Making Better Use of Environmental Accident, Incident, and Inspection Information (ECOStates, Spring 2007, Dr. Shelley Metzenbaum)
Between 1980 and 2004, the number of fires dropped nearly 50%. One key to making this happen was counting every major fire and its key characteristics, such as cost and probable causes. With this information, it is possible to identify the most prevalent preventable causes of serious fires, develop prevention strategies, test and assess them, and promote the most effective ones. This article illustrates how this approach can be used to reduce unwanted environmental incidents.
Time Well Spent: Managing Time in the Regulatory Process (ECC Management Note, April 2007, Dr. Shelley Metzenbaum and Allison Watkins)
This ECC management note presents elements of the regulatory processes for which it is valuable to track timeliness and examples of analyses/reports that help agencies manage timeliness without compromising environmental quality. It discusses common problems that arise in agencies seeking to reduce response times and solutions and possible solutions to these problems.
Intergrating Health and Environmental Information to Improve Outcomes (ECOStates, Winter 2007, Lesa Roberts and Ronald Hammerschmidt)
Increased collaboration between health and environmental agencies can improve governmental efforts to protect both human health and the environment. This article presents the ben efits of, opportunities for, and barriers to the integration of health and environmental data.
Steering with Dashboard Reports (ECOStates, Spring 2006, Tiffin Shewmake)
This paper presents the benefits of dashboard reports for environmental managers. Dashboards, which are characterized by indicators, context, and format, provide managers with the timely information they need in to achieve program goals and use resources efficiently.
From Oversight to Insight: Federal Agencies as Learning Leaders in the Information Age (August 2006, Shelley Metzenbaum)
This draft paper examines how the role of federal agencies, dependent on states and localities to accomplish their objectives, should evolve in the information age. Although not focused on environmental agencies, the discussion is directly relevant to EPA and the states.
Federal Review of State Programs in the Information Age (March 2006, Shelley Metzenbaum)
This working paper discusses how the EPA state review process in the compliance and enforcement area should look in the future, building on work begun with the State Review Framework. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Measure to Comply? Measure to Perform? (White Paper, February 2006, Shelley Metzenbaum)
This paper discusses methods agencies can use to analyze the measurement data they gather. Performance measurement and reporting is on the rise in governments around the world, but too often is executed as a mindless response to a measurement mandate rather than as a management tool. This paper explores how agencies can use measures to identify problems that need attention and successes that warrant replication, and how they can use measurement to disseminate those findings and spread effective practices.
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Using
Compliance Rates to Manage (ECOStates, Fall 2004,
Tiffin Shewmake
)
State environmental agencies usually measure the performance of
their compliance and enforcement programs by counting activities.
These measures, such as the number of inspections or penalties,
say little about actual results. The lack of outcome information
makes it harder for agency managers to evaluate their programs and
make informed decisions. This was the case when the New Hampshire
Department of Environmental Services (NH–DES) wanted to convince
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that partial Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) inspections were as effective
as full inspections, but lacked the data to draw conclusions about
inspection results. Other environmental agencies face similar issues
when they want to allocate scarce resources to improve environmental
quality. They encounter the same shortcomings in their data, making
it difficult to evaluate their programs and communicate agency decisions
and results.
This article shows how New Hampshire, Colorado, and New Jersey
have used compliance rates—the percentage of facilities in compliance
with environmental laws—to move beyond activity and output measurement
for program management. Compliance rates are a direct measure of
compliance with the law, which is a regulatory goal. They also serve
as a surrogate measure of environmental protection, assuming that
compliance with environmental laws protects the environment. Compliance
rate trends can show the effectiveness of agency actions and pinpoint
possible problems. While not a perfect measure, compliance rates
are more constructive than relying on activity and output counts
alone.
The
Evolution of Federal/State Relations - A Win/Win Path Forward
(ECOStates, Spring 2004, Shelley Metzenbaum)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can help states improve
environmental programs by compiling, organizing, and analyzing the
data it collects from states on a regular basis. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration compiles state traffic data, analyzes
it to identify effective strategies, and works with states to test
more effective ways to improve traffic safety. EPA can play a similar
role to help states improve the results of state environmental programs.
Strategies
for Using State Information: Measuring and Improving Program Performance
(Managing for Performance and Results Series, December 2003)
This study is intended to help federal managers understand how they
can best use performance goals and measures in working with state
and local governments to deliver improved results to the public.
The study also seeks to identify constructive roles that states
individually and through their national organizations, Congress,
and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) can play to advance the
use of state performance information to enhance social outcomes.
More
Nutritious Beans (The Environmental Forum, March/April
2003, Shelley Metzenbaum)
Examples of performance indicators that can be used to help find
problems, measure the effectiveness of programs, help in setting
priorities and targeting activities, and reporting to the public,
lawmakers and other agencies. This is a practical look at performance
measures that most agencies have the capability of generating now,
and to help in the planning for future systems and processes.
Calculating
and Communicating Environmental Compliance Rates (ECOStates,
Spring 2003, Tiffin Shewmake)
Description of a standard template for calculating compliance rates
with a discussion of the type of information needed to make the
compliance rate meaningful.
Compliance
Rate Chart
Chart
Instructions
ECC's
Compliance Rate Work
Keeping
Bad Actors Off the Stage: Some Tools for Dealing with Repeat Offenders
(ECOStates Spring 2002, Paul Balavender, Gretchen Rule, and Suellen
Keiner)
Ways that different states are dealing with chronic violators.
Response
C.O.M.P.A.S.S.
The Response C.O.M.P.A.S.S., or Compliance Options
for Managing Performance And Surpassing
Standards, is an ECC tool that helps environmental agencies
explain to the public how we reach our decisions when responding
to environmental problems at specific facilities.
 Performance Measures at the Local level: The Case of Charles River
Published in the July edition of Water Resources Impact Magazine.
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