led the efforts of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council by delivering
community-driven assistance in 38 communities through unique programs such as Local
Foods, Local Places, Recreation Economy for Rural Communities, and Building Blocks
for Community Revitalization.
• Collaborated with other federal agencies to provide direct technical assistance workshops
to economically distressed communities. These workshops support community-driven
solutions to enviromnental challenges and economic decline.
Challenges:
• Structural issues in one EPA office with a large backlog prevented that office from
making progress in FY 2020. The office reorganized and centralized its FOIA program to
address continued FOIA backlog increases seen in the first half of the year. The
reorganization and interventions yielded results that reversed the backlog increases and
this office is now on track to significantly reduce its backlog in FY 2021.
• EPA has historically received an increase in FOIA requests in the year after a presidential
election and, thus, anticipates that a request increase could present an additional challenge
in FY 2021.
• As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, EPA's Office of Community Revitalization
(OCR) has had to shift to an on-line technical assistance model. As a result, OCR has
experienced challenges ensuring adequate levels of community participation. However,
OCR has been able to deploy a combination of video teleconference, interactive digital
tools and social media to replicate the level and quality of input achieved in on-site
workshops, and ensure increased participation of state and federal agency partners who
might not otherwise be able to participate in an onsite workshop.
Mar-18Jun-18 Sep-18 Dec-18 Mar-19 Jun-19 Sep-19 Dec-19 Mar-20 Jun-20 Sep-20
i lArtnal ^^^Target
34

-------
GOAL 2: More Effective Partnerships
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, eliminate the backlog and meet statutory deadlines for responding to Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) requests18.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM FOl) Percentage reduction in overdue FOIA requests from the April 2018 baseline.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
..J
Target

No Target
Established
25
50
Percent
Above Target
Actual

-9
16
45
Numerator

-224
409
1,142
Requests
Denominator

2,537
2,537
2,537
Key Takeaways:
• EPA significantly increased the pace of its FOIA backlog reduction, building on the progress made in FY 2019 reversing the prior year-over-year FOIA backlog increases. In
FY 2020, EPA reduced the backlog by 34% from the beginning of the year, resulting in a total reduction of 45% from the baseline set in 2018.
• Structural issues in one EPA office with a large backlog prevented that office from making progress in FY 2020. The office reorganized and centralized its FOIA program to
address continued FOIA backlog increases seen in the first half of the year. The reorganization and interventions yielded results that reversed the backlog increases and this
office is now on track to significantly reduce its backlog in FY 2021.
• EPA has historically received an increase in FOIA requests in the year after a presidential election and, thus, anticipates that a request increase could present an additional
challenge in FY 2021.
Metric Details: For purposes of this measure, overdue requests are defined as the sum of pending requests that are indicated in FOIAonline.gov as pending beyond the statutory or
agreed deadline of 20 working days, or 30 days or longer with an extension. EPA is focusing on reducing the FOIA backlog the Agency built up over the years and on improving
the FOIA process which gives the public the right to make requests for federal agency records. The complexity and volume of electronic documents that must be searched,
collected, and reviewed lias increased over time. The Agency will ensure that it can support the timely searching and collection of electronically stored information for purposes of
responding to FOIA requests and other information needs in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. This should not only help the Agency provide the public with the information
requested, but also reduce the fees and lawsuits the Agency incurs from missing FOIA response deadlines. As of April 2018, there were 2,537 overdue FOIA requests in the
backlog.
18 As of April 2018, there were 2,537 overdue FOIA requests in the backlog. (Footnote updated fmrnFY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12,2018.)
35

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Goal 3 at a Glance
Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness: Increase certainty, compliance, and effectiveness by applying the rule of law to achieve more
efficient and effective agency operations, service delivery, and regulatory relief.
FY 2020 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 3 Greater Certainty, Compliance, and
Effectiveness
Obj 3.1 Compliance with the Law
Obj 3.2 Create Consistency and Certainty
Obj 3.3 Prioritize Robust Science
Obj 3.4 Streamline and Modernize $36,280
Obj 3.5 Improve Efficiency and Effectiveness
$403,916
$500,579
$500,579
$1,882,936
(of $9,057,401 EPA
total)
$876,551
Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
Obj 3.1
Obj 3.2
1(G)
Obj 3.3
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of target met (Y)
~	<75% of target met (R)
~	No target (NT)
1 (Y)
1(G)
Obj 3.4
Obj 3.5
36

