Federal Support for EMSs

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. Review Administrator Johnson’s signed EMS Position Statement here, reaffirming the EPA's continuing support of EMS adoption across all industries and sectors.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) support for the voluntary adoption of EMSs has been evident since the mid-1990s.  The Office of Water (OW) has been the leader in promoting EMS adoption with public agencies. OW, working with the Global Environment and Technology Foundation (GETF), has sponsored over 30 public agencies as they have adopted EMSs since 1997. More recently, OW designated seven organizations around the country as EMS Local Resource Centers (i.e., PEER Centers) to meet the EMS needs of public agencies around the country through training, education, and other forms of technical assistance. Finally, a national clearinghouse of EMS information geared to the needs of public agencies has been established. Information on all of these efforts can be found at www.peercenter.net.

Federal support for EMSs is also demonstrated through U.S. EPA’s Performance Track Program. Performance Track recognizes and drives environmental excellence by encouraging facilities with strong environmental records to go above and beyond their legal requirements. Members set typically four public, measurable goals to improve the quality of our nation's air, water, and land.  To encourage environmental achievement and continuous environmental improvement, U.S. EPA offers incentives to Performance Track members, including:

Recognition – Recognition of member facilities locally and nationally through letters to elected officials, trade journal articles, press releases, case studies, P-Track News, member listings on the website, and Performance Track Awards. 

Networking - Promoting exchange of information through networking opportunities such as Annual Member Events, regional roundtables, teleseminars, EPA meetings, joint workshops with Performace Track partners, and meetings of the Performance Track Participants' Association. 

Regulatory and Administrative Incentives – Regulatory and administrative actions that only apply to participating Performance Track facilities (e.g., flexible permits that will reduce self reporting and low-priority status for routine federal inspections).

Services - Facilities are encouraged to take advantage of services such as the Green Suppliers Network Review or the Performance Track Monitoring Program

Green Investing - Leading financial advisory firms use Performance Track data in their research methods.  This practice can benefit top-performing, publicaly traded companies, making them more attractive to investors and increasing brand recognition. 

Currently, there are more than 500 members in Performance Track from around the United States. Members include major corporations, small businesses, and public facilities that are steering a course toward environmental excellence. For more information about Performance Track, go to http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack.