3) How do environmental regulatory agencies view EMS?

Regulatory agencies, facing increasingly limited financial and human resources are recognizing that the promotion of EMS concepts is a way to further their goals of environmental protection. There are numerous state and federal programs that support the implementation of EMSs in the regulated community and in some cases, provide incentives.  Review U.S. EPA’s views of EMSs here, including Administrator Johnson’s signed EMS Position Statement, reaffirming the EPA's continuing support of EMS adoption across all industries and sectors.

Federal support for EMSs continues to be demonstrated through U.S. EPA’s Performance Track Program. Performance Track encourages and recognizes top environmental performance by private and public facilities across the United States. Performance Track facilities exceed compliance with regulatory requirements and achieve environmental improvement and excellence by utilizing an EMS as a fundamental mechanism. Performance Track is also currently working with states on a number of projects and initiatives.  Click here for more information about state programs.  To review the benefits that organizations can achieve from being a part of EPA’s Performance Track Program, click here. 

The Multi-State Working Group recently published an analysis on state regulatory incentives titled Environmental Innovation: A Dialogue on the Role of Government, Law, and Regulatory Approaches, January 2006.  In addition, for a recent update (August 2005) of State EMS Incentive Programs, check out the U.S. Army Environmental Center’s recent update (August 2005).