-------
GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Objective 3.1 - Compliance with the Law: Timely enforce environmental laws to increase compliance rates and promote cleanup of
contaminated sites through the use of all of EPA's compliance assurance tools, especially enforcement actions to address environmental
violations.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
2(G)
3(G)
1 (Y)
2(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Percentage of NPDES Permittees in Significant
Noncompliance with their Permit Limits, Dec 2018 - Sep 2020
20%
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
Dec-18 Mar-19 Jun-19 Sep-19 Dec-19 Mar-20 Jun-20 Sep-20
i lArtnal ^^^Target
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Took swift action during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure continued health and
enviromnental safety - keeping over 7 million illegal pesticide products out of the U.S.,
expanding compliance monitoring tools, providing over 30 guidances, continuing civil and
criminal enforcement, and increasing actions to prohibit the sale or distribution of
pesticide products with false or misleading claims, particularly disinfection products
falsely claiming effectiveness against the coronavirus.
• Advanced EPA's National Compliance Initiatives (NCI) Goals, including:
o Clean Water: Reduced the quarterly National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) Significant Non-Compliance rate to 16.4% (see graph at lower left). EPA
made substantial progress in reducing the number of NPDES Permittees in significant
noncompliance (SNC), and anticipates continuing the downward trend in FY 2021.
o Safe Drinking Water: Successfully completed pilot of a "Circuit Riders" program,
providing one-on-one assistance to about 20 small rural and tribal communities to
achieve and sustain drinking water and wastewater compliance; reviewed regional
requests for additional circuits and will have circuit riders in every region by Dec. 31.
o Clean Air Mobile Source Defeat Devices: Resolved 31 cases regarding tampering and
aftennarket defeat devices. This is the most of any one year in the Agency's history.
• Enforcement Results: Civil actions resulted in $2.5B in injunctive relief, $160M in
penalties, 458M lbs. of pollution reduced and 1.6B lbs. of waste properly managed.
Criminal cases secured $42M in penalties and 45 years of incarceration of defendants.
Opened 247 criminal cases and charged 91 defendants. Oversaw and, where appropriate,
revised open consent decrees requiring over $74B of environmental control obligations.
Challenges:
• COVID-19 has adversely affected many of EPA's enforcement activities, especially the
ability to do on-site inspections.
• EPA continues to identify state data issues (e.g., definition, entry, and completeness).
Additionally, there are known issues with transferring data from state systems to EPA
systems. These issues were exacerbated due to COVID-19.
• Despite efforts of EPA and primacy agencies, community water systems continue to
struggle with health-based violations. In FY 2019, 26M Americans consumed water
provided by a CWS with at least one health-based violation. In FY 2020, 3,400 systems
violated one or more health-based drinking water standards at some point during the year.
37

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce the average time from violation identification to correction19.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM 436) Number of all referred no complaint filed (RNCF) civil judicial cases that are more than 2.5 years old.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
¦ _
Target

129
120
Cases
Below Target
||
Actual

94
74
1 1
Key Takeaways:
• Ongoing, close cooperation between EPA headquarters and regions and with the Department of Justice continues to ensure that the most challenging cases move toward
resolution at an appropriate speed, more quickly returning violators to compliance and supporting increases in pounds of pollutants reduced and pounds of waste managed.
Metric Details: This measure represents the number of all open civil judicial cases (excluding Superfund, bankruptcy, collection action, and access order cases) that are more than
2.5 years old without a complaint filed. The average time from referral to complaint for a complaint filed between FY 2013 and FY 2017 was 2.5 years. The baseline for this
measure is 129 cases that were more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed as of June 30, 2018.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, increase the environmental law compliance rate20.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-tenn performance goal:
(PM 432) Percentage of Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permittees in significant noncompliance with their permit limits.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

24
25.7
22.1
Percent

m
Actual

22
25.0
25.2
Below Target

Numerator

12,017
10,141
10,544
Permittees
¦¦I
Denominator

53,545
40,606
41,921

Key Takeaways:
• EPA experienced data quality and transfer issues, but made substantial progress in fixing them. This work will improve EPA's ability to track the SNC rate and the Agency
expects improvements in FY 2021.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual 4-quarter NPDES SNC/Category 1 noncompliance rate among individually permitted major and non-major (minor) NPDES
permittees. Major and minor permittees that were in SNC/Category 1 noncompliance at any time during the year are counted in the numerator. NPDES SNC/Category 1
19 As a proxy, EPA is measuring the number of all referred no complaint filed (RNCF) civil judicial cases that are more than 2.5 years old. EPA is working in close cooperation
with the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure that cases move toward resolution at an appropriate speed in order to more quickly return violators to compliance. (Footnote updated
from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
211 This concept will be piloted by focusing initially on decreasing the percentage of Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permittees in significant noncompliance with their permit limits. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
38

