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Integrated Management in Decisionmaking
Carol Rushin, Acting Administrator for EPA Region 8, explains how the EPA uses measures to track progress in working with tribes. *This video is not yet captioned. Captioning is forthcoming. Go to our contact us page for assistance.
- Best Practice: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
- EPA Links Water Quality Improvement to Management Action
- Energy Star Water and Wastewater Focus
- EPAStat Discussion - Diesel Measures
- EPA Calculates Its Carbon Footprint
- Office of General Council Tracks Success of Online Training
EPA seeks to be 'data-driven' in setting the nation's environmental and human health standards. Appropriate and timely data and analysis are critical to the Agency's efforts to "accelerate the pace of environmental protection while maintaining our nation's economic competitiveness." Over the past few years, EPA has become just as committed to using performance data to inform management decisions as it is to using sound science, economic and policy analysis in regulatory decisions.
For example, each year EPA uses information for its strategic planning processes to align measures and create a "clear line of sight". This includes reviewing previous year's performance and making adjustments in annual targets. Another example of how EPA uses performance data to make decisions is the recently created EPAStat program. EPAStat is designed to facilitate the use of performance management to make better decisions.
The following examples illustrate how EPA has been using performance data in decision-making.
Best Practice: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
In Regional EPAStat meetings, the Midwest Regions were asked to examine how they have sustained progress on reducing pollution from old engines to see if there was a best practice that could be shared and implemented in other regions. Region 5 explained that they have been working with partners on the Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative to utilize funds available through the Department of Transportation's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ). The use of CMAQ was identified as a best practice and shared through the "Wheel of Best Practices." In the following round of EPAStat Regional meetings, all the regions reported that they all had implemented or were taking steps to implement the CMAQ best practice.
EPA Links Water Quality Improvement to Management Actions
EPA could count the number of waterbodies that showed water quality improvement but we could not tie these improvements to any management actions. The Agency had no way of measuring incremental improvements in waterbodies, and could not effectively target our work to accomplish this objective. After consulting with senior management, EPA's Region 4 reorganized with the sole purpose of integrating programs to achieve results in watersheds. By the end of FY 07, Region 4 established a process for assessing watershed information that allowed the Region to report on watersheds where water quality is improving, and to understand the management acations associated with those improvements. As a result of these changes, EPA Region 4 was responsible for 10 of the 21 improvements made nationally in impaired waters in 2007.
Energy Star Water and Wastewater Focus
During a 2008 quarterly Northeast Regional EPAStat meeting, the Deputy Administrator, Marcus Peacock and Bob Varney, EPA's Region 1 Administrator, discussed his region's positive FY 08 increase results in comparison to their FY 07 results as it relates to their measure on a number of Energy Star Buildings Benchmarked. Bob Varney explained that the increase was directly related to the inclusion of water and wastewater facilities into the Energy Star program. Both Marcus and Bob decided to market this approach as a best practice to encourage broader adoption nationally. Region 1 documented their program's efforts through the development of the Energy Star Water and Wastewater Focus Best Practice. The Best Practice was shared with all the other Regions through the Wheel of Best Practices in EPAStat meetings.
EPAStat Discussion - Diesel Measures
During a 2008 quarterly Midwest EPAStat Meeting, the Midwest was asked by the Deputy Administrator to account for their sustained progress on their diesel emissions measure. What were they doing to enable them to see the positive results from 2007 levels? Region 5 discussed that they have been working with partners on the Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative to utilize funds available through the Department of Transportation's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality improvement Program (CMAQ). The use of CMAQ funds was identified as the key element to their measures sustained progress and was documented as a Best Practice, shared with all the other Regions through the Wheel of Best Practices. As a result of the sharing of this practice, all EPA Regions have begun utilizing CMAQ funds as a tool to meeting emissions reduction goals.
EPA Calculates Its Carbon Footprint
As part of our mission to protect human health and the environment, EPA considers the impact of our facilities and operations on the local community, as well as our effect on the planet. In order to better understand and manage our carbon footprint, EPA has been working to quantify the Agency's annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and develop a comprehensive strategy for reducing them. Although federal mandates do not currently require specific quantitative GHG emissions reductions, EPA is taking a proactive approach to demonstrate leadership in this area, preparing our management for the possibility of a future GHG inventory requirement.
With support from the Agency's Climate Leaders program, our Facilities Management and Services Division collects energy consumption data from more than 30 reporting facilities, most of which are energy-intensive laboratories, on a quarterly basis. We then calculate the Agency's "carbon footprint" based on these energy consumption data. The facility management team reviews these data and shares them with senior management as appropriate, using the information to recommend management decisions such as investments in EPA's green power purchasing program. The graphs below illustrate the impact of the Agency's purchase of delivered green power and renewable energy certificates equal to 100 percent of EPA's electricity use.
EPA's quarterly GHG reporting effort is preparing senior managers for the climate change mitigation efforts of tomorrow, helping facility managers target areas for improvement, and informing critical management decisions throughout the Agency.
Office of General Council Tracks Success of Online Training
EPA requires about half of its employees to take annual ethics training. To gauge the success of training courses, the Office of the General Council (OGC) tracks not only individuals that are required to take trainings, but also every employee who takes ethics training. Tracking the number of employees taking a course allows OGC to determine which courses are particularly successful so that they can examine courses for best practices. Beginning in 2001, EPA's Office of General Council began producing highly acclaimed on-line annual ethics training that is available to all employees. The transition to online courses greatly increased the number of individuals taking ethics courses: from 2003 to 2007, the percentage of all employees taking the annual ethics training jumped from 52% to 79%, well beyond the compliance level.
Given our success, EPA is frequently asked to share its training products and resources with other federal agencies, including the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) itself. In March 2007, OGE recognized EPA for its accomplishments with an Outstanding Achievement Award for managing its ethics program. The OGE award to EPA marks the first time ever that OGE has recognized an agency solely because of its achievements and not because of a review. In fact, EPA was the only agency that OGE even considered for this recognition. In presenting the award, the OGE Director complimented EPA for its innovation and creativity in training and outreach to employees.
These examples show how EPA uses performance data to make better decisions.