Performance Track Origins and Endorsements

"Businesses that participate in the National Environmental Performance Track program are going beyond compliance to better protect public health and the environment."
- Carol Browner, EPA Administrator, EPA press release (June 2000)

Performance Track was born out of a desire to encourage public and private facilities to make environmental improvements beyond those required by law. The program is based on the premise that government should complement existing programs with new tools and strategies that not only protect people and the environment, but also capture opportunities for reducing cost and spurring technological innovation.

The path for Performance Track was forged in the mid 1990s through EPA's Enterprise for the Environment (E4E) project, a two-year consensus-building effort aimed at building a broad, bipartisan agreement on improving the nation's environmental protection system.

EPA published its initial proposal to develop "a performance track" in its July 1999 report, Aiming for Excellence (PDF) (70 pp, 1.1MB) . The Agency consulted extensively with stakeholders and state environmental agencies to develop and refine the proposal. The program was launched officially on June 26, 2000. Since then the program and its members have achieved significant results, including addressing a number of important environmental issues not covered under current regulations.

Over the years, Performance Track has received wide recognition and praise for its innovative approach and the achievements of its members; the links below provide details.

What EPA Administrators Say About Performance Track

Statements from EPA Administrators

State Interest in Performance Track

Environmental Council of the States (PDF) (2 pp, 81K): In 2000 and again in 2006, the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) passed a resolution in support of Performance Track and other innovative approaches, noting that "a climate that encourages regulatory innovation is critical as we face the next generation of environmental problems."
Statement by David Paylor (PDF) (1 pg, 42K): David Paylor is director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and president of ECOS.
Multi-State Working Group on Environmental Performance (PDF) (2 pp, 65K): In 2005, the Multi-State Working Group issued a statement applauding "the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Council of States, and those in the business, government and non-government sectors who support performance-based environmental approaches."
Currently 23 states have performance-based environmental programs similar to Performance Track.

Performance Track Approaches Around the World

The programs listed below contain elements and approaches similar to those of Performance Track:

China's Environmentally Friendly Enterprise Program (PDF) (11 pp, 164K)
Mexico's Industria Limpia program
Ontario's Environmental Leaders program
The European Union's Eco-Audit and Management Scheme (EMAS)

Stakeholder Support for Performance Track

The Wildlife Habitat Council partners with Performance Track and its members to protect wildlife habitat.

Recognition for Performance Track

In 2006, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government named Performance Track as one of 13 federal programs in the Top 50 Innovations in American Government Awards.

Performance Track's Contribution to EPA Goals

Details on how Performance Track contributes to EPA's goals for clean air and climate change, clean and safe water, land preservation and restoration, healthy communities and ecosystems, and compliance and environmental stewardship are available in the Results section of the Performance Track website.