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
noncompliance identifies a specific level of violation, based on duration, severity, and type of violation. For FY 2018, EPA estimated 24% of NPDES permittees to be in SNC. For
FY 2019, EPA recalculated the annual baseline to be 29.4% upon discovery of facilities erroneously included in the universe of regulated permittees counted in the denominator.
EPA uses the 1-quarter SNC rate to track progress throughout the year. To be consistent and avoid confusion, the Agency will use the 1-quarter rate starting in FY 2021.
Other Core Work supporting Objective 3.1
Annual performance goal:
(PM 434) Millions of pounds of pollutants and waste reduced, treated, or eliminated through concluded enforcement actions.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

1
Target

325
325
325
Millions of
Above Target
¦

¦
Actual
1,030
62,223
461
810
347
2,058
Pounds

¦ M

Key Takeaways:
• A settlement resolving a case with the J.R. Simplot Company resulted in a commitment to properly manage 1.6 billion pounds of waste.
• Targets for this measure are estimates based on cases in development and past results. Results in any given year are dependent on actual case outcomes, which are variable
and difficult to predict. Annual totals are often influenced by a few large cases.
Metric Details: This measure combines enviromnental benefits from pounds of air, water, hazardous and non-hazardous waste, and toxics/pesticides pollutants reduced, treated, or
eliminated through concluded enforcement actions. Prior to FY 2018, pounds of pollutants reduced, treated, or eliminated for different media were tracked using separate
measures.
39

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Objective 3.2 - Create Consistency and Certainty: Outline exactly what is expected of the regulated community to ensure good stewardship
and positive environmental outcomes.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No target (NT)
2 (NT)
3 (NT)
2 (NT)
2(G)
2(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
EPA, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, has highlighted this
objective as a focus area for improvement because net hours of reporting burden across years
have increased despite reductions in some Information Collection Requests (ICRs).
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Reduced reporting burden to the regulated community from 177,716,692 hours in October
2019 to 175,155,678 in October 2020.
• Achieved burden hour reductions through better estimates, discontinued ICRs, reduced
numbers of respondents, and reduced requirements.
• To further reduce burden hours, EPA is finalizing a guidance document on valuing the
cost of time in ICR burden estimates that will help with consistency of estimates.
• Developed a list of the 33 ICRs that exceed 1 million hours of burden to help offices with
strategic planning on burden reduction efforts.
• Exceeded the Executive Order (EO) 13771 requirement to issue two deregulatory actions
for every regulatory action for the third consecutive year. These deregulatory actions have
delivered substantial cost savings.
• Began development of a new measure for the number of external forms that are compliant
with the requirements of the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA) to
reduce burden on the regulated community. EPA will begin to digitize non-compliant
forms in FY 2021.
Challenges:
• To significantly reduce burden hours, EPA would have to change individual regulations to
reduce the information required to be collected. Regulation changes require staff
resources, extramural dollars, and years to complete and need a high degree of focused
attention at the agency. EPA lias more than 400 ICRs.
40

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, eliminate unnecessary or duplicative reporting burdens to the regulated community
by 10,000,000 hours21.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM RG2) Hours of unnecessary or duplicative reporting burden to the regulated community eliminated.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

2,000,000
2,000,000
2,000,000
Hours
Above Target

Actual

2,026,627
-5,893,454
2,560,814
1
Key Takeaways:
• EPA achieved burden hour reductions through better estimates, discontinued ICRs, reduced numbers of respondents, and reduced requirements.
• To further reduce burden hours, EPA is finalizing a guidance document on valuing the cost of time in ICR burden estimates that will help with consistency of estimates.
• EPA developed a list of the 33 ICRs that exceed one million hours of burden to help offices with strategic planning on burden reduction efforts.
Metric Details: EPA will engage in continuous improvement for managing the paperwork burden on regulated entities associated with EPA's ICRs and reduce the burden, where
possible, with a goal of eliminating two million hours of unnecessary or duplicative reporting per year toward the goal of 10 million hours by the end of FY 2022. Annual
increments represent permanent changes in reporting burden. The data are tracked in OMB's RegInfo.gov database. Targets represent annual increments needed to reach the long-
tenn performance goal by FY 2022.
Other Core Work supporting Objective 3.2
Annual performance goals:
(PM RG3) Number of EO 13771 regulatory actions issued.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
ill
Target

