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Colville
National Forest EMS Program
Colville National Forest Environmental Policy
As set forth in law, the mission of the Forest Service is to achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of people (FSM 1020.21).
To carry out this mission, the Colville National Forest is committed to
- continual improvement in the Forest’s environmental performance and the prevention of pollution and resource degradation through monitoring, compliance checks, evaluation and adaptive management,
- complying with all laws, regulations, policies and executive orders applicable to the Forest’s environmental aspects, and
- implementing and maintaining a framework that guides and documents compliance and accomplishments.
Forest EMS Documents
The purpose of the Colville National Forest’s Environmental Management System (EMS) is to establish, document, implement, maintain and continually improve the environmental performance associated with the activities, products and services of the Forest. This document is the Guide to the Forest’s EMS using the format and requirements of the ISO 14001 international standard. It is intended primarily as a reference for Forest Service managers and employees, those who do work on the agency’s behalf and those who review EMS content and implementation. The ISO 14001 (version 2004) includes the following elements:
| Colville National Forest EMS Guide | |
|---|---|
| Plan | 4.1 General Requirements |
| 4.2 Environmental Policy | |
| 4.3.1 Environmental Aspects | |
| 4.3.2 Legal and Other Requirements | |
| 4.3.3 Objectives, Targets, & Programs | |
| Do | 4.4.1 Resources, Roles, Responsibilities & Authority |
| 4.4.2 Competence, Training, & Awareness | |
| 4.4.3 Communication | |
| 4.4.4 Documentation | |
| 4.4.5 Control of Documents | |
| 4.4.6 Operational Controls | |
| 4.4.7 Emergency Preparedness & Response | |
| Check | 4.5.1 Monitoring and Measurement |
| 4.5.2 Evaluation of Compliance | |
| 4.5.3 Nonconformity Corrective Action & Preventive Action | |
| Act | 4.5.4 Control of Records |
| 4.5.5. Internal Audit | |
| 4.6 Management Review | |
This Guide has a separate section for each element. In each section, the reader will find a short summary in italics describing the requirements of the ISO 14001 element. The remaining text identifies how the Forest’s EMS meets these requirements. Changes within the remaining text will be in bold print until the next update. If the text is to be in bold, then it is also italicized. Locations of deletions without any associated word replacements will be marked with an asterisk. The description includes links to other elements in this Guide and to other files and websites that further illustrate, direct, and document the Forest’s Environmental Management System.
The Colville National Forest EMS was developed in conjunction with the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests EMS. The EMS Development Team was comprised of personnel from all three Forests. Consequently, references to the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests occur throughout the EMS Guide and linked documents.
A key part of this element, 4.1 – General Requirements, is to define the EMS scope. The scope for land management planning is specified in Resource Management Scope. The scope requirement includes the unit's activities, products, and services associated with implementing the plan.
Geographically, the scope includes the activities, products and services affecting the environment that take place on the Forest. These are listed in the document 4.3.1 List of Aspects. Excluded in this scope are facilities and their operation, and activities and requirements controlled by other organizations, such as the Department of Labor’s OSHA requirements, and Border Patrol activities. Forest Service Law Enforcement activities are also outside the control of Forest Service line officers and are excluded.
This EMS Guide is found on the Forest EMS Internet site. The Forest Service Manual direction for EMS can be found at: Forest Service Manual 1300, chapter 1330. The following link: http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/nepa/ems/index.htm provides more information on EMS and ISO 14001.
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