environmental Strategist, between the lines: As this competitive environmental intelligence from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress points out, for any business impacted by environmental issues (SOX, SAB 92 ruling, FIN 47, Superfund, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, , Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Underground Storage Tanks, Storm Water Run Off, Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxic Substance Control Act, Asbestos Hazard and Emergency Response Act, Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act……. they should know what they are up against in dealing with the EPA. As a business owner, I would do everything in my power to operate above and beyond the confusion and chaos the GAO states is plaguing the EPA. In order to react I need to be educated and the person that assists me in my education is indispensable.
The solution is simple, develop and execute an environmental Management Strategy (eMS). An eMS shows a business how to operate above and beyond government compliance. Any business that wants to maximize their resources and time, while minimizing their environmental liabilities needs an eMS to compete in today’s business environment. The GAO reports on one of their own, the EPA, that they are confused, disorganized and inconsistent. How can a business expect to control their operations if they are struggling just to meet a confused organizations rules and regulations?
A few years ago, I read a study that showed if a business waits until the government gets involved, to deal with their environmental issues, it can cost the business from 35% to 50% more than it would if they had taken care of it on their own. An eMS allows businesses to operate above and beyond government compliance and confusion. This clearly creates a competitive advantage for the environmentally proactive business.
This competitive environmental intelligence also supports what I have been saying for years, that private business not government needs to take the lead in dealing with our environmental issues. Once a business is able to move beyond government compliance they can truly control their destiny.
For those who think this is just an issue for big business, The GAO, in a recent report on air quality, said the EPA largely has failed to regulate air pollutants from small sources, including dry cleaners and trucks. The GAO report said the EPA has not yet met 239 of the law’s requirements; of those the agency did fulfill, only 12 were met on time. This means the EPA is being pressured to address the small sources which individually do not add up to much, but as recent research is confirming, collectively it’s a big issue.
Lastly, if this is going on at the federal level, you can be assured it is being repeated at the state level.
GAO Says EPA Suffers from Chronic Management Problems
June 29, 2006 — By Reuters
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not enforce clean air and water laws consistently and is crippled by sloppy record keeping, the investigative arm of Congress told a Senate panel on Wednesday.
And, while the EPA has taken steps to correct these problems, real reform is still years off, the Government Accountability Office reported to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
The EPA’s regional offices disagree on which environmental regulations to enforce and what penalties to use against polluters, the GAO found after reviewing various reports and studies from the past six years.
The 10 regions vary on the size of fines they assess and also on the number of inspections they make at facilities discharging pollutants. While some offices issue fines, others offer workshops or activities to mend damage.
The GAO called the EPA’s data on violations and enforcement “incomplete and inaccurate,” again blaming regions for inconsistently reporting to federal headquarters. This scramble made it hard to measure environmental changes over time or plan for the agency’s future, the GAO added.
In 2001, the GAO recommended that the EPA create a management plan to organize its employees better. It also suggested the agency develop a budget that accurately reflected where funds were needed.
However, in the past five years, the agency has made only marginal changes that have had “minor impact,” the GAO said.
Source: Reuters