No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Actions
Above Target
Actual

3
6
4
Key Takeaways:
• EPA issued four regulatory actions (see PM RG4) and 25 deregulatory actions, exceeding the EO 13771 two-for-one requirement.
Metric Details: This measure is an OMB requirement based on Presidential Memorandum M-17-23 which outlines the requirements of EO 13771, including a two-for-one
requirement that agencies must issue two deregulatory actions for every regulatory action issued. No targets are established per OMB guidance, but results are reported.
21 Baseline is estimated at 173,849,665 information collection and reporting hours as of October 2, 2017. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published
February 12, 2018.)
41

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
(PM RG4) Number of EO 13771 deregulatory actions issued.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
.ll
Target

No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Actions
Above Target
Actual

10
18
25
Key Takeaways:
• EPA issued 25 deregulatory actions and four regulatory actions (see PM RG3), exceeding the EO 13771 two-for-one requirement.
Metric Details: This measure is an OMB requirement based on Presidential Memorandum M-17-23 which outlines the requirements of EO 13771, including a two-for-one
requirement that agencies must issue two deregulatory actions for every regulatory action issued. No targets are established per OMB guidance, but results are reported.
(PM RG5) Total incremental cost of all EO 13771 regulatory and deregulatory actions.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

-40
-50
-2,138
Millions of
Below Target
1
Actual

-22
-75
449
-4,870
Dollars
1
Key Takeaways:
• EPA considerably exceeded the FY 2020 target by finalizing, along with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule,
which included substantial cost savings.
Metric Details: This measure is an OMB requirement based on Presidential Memorandum M-17-23. In FY 2017, the total incremental cost of all EO 13771 regulatory and
deregulatory actions was -$21.5 million. The incremental cost values are annualized values in 2016 dollars applying a 7% discount rate, discounted to the year 2016 and assuming
a perpetual time horizon. Incremental benefits are not included in this total.
42

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Objective 3.3 - Prioritize Robust Science: Refocus the EPA's robust research and scientific analysis to inform policy making.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• The Agency continues to directly align its research with the needs of its customers. FY
2020 marked the first year EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) operated
under a new organizational structure which was implemented to more closely align ORD's
operations with its core research priorities. The FY 2020 customer satisfaction survey
found that 80% of ORD's delivered products met customer needs (see graph at lower left).
Challenges:
• The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most of the ORD workforce into full-time telework
to protect the health and safety of staff members. This has resulted in a slowdown of
certain portions of ORD's in-lab research. ORD is continuing to evaluate the risks posed
by COVID-19 in order to fulfill its research obligations. Despite this challenge, in FY
2020, ORD delivered over 90% of planned research products on time (FY 2020
deliverables under current StRAP).
• ORD faces a challenge in sustaining a suitably trained and skilled workforce. As of
October 2020, 27.6% of ORD career staff are retirement eligible. ORD continually works
to improve hiring efficiencies and implement leadership succession planning.
• ORD's work is threatened by aging equipment and facility infrastructure. In FY 2020,
ORD stood up a new organization (Research Support and Compliance Division) tasked
with mitigating infrastructure and facility risks.
81%
80%
79%
78%
77%
76%
75%
Sep-18 Sep-19 Sep-20
i i Artual —^—Target
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% ot target met (G)
~ No target (NT)
1 (NT)

1(G)

1(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Percentage of Research Products Meeting Customer Needs,
Sep 2018 - Sep 2020
43

-------
GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, increase the percentage of research products meeting customer needs22.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM RD1) Percentage of Office of Research and Development (ORD) research products meeting customer needs.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
in
Target



No Target
Established
77
80
Percent
Above Target
Actual



77
79
80
Numerator



171
154
120
Products
Denominator



222
196
150
Key Takeaways:
• Products evaluated in FY 2020 which met customer needs included: updates to ORD's EnviroAtlas software tool which provides geospatial data on enviromnental stressors
and other resources to the public, an updated version of the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard which integrates available information to help decision-makers and scientists
quickly and efficiently evaluate thousands of chemicals, and a series of scientific and regulatory support products developed to support National Ambient Air Quality
Standards programs.
Metric Details: Customer satisfaction is evaluated through a robust survey process. The survey engages approximately 200 key users of ORD products. Survey respondents
evaluate the scientific rigor of research products (quality), product relevance (usability), and timeliness of product delivery. The survey results are estimated at a 90% confidence
interval of ±10 products.
22 Measure text updated from "By September 30, 2022, increase the number of research products meeting customer needs." (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic
Plan published February 12, 2018.)
44

