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Guide to Becoming a Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) Partner
EPA Welcomes Partners to the RCC
Goals of the RCC
- Prevent pollution and promote recycling and reuse;
- Reduce priority chemicals at all product life cycle stages; and
- Conserve energy and materials.
EPA challenges partners to the RCC to help make America a better place. A place where products, materials, and waste are less toxic; where they pose lower environmental threats; where they are reusable and recyclable; and where they are made and used more efficiently.
Currently, EPA has developed two ways that partnership projects can enter the RCC:
- The Agency may select projects, or
- They may be nominated by industry, government agencies (local, state, other federal), tribes, or any non-governmental organizations.
EPA will evaluate all nominated projects based on the:
- Scope of the problem identified;
- Goals and measures expected; and
- Methods used to conserve resources and to address environmental problems.
The selected projects are managed by a Steering Committee, which reports to the EPA Assistant Administrators. Each partnership project is expected to be different, and many types of partnerships may be formed. EPA's commitment level and response to a partnership challenge depends on the type of challenge the partnership is pursuing, and the partnership's degree of commitment to the project. The more recognizable and proven the results of the challenge, the more EPA will express its commitment and reward the participants. Therefore, entry into an RCC partnership depends on the project identified and on discussions with EPA. It is also expected that projects may enter the RCC at different points during the development process.
Steps to Becoming a Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) Partner
Step 1: Identify the Environmental Problem and Define Its Challenge
You should identify and define the environmental problem that you plan to address. Once defined, you should specify activities that you will undertake to resolve the problem (your challenge). The selected challenge may address the entire environmental problem identified, or it may cover any portion of it. We recommend that the challenge address:
- A new problem or one that is not covered by current regulations (for example, getting to "unfinished business");
- One or more of the three RCC goals; and
- A problem of national importance.
Step 2: Identify and Talk with Partners
The key to the RCC is its partners. Partnerships are essential for developing and implementing environmentally beneficial solutions. These partnerships may include members of industry, trade associations, universities, public interest groups, tribes, or state, local, or federal agencies, including EPA offices involved in all programs (waste, toxics, water, air, etc.).
As part of the dialogue, the partners will likely discuss a number of areas that include:
- Defining roles and responsibilities;
- Identifying and prioritizing projects; and
- Working collaboratively on results.
Different partners may be identified for each project chosen for a specific challenge.
Step 3: Identify and Develop Solutions, Objectives, Targets, Implementation Plan and Time Line
We believe it is important for partners to:
- Discuss and reach agreement on proposed solutions to the identified environmental problem;
- Factor in the existence of ongoing projects in the challenge area that meet the goals of the RCC to minimize duplication of effort and to prioritize solutions;
- Develop more than one solution to reach the desired objective(s) if appropriate;
- Identify and discuss the necessary tools, drivers, and incentives to produce the desired change;
- Identify potential barriers and propose environmentally sound remedies;
- Decide how success is to be determined and agree on an overall measurable environmental objective, sub-objectives and targets.
- Link objectives and targets to at least one of the RCC goals; and
- Develop a plan for implementing each solution in the defined challenge, as well as an overall plan that describes how everything fits together in the entire RCC area.
EPA is looking for environmentally sound solutions that improve public health or the environment. The most desirable solution(s) will likely be flexible, non-regulatory, ambitious, sustainable, and approached on a life cycle basis. Solutions that prevent the creation of pollutants and waste, and produce durable, recyclable, and less hazardous goods are preferred. The solutions also may be, or set the stage for, a national effort.
Step 4: Announce Partnership and Agreement
Elements of the agreements are expected to vary depending on the partnerships' solutions, objectives, targets, and commitments. For example, an agreement to supply a small grant for research in a certain area -- although important to achieving a stated objective -- may call for a limited announcement. Conversely, an agreement concerning a significant environmental improvement with a high level of commitment between parties may prompt a greater degree of publicity. Consequently, the degree to which the partnership and agreement will be publicized depends on the scope of the commitment attained. Therefore, partners should discuss the level of agreement while deciding how best to announce the agreement.
Step 5: Publicize Reaching Major Milestones
EPA and its partners will announce significant progress toward reaching the defined objectives or major milestones of the project. Announcements can publicize progress towards the stated goals, pilot program successes, or reaching the final outcome of the challenge. Finally, once the overall objective for the challenge is met and the success has been announced, the partnership determines what additional other work can be done. Possibilities include:
- Focus on longer term solutions after achieving short-term goals;
- Expand a successful pilot to the regional or national levels; or
- Direct a project targeted at certain segments of the population to different segments.
In any of these cases, the partnerships could decide to circle back to Step 2 and begin the process again.
For more details about becoming a partner, see Guide to Becoming a Resource Conservation Challenge Partner (RCC) (PDF) (6 pp, 1.4MB, about PDF).