Evaluating Innovations in Environmental Policy and Management

While regulatory programs remain the essential core of EPA's work, an Agency-wide emphasis on innovation has provided EPA with new approaches and tools to address environmental problems. Many environmental management organizations have embraced innovation as a means to modify current strategies and meet emerging challenges. Innovative projects and experiments can last for several years, providing a window of opportunity to measure and assess actual environmental performance against anticipated outcomes.

The greatest potential and anticipated benefit of EPA's innovation work is effectively taking lessons learned during experimental pilots and applying them to our national programs. Sustaining our strong legacy of environmental protection depends on innovation and learning the keys to effectively using new and diverse environmental management tools. Efforts have been undertaken both from within and outside the Agency to focus on and evaluate innovations that appear to hold strong potential for application on a broader scale.

In looking to apply evaluative techniques to support processes of innovation throughout the Agency, internal efforts have been underway to:

Although the list below is not exhaustive, efforts outside of EPA to evaluate EPA innovative programs have included:

National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
- Environment.GOV (PDF Format 2.2MB)
  
  Released in November, 2000, this report summarizes results of 17 research studies that examined efforts by the EPA, states, communities, businesses, and others to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental protection. The report makes recommendations based on the studies and on other information, and recommends to EPA and Congress how to continue the process of innovation, learning, and revitalization of the nation's commitment to environmental protection.
- NAPA roundtable
  
  The NAPA "Round Table"- leading environmental practitioners representing academics, government, environmentalists, and research - was convened in 2000 by the National Academy of Public Administration. These practitioners met to review new, independent research studies that assessed efforts by EPA, States, communities and businesses, and others to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental management programs.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA)

Through an EPA cooperative agreement, ICMA performed four case studies on model brownfields redevelopments, offering valuable experiences for brownfields communities confronting similar situations.
Resources for the Future (RFF)

Resources for the Future conducts independent research — rooted primarily in economics and other social sciences (such as evaluation) — on environmental issues. RFF environmental policy analysis documents can be found under the following research areas:
National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)

NSTC produces the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP) Biennial Report to Congress . The major goal of NAPAP's integrated assessment is to provide structured, technical information in a format that enables decision makers to evaluate the effectiveness of current public policy and that provides a sound science base for future policy decisions.

Evaluating Innovations in Environmental Policy and Management

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