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Objective 3.4 - Streamline and Modernize: Issue permits more quickly and modernize our permitting and reporting systems.
Performance toward target over time
Numberof measures by percent of target achieved
~	100% of target met (G)
~	75-99% of ta rget m et (Y)
~	<75% of ta rget met (R)
~	No target (NT)
1 (NT)
1 (Y)
1(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Number of New Permit Applications in Backlog,
Jun 2018 -Sep 2020
150
125
100
75
50
25
III
Nllllll
Jun-18 Sep-18 Dec-18 Mar-19 Jun-19 Sep-19 Dec-19 Mar-20 Jun-20 Sep-20
¦ NPDES ¦ UIC ¦ PCBs ¦ RCRA ¦TitleV I NSR
(Title V and NSR not included in FY 2018 results)
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
•	Sustained progress toward implementation of Lean business process improvements to
streamline and optimize the Agency's key permitting programs.
•	Developed materials and checklists to encourage higher-quality applications.
•	Contributed to workshops for Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit writers that included more than 3,000 participants.
•	Created a comment response library to more quickly reply to comments and avoid delays
due to permit applications receiving higher levels of public interest.
•	Participated in a Kaizen project to reduce time to complete the Endangered Species Act
(ESA) consultation process required for NPDES permits.
•	EPA permitting programs are regularly identifying issues that create bottlenecks to permit
review and issuance for the Assistant Deputy Administrator, and developing plans of
action including specific improvement actions to be taken to address the underlying issues.
•	Identified challenges and developed solutions to complex permitting issues, such as those
related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), cooling water intakes for electric
generating facilities, and compliance with water quality requirements.
•	Maintained and operated the Central Data Exchange (CDX) which serves as the point of
entry on the Exchange Network (EN) for enviromnental data transactions with the
Agency.
•	Awarded EN Grants to states, territories, and tribes to support their participation in the EN
using technology, data standards, open-source software, shared services, and reusable
tools.
Challenges:
•	EPA missed the targets for new and existing permits in backlog. Most of the backlogged
permits are in the NPDES and Underground Injection Control (UIC) programs (see graph
at lower left).
•	Permitting delays continue due to a high number of new permit applications and
remaining complex issues, including: (1) incomplete permit applications; (2) time needed
to process complex public comments; (3) interagency consultation; (4) complex policy
issues impeding decisions; and (5) issues raised during state and tribal review.
•	Some permits are delayed due to COVID-19, including delays in public access to
permitting information and required consultations with other federal agencies and tribal
governments with competing priorities due to COVID-19. Additionally, some applicants
requested additional time to respond to requests for information. EPA regional offices
successfully hosted virtual public hearings for some draft permits.
45

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reach all permitting-related decisions within six months23.
Annual performance goals that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM PE2) Number of new permit applications in backlog.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
III
Target




No Target
Established
33
Permits
Below Target
Actual



111
65
65
Key Takeaways:
•	EPA continued to implement Lean business process improvements to streamline and optimize the Agency's key permitting programs. The Agency reached decisions on new
permit applications that were pending for up to 15 years.
•	Delays continue due to a high number of new permit applications and remaining complex issues, including: (1) incomplete permit applications; (2) time needed to process
complex public comments; (3) interagency consultation; (4) complex policy issues impeding decisions; and (5) issues raised during state and tribal review.
•	EPA developed a sample UIC permit application to encourage higher-quality applications, and templates that EPA regional offices can use to request information from UIC
permit applicants to encourage earlier responses. For NPDES permits, EPA finalized application checklists to help permit applicants submit more complete applications.
•	EPA contributed to and led courses and workshops on NPDES permits that included more than 3,000 participants. EPA also increased content and access to the NPDES
Permit Writer's SharePoint site.
•	EPA created a comment response library to more quickly reply to comments and avoid delays due to permit applications receiving higher levels of public interest.
•	EPA is participating in a Kaizen project to reduce time to complete the ESA consultation process required for NPDES permits.
•	EPA permitting programs are regularly identifying issues that create bottlenecks to permit review and issuance for the Assistant Deputy Administrator, and developing plans
of action including specific improvement actions to be taken to address the underlying issues.
•	EPA is working to identify challenges and develop solutions to complex permitting issues, such as those related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), cooling water
intakes for electric generating facilities, and verifying compliance with water quality requirements.
•	Some permits are delayed due to COV1D-19, including delays in site visits, public meetings, restricted access to public libraries which serve as information repositories for
documents related to the permitting process, and required consultations with other federal agencies and tribal governments with competing priorities due to COV1D-19.
Additionally, some applicants requested additional time to respond to requests for information. EPA regional offices successfully hosted virtual public hearings for some draft
permits.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the sum of new permit applications that are over six months old (for NPDES, UIC, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act [RCRA] and
Polychlorinated Biphenyls [PCBs]) and complete NSR and new Title V permit applications that have been pending for longer than the statutory timeframes (12 and 18 months,
respectively). The time for a permitting-related decision is calculated from the date of receipt of a permit application (or the receipt of a complete application for NSR and Title V)
to the date of a permit decision. The baseline for this measure is 149 new permit applications in backlog as of June 30, 2018. The baseline and FY 2018 actual do not include NSR
or Title V permits. This measure tracks progress toward a FY 2020-2021 Agency Priority Goal (APG).
23 Baseline is 149 new permit applications in backlog as of June 30, 2018, and 479 existing permits in backlog as of May 31, 2019. (No footnote in FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic
Plan.)
46

