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Policies and Guidance
Policies and Guidance
National Program Guidance
FY 2008-2011 Guidance for the National Environmental Performance Partnership System sets multi-year goals and objectives, highlights key policies and procedures, and lists the grants eligible for inclusion in Performance Partnership Grants. Scroll down to the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations to find the performance partnerships guidance.
State Reporting Burden Reduction Initiative
In October, 2006, EPA and states launched an effort to address longstanding state concerns about burdensome state reporting requirements. Nearly 40 states submitted over 200 reporting requirements they considered most burdensome and of low value in managing environmental programs. EPA has reviewed the recommended changes and commented on their feasibility. Implementation will be ongoing, through 2008 and beyond. Some reporting changes will be implemented in the short-term, and other proposed changes need more analysis or may require statutory or regulatory changes. See State Reporting Burden Reduction Initiative for materials and documents associated with initiative.
Framework for Performance Partnerships
Joint Commitment to Reform Oversight and Create a National Environmental Performance Partnership System (PDF) (12 pp, 72K, About PDF) May 17, 1995. This document, signed by EPA and state leaders, sets out the principles and components of performance partnerships, and is also known as the "May 17 Agreement." or the "Framework."
Joint Policy on State/EPA Relations (PDF) (3 pp, 18K, About PDF) July 14, 1994. This policy, signed by EPA and state leaders, sets out governing principles for state-EPA relations.
Strengthening Environmental Management in the United States (PDF) (27 pp, 5.42 mb, About PDF) May 17, 1993. The Task Force to Enhance State Capacity set the stage for performance partnerships by recommending development of a new framework and policy for state-EPA relations and urged EPA to establish a joint process with states for setting environmental goals and priorities, exercise greater flexibility in negotiating state grant work plans, and provide technical and other assistance to bolster state capacity.
Implementation
Maximizing Performance Partnership Grants Initiative: Joint Message from Deputy Administrator and ECOS President (PDF) (6 pp, 371K, About PDF) January, 2007. In this joint letter, EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock and ECOS President Bob King invite states to participate in an initiative to make fuller use of the flexibility and other features available through PPGs.
Maximizing Performance Partnership Grants (PDF) (2 pp, 151K, About PDF) September 19, 2006- Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock launched an initiative to maximize the use of the flexibility and other features of Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs).
Performance Partnership Agreements and Tribal Concerns (PDF) (1 p, 81K, About PDF) August 1, 2006. This memorandum from Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock urges regions to take into account potential effects on tribal lands in developing PPAs and related agreements with states and to consider potential impacts on bordering states when negotiating priorities and grant work plans with tribes.
ECOS-EPA Vision for Aligning Planning Systems, Successful Performance Partnerships (PDF) (3 pp, 70K, About PDF) April 15, 2004. This joint letter and an attachment from EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt and ECOS President Chris Jones explains the vision and principles for aligning EPA and state planning processes and improving performance partnerships.
Overview of Alignment and Performance Partnership Process Improvements (PDF) (11 pp, 1440K, About PDF) January 18, 2005. This paper, prepared by the joint EPA-state Alignment and Performance Partnership Agreement Work Group, explains improvements to better align EPA and state planning processes and essential elements of effective partnership agreements.
Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations (OCIR): Lead Office for Performance Partnerships(PDF) (4 pp, 27K, About PDF) Roles and Responsibilities and Issue Resolution Process, April 2004.
Advancing Performance Partnerships (PDF) (2 pp, 197K, About PDF) August 23, 2001. Memorandum from Administrator Christine Todd Whitman to EPA's senior leaders sets out expectations for implementing performance partnerships.
EPA's Commitment to Performance Partnerships (PDF) (3 pp, 95K, About PDF) March 17, 2000. Memorandum from Acting Deputy Administrator Michael McCabe reaffirms EPA's commitment to performance partnerships.
Policy for Implementing the National Environmental Performance Partnership System (PDF) (5 pp, 99K, About PDF) July 15, 1996. Memorandum from Deputy Administrator Fred Hanson to EPA Senior Leadership sets policy regarding timing of National Program Guidance, reporting burden, and state grants (Grant policy is explained more fully in an attachment - Interpreting Grant Requirements for Performance Partnership States (PDF) (3 pp, 20K, About PDF).
Best Practices Guide for Performance Partnerships Grants (PDF) (44 pp, 307K, About PDF) March 2006 Highlights Key Regulations, Policies, and Procedures for developing and managing ppbs.
State Grants, including Performance Partnership Grants
State Grants Measures Template
This link contains performance measures and implementation policies to implement the Office of Management and Budget's 2007 instruction to EPA to "…develop a standardized template for states to use in reporting results achieved under grant agreements with EPA..."
Best Practices Guide for Performance
Partnership Grants (PDF) (44pp, 307K, About PDF)
March 2006 Highlights
key regulations, policies and procedures for developing and
managing Performance Partnership Grants.
Timely Award of State and Tribal of Continuing Environmental Program Grants (PDF) (7 pp, 69K, About PDF) (December 23, 2005). Memorandum and an attachment with recommendations from an EPA-state work group outlining policies and procedures for awarding state grants in a timely manner.
Part 35, Environmental Program Grants State, Interstate, and Local Government Agencies, Final Rule (PDF), (13 pp, 55K, About PDF) January 9, 2001. Rule contains requirements for all environmental program grants to states, including Performance Partnership Grants.
Additional Grants Eligible for Performance Partnership Grants (PDF) (2pp, 84K, About PDF) August 20, 2004. Federal Register notice adds three grant programs eligible for inclusion in Performance Partnership Grants.
Performance Partnership Grant Steering Committee Recommendations and Decisions (PDF) (8 pp, 518K, About PDF) July 11, 2003. Memorandum from Deputy Administrator Linda Fisher sets policy on several Performance Partnership Grant policy issues.
Grant Policies, Regulations and Guidance. This link to EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment contains all policies, regulations, and guidance related to EPA grants.
Performance Measures and State Reporting
FY 2000 Core Performance Measures. The core performance measures were last revised for FY 2000.
Clarifying the Use and Applicability of Core Performance Measures (PDF) (6 pp, 34K, About PDF)April 15, 1999. This joint policy statement clarifies issues regarding the use and applicability of the core performance measures. The accompanying joint transmittal memorandum commits EPA and states to continue working to improve measures.
Measuring Progress under the National Environmental Performance Partnership System (PDF) (3 pp, 16K, About PDF) August 14, 1997. This joint statement signed by EPA and state leaders explains the intended purpose and uses of Core Performance Measures.
State Partnership on Burden Reduction (PDF) (11 pp, 3.37 mb, About PDF) April 7, 1999. Memorandum from Acting Deputy Administrator Michael McCabe directs EPA's senior leaders to work with states to reduce high cost/low value reporting. Attachments include the State-EPA Information Management Work Group's "Vision and Operating Principles for Environmental Information Management" and a report on "Launching State-EPA Burden Reduction Efforts."