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Helping States Receive Credit for Performance-Based Work
Many states have expressed strong interest in receiving some type of “credit” or “recognition” from EPA for developing and implementing performance-based environmental leadership programs. EPA is working with several states to develop a process whereby qualifying states would be able to receive credit for these efforts.
The types of credit being explored include:
- Recognition credit in which specific language and
performance goals relating to state performance-based
leadership programs would be incorporated into
EPA’s
strategic planning
documents. In addition, specific commitments
would be developed for inclusion in the National
Commitment System, in which each EPA region makes a
commitment to contribute to the overall goals and
targets of each national program at EPA.
- Offset credit in which environmental improvements achieved through state performance-based environmental leadership programs could be used to satisfy an existing requirement for grant funding under one or more federal programs. This would involve incorporating outcome-oriented performance measures used by the state programs into the planning, budgeting, and accountability systems at EPA. In some cases, the outcome measures used by the state programs would be swapped for more traditional output measures. The states would be able to direct some of their resources toward developing and implementing a performance-based environmental leadership program if they were able to demonstrate that the program would result in equal or better environmental performance.
While EPA is eager to demonstrate the high value that it places on Performance Track and other beyond-compliance activities, the granting of “credit” would apply only to state programs with membership criteria that correspond to those of Performance Track, and to those member facilities with exemplary compliance records.
For more information, contact Ted Cochin at (202)
566-2181