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The Use of Environmental Management Systems in Permitting Decisions Project

 
Broadly defined, an environmental management system (EMS) is a tool that provides a systematic approach to managing environmental operations through a “plan-do-check-act” cycle. In April 2004 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a Strategy for Determining the Role of Environmental Management Systems in Regulatory Programs . In it, EPA challenged states to explore ways to incorporate EMS options into the permitting and regulatory structure. In short, EPA was interested in partnering with states to answer the following question: can EMSs be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory tools such as permitting?
       
  The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) responded to this challenge by seeking and receiving an EPA State Innovations Grant to explore the relationship between EMSs and permitting. Currently, the agency recognizes facilities with EMSs through voluntary programs such as the state's environmental leadership program and its South Carolina Environmental Innovations Pilot Program. But a facility EMS does not factor into agency decisions regarding permits issued to the facility. Now, the agency is studying ways in which facility EMSs may be integrated to help streamline and improve the effectiveness of facility permits as well as enhance overall environmental performance. This will be done by working with four participating facilities to analyze their permit requirements and their EMSs. Due to the special interest that the EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response has in this project, there will be a specific emphasis on RCRA, and three of the four facilities hold RCRA permits.
       
  The main objectives of this project are:
 
  • EPA's current thinking on the use of EMSs in the regulatory framework;
  • South Carolina's efforts to analyze EMSs and permitting through its study;
  • Specific activities at both the federal and state levels to examine the relationship between EMSs and RCRA permitting; and
  • What the future may look like for federal and state regulators as a result of these initiatives.
  Additional information on this project can be found below:
  Project Summary
    List of Participating Companies
    Environmental Management Systems in Permitting Powerpoint Presentation
   
    South Carolina Probes the Relationship Between EMSs and Permitting Decisions,
Winter 2006 ECOStates (Article)
    General Comparison of ISO 14001:2004 EMS and Permit Requirements white paper
 
    EPA Quarterly Reports: Description of EMS Training:
 
  EMS Guidance Document
  Final Report  
  Other available EMS related links:  
   

For more information contact:

Project Manager:
Christine Steagall
(803) 896-8986
steagacl@dhec.sc.gov

Center for Waste Minimization
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 896-8986