New England
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Implementation and Research Projects

EPA New England, state agencies, and a range of other entities including academic institutions and non-profit organizations, are conducting projects that explore the use of Environmental Management Systems (EMS). For more information about some EPA New England EMS projects:

EPA New England
Colleges and Universities
K-12 Schools
Resource Development
Public Agencies

EPA New England

EPA New England has implemented Environmental Management Systems in our Boston and Chelmsford Lab locations. We’re currently building a web site to share information related to our EMS systems, so please check back.

Our regional administrator, Robert Varney, explains in his March 2002 RA Column why Environmental Management Systems are a priority for New England. EPA New England Bolsters Use of Environmental Management Systems.

Colleges & Universities

The EPA New England College and University Initiative has been encouraging academic institutions to adopt long-term, sustainable practices and mentor each other in the use of EMSs. An EMS Guide has been developed and EPA has provided grants to conduct training. For more information.

EMS Training for Colleges and Universities
EPA New England, in partnership through an EPA grant with University of Massachusetts - Lowell EMS Service Program (UML-EMS Service Program ), has provided training to assist colleges and universities in implementing and sustaining an EMS, using the EPA EMS Guide and workbooks.

K-12 Schools

Limited grant funding was available beginning in 2002 to test the applicability of an EMS in elementary, middle and high schools, and to formally evaluate these efforts. Schools involved in EMS implementation included: .

• Memorial Middle School (South Portland, ME)
• Wiscasset Middle School (Wiscasset, ME)
• Fairfield School (Saco, ME)
• Amherst Regional Middle School (Amherst, MA)
• Lenox Memorial Middle and High School (Lenox, MA)
• Newton Public Schools (Newton, MA)

For more information on these pilot efforts, contact Joan Jouzaitis (for Maine schools) at (617) 918-1846 and Jouzaitis.Joan@epa.gov, and Lee Fiske (for Massachusetts schools) at (617) 918-1847 and Fiske.Lee@epa.gov .

Evaluation of EPA New England's EMS Pilot Efforts for K-12 Schools, October 2004
EPA contracted for an independent third party assessment of the New England K-12 School EMS efforts. The evaluation was designed to evaluate the performance of the pilot efforts, assess the satisfaction of the participating schools and identify lessons for promoting future EMS use by the school sector, while offering the ability to compare/contrast Regional EMS pilots. To view the report (PDF). (1.3MB, 80 pages, about PDF)

EPA's Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool
In January 2006, EPA released the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (Healthy SEAT) designed to help schools identify, prioritize and address environmental concerns. Version 2.0 of this tool, released in 2007, includes redesigned user interface features, and enhanced functionality, such as the ability to create an unlimited number of customized checklists. This tool, which is found on-line at http://www.epa.gov/schools, may be beneficial in helping schools move "towards EMS".

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) entered into a cooperative agreement with EPA Region I in October 2005 to customize the national software in order to make it NH specific and to train school districts on its use. NH DES developed a fact sheet on NH HealthySEAT. This fact sheet and the NH software are posted on the NH DES Healthy School Environments Web site found at http://www.des.nh.gov/ARD/EHP/HSE/HealthySEAT.htm .

Resource Development

Through an EPA grant, the University of Massachusetts - Lowell EMS Service Program (UML-EMS Service Program) has developed a training program to assist public agencies with the implementation and adoption of an EMS in their municipal organization, hospital, university, or small business. The program is offered via the University’s corporate distance learning centers, the Internet, peer mentoring and on-site consulting services.

Public Agencies

Environmental Management System Implementation Study of UTC Facilities, Final Report of Survey Results, 2000 (PDF) (413KB, 167 pages, about PDF)
A study to review the effect on compliance at UTC (United Technology Corporation) facilities of implementing a management system analysis and improvements in their EMS.