Audit Agreements
EPA
Region 2 has entered into audit agreements with universities and/or
university systems and healthcare facilities. If you would like copies
of any of these agreements or would like to enter into an agreement
yourself, please call Diane Fiorito at 212-637-4047 or E-mail her
at fiorito.diane@epa.gov.
To date, EPA has signed 51 self-audit agreements with hospitals, as well as colleges and universities in New York and New Jersey. Additional agreements are being developed and more are expected.
Colleges/Universities
Canisius College entered into an agreement with EPA in May 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its campus in Buffalo, New York. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, hazardous substances and chemicals, environmental response, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
City University of New York (CUNY), the country's largest urban university, entered an agreement with EPA on January 24, 2003 to carry out a comprehensive environmental audit of their campuses in all five boroughs including 17 senior and community colleges and its graduate, law and medical schools. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, hazardous substances and chemicals, environmental response, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
Clarkson University entered into an agreement with EPA on January 28, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of both its hill and downtown campuses and any associated off-site facilities. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, hazardous substances and chemicals, environmental response, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art signed an agreement with EPA on December 26, 2002 to conduct an environmental audit of its five buildings and any associated off-site facilities to determine compliance with applicable federal environmental regulations, including, but not limited to, those governing air pollution, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, hazardous substances and chemicals, emergency planning/ response, community right-to-know, drinking water, and wastewater. The audit is expected to be completed by March 10, 2003.
Hofstra University, the largest university on Long Island, with over 13,000 students signed an agreement with EPA on July 7, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its campus in Hempstead, New York. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
Pace University signed an agreement with EPA on June 24, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its seven campuses in New York City and Westchester and Orange Counties to determine compliance with applicable federal environmental regulations, including, but not limited to, those governing air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, hazardous substances and chemicals, environmental response, emergency planning, Community Right-to- Know and toxic substances control. Pace has agreed to audit its facilities by September 30,2003 and submit its disclosure report to EPA by December 6, 2003.
The Rockefeller University signed an agreement with EPA on August 19, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its campus and associated facilities located at York Avenue in Manhattan. The University has 75 laboratories, 185 research and clinical scientists, 340 postdoctoral investigators, 1,000 support staff, 140 Ph.D. students, and 35 M.D., Ph.D. students. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey was the first college/university in the country to enter into an audit agreement with EPA. Under this agreement, which was signed on November 28, 2001, Rutgers agreed to do a comprehensive environmental audit of its five campuses - Busch/Livingston Campus; College Avenue; Newark; Camden and Cook & Douglass - over the next one-and-a-half years. This audit will determine, among other things, whether: hazardous wastes generated on the campuses are stored, treated, and disposed of correctly; above ground and underground storage tanks in operation are managed properly and others closed according to regulation; proper emissions controls are installed on boilers and operated correctly; all recent asbestos abatement was done correctly; PCB-containing equipment has been managed properly; and that pesticides are used, stored, and disposed of safely.
Seton Hall University signed an agreement with EPA on October 1, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its two campuses. The campuses are located in South Orange and Newark, New Jersey and have an enrollment of more than 10,000 students. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
State University of New York (SUNY), the country's largest university system, signed an audit agreement with EPA on April 1, 2002. Under this agreement, SUNY agreed to perform environmental self-audits of its 64 campuses over the next five years. In some cases, EPA will allow SUNY to audit a representative sample of its facilities for a particular potential violation. If, however, there is evidence of a pattern of pervasive violation, EPA will require SUNY to test the whole facility for that particular violation. Facility areas include; automotive/truck servicing areas; laboratories; art studios; greenhouses and farms; heating/power plants; pesticide storage facilities; PCB transformers; aboveground and underground tanks; septic systems; hazardous waste manifests and land disposal locations.
St. John's University signed an agreement with EPA on July 23, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its four campuses in Jamaica, Staten Island, Manhattan and Oakdale campuses with a total enrollment of 18,000 students. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control.
Syracuse University was the first private university in the country to enter into an audit agreement with EPA. Under this agreement, which was signed on November 19, 2002, Syracuse made a commitment to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its main campus in Syracuse and two smaller facilities in New York City and Blue Mountain Lake, New York, to self report any violations, to correct deficiencies in its environmental management, and to take steps to prevent recurrence of violations. EPA in return has agreed to waive gravity-based penalties for self-disclosed violations. The agreement covers all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, hazardous substances and chemicals, environmental response, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control. This entire project, from inspection to correction, should be completed by Spring 2004.