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
(PM PE3) Number of existing permit applications in backlog.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction


1
Target





313
Permits
Below Target



Actual




417
384


1
Key Takeaways:
•	EPA continued to implement Lean business process improvements to streamline and optimize the Agency's key permitting programs. The Agency reached decisions on
existing permit applications that were pending for up to 30 years.
•	Delays continue due to a high number of expiring existing permits and remaining complex issues, including: (1) incomplete permit applications; (2) time needed to process
complex public comments; (3) interagency consultation; (4) complex policy issues impeding decisions; and (5) issues raised during state and tribal review.
•	Most of the existing permit backlog are NPDES permits in EPA Regions 1 and 10. EPA headquarters hosts monthly meetings with both regions to discuss the backlog data,
identify challenges, and facilitate policy and technical solutions.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the sum of: (1) existing NPDES, RCRA and PCBs permits that have passed their expiration date and are awaiting reissuance; (2) existing UIC
permits that have passed their expiration date and have an application that is over six months old; and (3) existing Title V permits that have passed their expiration date and have a
complete application that has been pending for longer than the statutory timeframe (18 months). The baseline fortius measure is 479 existing permits in backlog as of May 31,
2019. This measure tracks progress toward a FY 2020-2021 APG.
Other Core Work supporting Objective 3.4
Annual performance goal
(PM OZ1) Percentage of communities receiving direct technical assistance that have Opportunity Zones.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend Data
Target





60
Percent
Above Target
Actual





76
Numerator





29
Communities
Denominator





38
Key Takeaways:
•	EPA strives to support communities with federally designated opportunity zones, especially those faced with enviromnental and economic hardships.
•	As a result, EPA exceeded its target with 76% of its technical assistance projects in communities that have Opportunity Zones, and effectively leveraged resources from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (Agricultural Marketing Service and U.S. Forest Service Community Forestry Program), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and
other federal partners.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of communities (local governments, community organizations or regional agencies, and other locally-based stakeholders) that
receive direct technical assistance from EPA's Office of Community Revitalization (OCR) programs in support of Executive Order (EO) 13853, Establishing the White House
Opportunity and Revitalization Council, as a percentage of the total number of communities that receive support from OCR. This assistance is offered through staff and contractor
workshops delivered in partnership with community leaders, public and private sector actors, and federal, state, and local stakeholders. Opportunity Zones are defined by census
tracts in economically distressed communities designated by the governors of states and territories under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which established a new federal tax
47

-------
GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
incentive to promote long-term investments in these areas. The purpose of EO 13853 is to facilitate investment in economically distressed communities by streamlining
regulations, optimizing the use of federal resources, and stimulating economic opportunity.
48

