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Located in the Office of the Administrator, the Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation (OPEI) is the primary policy arm of EPA. We work with all other parts of EPA and the federal government to provide critical analytic and management support across four broad areas:
- Regulatory Policy and Management
- Environmental Economics
- Environmental Innovation
- Cross-Media Programs
Regulatory Policy and Management
EPA issues regulations to carry out the environmental and public health protection laws passed by Congress. On average, we issue about 150 new regulations each year. We manage the regulatory development process via OPEI's Office of Regulatory Policy and Management (ORPM), which provides support and guidance to EPA's program and Regional offices as they develop their regulations. ORPM also provides information and tools to offices throughout EPA that help them analyze their programs and seek out ways to improve their performance.
Environmental Economics
Economics is one of the basic sciences that routinely guides EPA decision-making. The National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE) provides EPA with the expertise to take economic issues, such as benefits and costs, into account. NCEE is a resource for information regarding:
- Benefit-cost research and techniques
- Economic impact models and measures
- Economic incentive mechanisms
Environmental Innovation
Increasingly complex environmental problems -- such as global climate change, polluted runoff, and loss of habitat and biodiversity -- often defy conventional regulatory solutions. EPA is one of many organizations harnessing the power of innovation to address these complex problems. The National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) promotes new ways to achieve better environmental results. Working in partnership with other EPA programs, States, businesses, communities and other interested parties, NCEI focuses on:
- Creating a results-oriented regulatory system
- Promoting environmental stewardship across society
- Building capacity for innovative problem solving
Cross-Media Programs
Our Office of Cross-Media Programs (OCMP) is responsible for building and fostering systems and approaches that promote improved environmental performance by business and communities. Through partnerships with industry trade groups and other stakeholders, OCMP helps find solutions that improve environmental performance, reduce regulatory burden, encourage innovation, and promote smart growth.