DIRECTOR'S CORNER
Environmental innovation: Incentives and recognition for Virginia's high-performing facilities
During the past 30 years, DEQ and its counterparts in other states and at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have built a solid foundation of environmental regulations and programs designed to reduce and control environmental releases. We have seen significant results from these programs for our land, air and water quality. We will continue to work in these areas to ensure that the programs are adequately supported and the regulations fairly enforced.
At the same time, however, DEQ is looking for new ways to achieve environmental quality. These include our environmental education initiatives, which focus on lifelong learning, our pollution prevention program, which provides non-regulatory assistance for facilities interested in reducing their environmental impact, and the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program, which encourages facilities to implement environmental management systems and move beyond basic environmental compliance requirements.
VEEP, initiated in mid-2000, sets up a two-tiered structure of participation and incentives. The focal point of the program is an environmental management system, which is a comprehensive approach to managing a facility's environmental responsibilities and reducing its negative environmental impacts. Facilities in the development stages of their EMS can apply to be recognized as an "Environmental Enterprise" participant. Once accepted as an E2 facility, DEQ will provide recognition and guidance toward the completion of the facility's environmental management system. Approximately 140 facilities of all types (local governments, small businesses, manufacturers and commercial establishments) have achieved E2 status so far in Virginia.
The next level of the program, "Exemplary Environmental Enterprise," is for those facilities that have fully implemented an environmental management system. To date, 17 facilities have received this designation. In addition to benefiting from the recognition offered to E2 facilities, E3 facilities have the opportunity to present specific regulatory flexibility proposals to DEQ for consideration. I am pleased to report that DEQ recently completed its first regulatory flexibility agreement with an E3 facility, the Du Pont Spruance plant in Richmond. The agreement identifies ways in which DEQ will treat Du Pont differently as a result of its E3 status. It includes:
- Establishing a single point of contact for the facility.
- Expediting the permitting process for the facility, including moving a permit application or request ahead of other permit actions when possible.
- Contacting the facility before issuing a warning letter or "notice of violation" in cases where document submissions appear to be late or missing.
- Working with the Department of Taxation to identify opportunities to streamline the tax certification review process for pollution control equipment.
In addition to these specific items, the agreement outlines a number of additional regulatory incentives that must be forwarded to EPA Region III for review and future consultation with DEQ and Du Pont.
The signing of this agreement marks a significant milestone for DEQ, one that I hope becomes standard operating procedure for the agency in the future. In an era of ever-increasing responsibilities and limited budgets, DEQ must strengthen its ability to use its resources where they are most needed. If high-performing facilities have incentives to continue to move beyond regulatory requirements, DEQ can focus on those facilities that most need attention.