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Objective 3.5 - Improve Efficiency and Effectiveness: Provide proper leadership and internal operations management to ensure that the
Agency is fulfilling its mission.
Performance toward target over time
Numberof measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
3(Y)
3(G)
1 (Y)
4(G)
FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2020. Chart does not include
measures that previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2020.
Cumulative Numberof Operational Processes Improved,
Mar2019-Sep2020
Mar-19 Jun-19 Sep-19 Dec-19 Mar-20
i I Artnal ^^^Target
Jun-20
Sep-20
EPA, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has determined that
performance toward this objective is making noteworthy progress because EPA has met or
exceeded the targets for all measures supporting this objective and is on track to meet the FY
2022 long-term performance goals.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Cumulatively released 393,853 square feet of unused office and warehouse space and on
track to meet the long-term performance goal of releasing 850,641 square feet of space by
the end of FY 2022.
• Met the 90% target and on track to meet the FY 2022 long-term performance goal of
100% Procurement Action Lead Time (PALT) achievement for all contract actions.
• Increased avoided costs through strategic sourcing and increased the percentage of EPA
contract spending actively managed according to OMB category management principles
(i.e.. Spend Under Management [SUM]). Increasing SUM will eliminate redundancies,
increase efficiency, and deliver more value and savings.
• Received a clean opinion on EPA's Consolidated Financial Statements for the 21st
consecutive year.
• Identified Workforce Management as one of the priority areas to be addressed under the
Evidence Act, and outlined a plan for gathering and analyzing data in EPA's Interim
Learning Agenda.
• Increased EPA Lean Management System (ELMS) deployment to 83% of the Agency's
workforce, including more than 11,282 EPA staff.
• Leveraged ELMS to improve 502 operational processes in FY 2020, for a total of 568 to
date (see graph at lower left).
• Adopted E-Invoicing of contract invoices using Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform
(IPP), meeting the annual goal for increasing the number of administrative shared
services.
Challenges:
• An estimated 44% of EPA's workforce will be retirement eligible by 2025.
• Prevalence and complexity of evolving cybersecurity threats continues to be a challenge
for the Agency. Opportunities exist to further strengthen EPA's information security
program.
• Maintaining legacy financial data in perpetuity adds cost and complexity to system and
reporting modernization or upgrade projects, and sometimes requires specialized staff
training.
49

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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce unused office and warehouse space by 850,641 square feet24.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-tenn performance goal:
(PM FA1) Reduction in EPA Space (sq. ft. owned and leased).

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
\
Target

241,000
163,626
100,821
Square Feet
Above Target
n
Actual

149,278
128,150
116,425
III
Key Takeaways:
• Exceeded annual target by 15,604 square feet and on track to meet the FY 2022 long-tenn performance goal.
Metric Details: This measure tracks square feet of office and warehouse space released with data collected from EPA facility manager notifications, and reports generated when
there is a modification to an Occupancy Agreement. Space consolidation efforts will result in EPA becoming a more efficient and effective Agency by reducing lease, utility,
security and other facility management costs, which will enable the Agency to direct resources to core enviromnental work.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, reduce procurement processing times by achieving 100% of procurement action
lead times (PALT)25.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-tenn performance goal:
(PM PR1) Percentage of contract actions processed within the Procurement Action Lead Time (PALT) Standards.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction
n
Target

SA: 75
CP: 65
FAA: 80
85
90
Percent
Above Target
Actual

SA: 70
CP: 88
FAA: 76
85
90
Numerator

SA:704
CP: 21
FAA: 3,038
9,269
10,575
Actions
Denominator

SA: 1,007
CP: 24
FAA: 4,002
10,906
11,719
24 Baseline is 5,264,846 square feet as of FY 2017.
25 Baseline, as of September 30, 2018 is 77% for all contract actions awarded within PALT. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12,
2018.)
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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Key Takeaways:
• Met the annual target despite an increase in the overall number of actions.
• Revised and simplified EPA's Advanced Acquisition Planning guidance, and conducted virtual training with the acquisitions community to continue progress toward the FY
2022 long-term performance goal.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the timeliness of the Agency's processing of contract actions with data collected from EPA's Acquisition System (EAS) as well as information
from EPA contract officer representatives (CORs) and contract officers (COs). Timeliness is measured in processing days from the date the procurement request (PR) is released in
EAS to the date the contract is awarded. PALT Standards are outlined in Section 7.1.1 of the EPA Acquisition Guide. The purpose of these efforts is to make EPA a more efficient
and effective agency by reducing processing time and costs. Beginning in FY 2019, EPA has reported results for all acquisition categories against the September 30, 2018 baseline
of 77% for all contract actions awarded within PALT. FY 2018 actuals were reported against a January 1, 2018 baseline of: 47% for Simplified Acquisitions (SA); 65% for
Competitive Proposals (CP); and 67% for Funding and Administrative Actions (FAA).
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, improve 250 operational processes.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM OP1) Number of operational processes improved.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