Healthcare Facilities
The agreements below cover all major federal environmental programs including air, water, pesticides, solid and hazardous wastes, emergency planning, Community Right-to-Know and toxic substances control. The healthcare facilities have committed to self report any violations, to correct deficiencies in environmental management, and to take steps to prevent recurrence of violations. EPA, in return, has agreed to waive gravity-based penalties for self-disclosed violations.
Alice Hyde Medical Center signed an agreement with EPA on March 26, 2004, agreeing the medical center will audit its environmental practices at its four facilities in Malone, New York. It will identify and report any violations, correct any deficiencies in its environmental compliance and take steps to prevent further recurrence of violations.
Under an agreement signed by EPA Regional Administrator Jane M. Kenny and Alice Hyde's Vice President of Support Services, Kevin Hart, the medical center will audit its environmental practices at its four facilities in Malone, New York. It will identify and report any violations, correct any deficiencies in its environmental compliance and take steps to prevent further recurrence of violations. Administrator Kenny signed a similar agreement with Dr. Robert Lewy, Senior Associate Dean at Columbia University Medical Center. Under the agreement, the medical center will audit its environmental practices at all of its facilities in New York City except at the Morningside Heights campus and the Lamont-Doherty Observatory, which recently had EPA inspections.
Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center signed an agreement with EPA on July 15, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of all its associated buildings and facilities. These include two major hospital divisions, Concourse and Fulton with a capacity of 839 beds, 53 buildings and 16 off site and affiliated operations serving the South Bronx community.
Maimonides Medical Center, the third largest teaching hospital in the United States, signed an agreement with EPA on September 30, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of all its associated buildings and facilities. The center which is located in Brooklyn, New York is a 705 bed facility which serves the Greater New York metropolitan area.
Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, the largest musculoskeletal tissue bank in the world, signed an agreement with EPA on August 14, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its two facilities located in Edison, New Jersey. The foundation expects to recover tissues from 4,000 donors and distribute 250,000 tissues for transplant this year.
New Island Hospital in Bethpage, New York signed an agreement with EPA on July 7, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of all its facilities. The hospital which is located on a ten acre campus has three buildings with a 223 bed capacity.
New York Presbyterian Hospital, the largest hospital in New York City, signed an agreement with EPA on September 30, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its facilities which include four campuses at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, the Allen Pavilion and its White Plains Westchester Division with a capacity of 2,300 beds and 16,000 employees.
Northern Westchester Hospital, in Mount Kisco, New York signed an agreement with EPA on July 10, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its two facilities with a 259 bed capacity. The hospital services northern Westchester, Putnam and southern Dutchess counties as well as parts of Fairfield county.
St. Barnabas Hospital, the 15th largest hospital (461 bed capacity) in New York State, signed an agreement with EPA on October 6, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its facilities. The Mills Building, Braber Building, Clinic Building, Main Hospital, Ambulatory Care Building and Nursing Home are located at the ten acre main campus. Off-site facilities consist of the Union Community Health Center, Fordham Plaza Hemodialysis Care and Primary Care Centers, and the 2021 Grand Concourse Health Center.
St. Joseph's Hospital, recently named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals, signed an agreement with EPA on September 16, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive audit of its main campus at 301 Prospect Avenue, Syracuse, New York and fourteen satellite facilities in Syracuse, E. Syracuse, Camillus, Fayetteville and Liverpool, New York.
Universal HealthCare Services of Puerto Rico signed an agreement with EPA on October 6, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its facilities, San Pablo Hospital in Bayamon, San Pablo del Este Hospital in Fajardo, Caribbean Pediatric and Surgery Hospital in Rio Piedras, San Juan Capistrano Hospital in Rio Piedras, and OJOS Clinic in Santurce with a capacity of 878 beds.
Winthrop University Hospital was the first hospital in the country to enter into an audit agreement with EPA. Winthrop is a 591-bed hospital on a 12-acre campus. Under this agreement, which was signed in May 2003, Winthrop made a commitment to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of its main campus in Mineola, Long Island and 4 off-site buildings that have hospital related functions.
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York signed an agreement with EPA on July 10, 2003 to conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of all its associated buildings and facilities.