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WASHINGTON, D.C.--Key environmental leaders from across the country were invited in January 1999, to learn about how the municipal sector is using Environmental Management System (EMS) tools to identify and solve their environmental problems. Representatives from nine municipal organizations met January 27-29, 1999, at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, FL, to participate in the last phase of a four-phased Environmental Management System (EMS) pilot program funded by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Wastewater Management and Office of Compliance through a cooperative agreement with the Global Environment & Technology Foundation. This workshop was the fourth of five training sessions conducted by the GETF. During this three-day training, the organizations shared their stories about the benefits they experienced from having participated thus far in this ISO 14000 EMS pilot program. For example, a representative from one municipality reported that he believed that having an EMS contributed to a half-percentage-point increase in the municipality’s bond rating. A representative from another pilot reported that his state is considering expanding the ISO 14000 pilot program to 24 other state facilities at the completion of this project. As each municipality shared information about progress made and hurdles incurred in developing and implementing their EMSs, many organizations reported better operational controls and a strengthening in the lines of communication both up and down the chain of command. An added communication benefit was a better understanding of political issues by non-political staff, and of organizational issues by politicians. The pilot organizations noted improvements in their documentation and signature logs. One city has automated its environmental document control system on their city-wide website, thereby expanding access by the public to its environmental laws, policies and environmental management system procedures. Another participant reported that due to his facility’s EMS implementation, anyone in the organization could supervise a delivery of fuel to its power plant and ensure safe handling and proper controls. This organization also believed that the use of EMS documentation improved productivity due to the availability of instruction guidance tools and the requirement for accountability by using signatory logs. Reports of reduced quantities of solid-waste disposal due to a change in process (e.g. laundering disposal rags rather than discarding), a better understanding of environmental “hot spots”, and better problem-solving skills across a wider sector of an organization (not just by environmental managers) were benefits also mentioned. The biggest major hurdle described by the participants in implementing a successful EMS was the lack of resources, such as staff time, available to spend on the project. All of the municipalities agreed to participate in this project as an “add on” to their existing workloads. However, many were finding it difficult allotting time to successfully complete the necessary tasks. Some said that had they fully understood the resource demands, they may have elected to hire an outside consultant to help implement the system. Other hurdles experienced were the additional time and commitment required due to organizational changes in top management, changes in the EMS project staff and a lack of training resources and experience in EMS. The workshop training session featured how to monitor and measure the effectiveness of and tracking the progress of EMSs. Formal training by a RAB-certified instructor on auditing the EMS and the corrective action process was conducted. Topics discussed included: developing audit programs and selecting auditors; creating an audit schedule and audit protocols; identifying the parts of an audit; documenting audit findings; and corrective and preventive actions. There also was discussion and training on the management review of the EMS, and on the integration of the audit and the management review. Over the next several months, the nine pilot organizations will be engaged in monitoring and measuring the key characteristics of their facility’s operations and recording information about these activities. They will also develop procedures and plans for and engage in one EMS audit wherein nonconformance and corrective/preventive actions will be documented. Senior management for each facility will be engaged in reviewing the structure and performance of the EMS to determine its suitability, adequacy and effectiveness and to identify potential opportunities for improvement. The final Municipality worksession is currently scheduled for July 14-15, 1999, in New York City. This session will focus on a review of the facets of each pilot organization’s EMS, the case studies that will be compiled as a final-phase product and recognition of the milestones each municipality has reached. About 18 months ago, EPA selected GETF to manage this two-year pilot project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an ISO14000 EMS in the public sector, and to collect and record data about benefits, challenges and costs. The nine municipal organizations competitively chosen to participate in this program and their fencelines include:
The Municipality Pilot Project was selected to highlight its accomplishments at the National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America on May 2-5, 1999, in Detroit, MI. The NTM is co-sponsored by the President’s Council on Sustainable Development and GETF and showcased the best practices that promote sustainability around the country. The NTM emphasizes building individual and institutional capacity so that best practices can be replicated elsewhere. The meeting focused on sustainable solutions that are available today and ways that others can take advantage of them.
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