25
50
72
Operational
Processes
Above Target
Actual

N/A
66
502

Key Takeaways:
• EPA surpassed its performance target by nearly 600% in FY 2020. EPA has achieved a total of 568 process improvements to date, achieving the goal of 250 process
improvements two years ahead of schedule. The increase in process improvements correlates with deployment of ELMS agency wide. ELMS promotes continuous
improvement and uses Lean principles and tools, paired with routine monitoring, measurement, and engagement to identify problems, solve problems, and sustain
improvements.
• A significant portion of process improvements in FY 2020 are a result of Senior Executive Service (SES) A3 projects - problem-solving projects directly relating to improving
processes that have a clear impact on mission responsibilities or mission support objectives. Other improvements result from use of visual management, kaizen events, and
other problem-solving activities.
Metric Details: EPA is applying Lean principles to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of its operations. An operational process is a sequence of activities that results in
the delivery of a service. A process improvement is counted if it is at least a 25% improvement over the baseline. Process improvements result from a variety of tools (e.g., visual
management, A3s, kaizen events, other problem-solving activities) and include standard work (e.g., standard operating procedures) and use of visual management (visible
placement of information and indicators that quickly convey/signal if a process is under control or abnormal, e.g., flow boards, performance boards, bowling charts) to assure
sustaimnent of the improvement.
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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2022, increase enterprise adoption of shared services by four26.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM CF1) Number of administrative shared services.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred
Direction

Target

6
7
8
Shared Services
Above Target
mimI
Actual
4
4
4
4
7
8
Key Takeaways:
• EPA initiated its e-invoicing pilot in October 2019. In less than a year, the Agency is receiving over 70% of all contract invoices using Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform
(IPP). A project team is in place to extend this capability for simplified acquisition invoices while concurrently eliminating two administrative systems: the Contracts Payment
System (CPS) and the Small Purchase Information Tracking System (SPITS).
Metric Details: EPA will adopt federal shared services when supported by business case analyses. Federal shared services are shared across multiple federal agencies. Enterprise
adoption of shared services ensures consistency and scalability in tools and services, enabling the Agency to standardize internal operational processes, control costs, and improve
data quality. In FY 2019, EPA refined the scope of this measure to include only systems or services where federal shared service providers (FSSPs) were adopted, and to no longer
include internal agencywide shared services. This revision resulted in a change to the baseline of existing shared services from five to four. The four administrative shared services
in place as of the end of FY 2017 were: Human Resources Line of Business (Interior Business Center[IBC]/Federal Personnel and Payroll System [FPPS]), Payroll
(IBC/PeoplePlus), Travel (Concur), and Financial Management (CGI Federal Inc./Compass Financials).
(PM CF2) Number of Agency administrative subsystems.

FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
Units
Preferred

1
L

Direction

„

Target

24
22
22
Subsystems
Below Target
Actual

29
29
29
23
Key Takeaways:
• EPA targeted a total of seven administrative systems or interfaces for retirement in FY 2020. While falling short of the overall target, the Agency was still able to retire six
systems: Assistance Information Management System (AIMS), Budget Automation System (BAS), Deposit Collection System (DCS), Executive Resource Center (ERC),
Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA), and Working Capital Fund (WCF)/Net Operating Results (NOR).
• EPA's Budget Formulation System (BFS) replaced both BAS and Lotus Notes functionality with a more integrated, efficient and transparent system that enhanced budget
formulation and execution processes as well as performance and resource tracking and reporting. These changes reduced staff time needed to provide critical services such as
loading quality-checked operational budgets into the Agency's financial system and tracking, executing and reporting budget reprogramming actions throughout the fiscal
year.
• Other efficiencies resulting from the changes EPA made to its administrative subsystems include:
o Reduced staff burden by consolidating and linking corrective action tracking functions with audit findings,
o Reduced overall maintenance costs by reducing solution architectural footprint.
26 Baseline is four administrative systems/operations shared services in FY 2017. (Footnote updated from FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan published February 12, 2018.)
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GOAL 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness
o	Eliminated overhead and costs associated with administrative systems for which other agency enterprise systems subsumed their functionality,
o	Consolidated administrative support for a system with just one primary user and one backup,
o	Eliminated systems written using outdated technology.
o	Grant closeout process now performed within one system so users only have one admin system versus two to perform all their work,
o	Eliminated a duplicative reporting tool allowing the Agency to consolidate those reports into a single source.
Metric Details: Reducing the number of administrative system interfaces allows EPA users to more easily input and access data and standardizes reporting as payment processing
is moved to a federal shared service provider. This has a positive impact on streamlining operational processes and drives the integration of financial transactions across multiple
administrative systems, reducing manual entry, and improving data quality.
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