FRC – EPA

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY– NEW

“We cannot afford more of the same timid politics when the future of our planet is at stake. Global warming is not a someday problem, it is now. We are already breaking records with the intensity of our storms, the number of forest fires, the periods of drought. By 2050 famine could force more than 250 million from their homes . . . . The polar ice caps are now melting faster than science had ever predicted. . . . This is not the future I want for my daughters. It’s not the future any of us want for our children. And if we act now and we act boldly, it doesn’t have to be.”
-Barack Obama, Portsmouth, NH, 10/8/07
“Global warming is not an issue if the American people do not have clean water to drink to sustain life. The environment runs in cycles and we have not been able to define any method to alter nature and must deal with it as best we can.
The effects created by man are what we can change. From farming methods to building codes – these are the things we can change to improve our environment.”
– DOI2.com

This is a summary (yes a long page summary) of the thousands of pages the Department of Commerce provides to the public as a review and report card of their performance. The details can be found in a soon to be published book – “FAKE THE NATION” – The Peoples Last Stand.

The federal government reports 80% of federal program are performing when the data represents only 7% of the programs have reported current data and 60% of all programs haven’t reported any results in at least 3 years.

Every agency creates their own programs and provides an annual report of the results of each program. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sets the parameters for these reports and claims 80% of all government programs are on target. If a private business only reported 7% accurate data, their leaders would be in jail. What about the leaders of the biggest business in America? Shouldn’t they be held accountable to the same rules and principles as private business?

“Fake the Nation” developed out of the frustration of seeing taxes increase year after year with no end in sight. The turning point for writing this book was when the federal government started running private businesses.

For the past 200 years, government has passed more and more rules on business creating a monster with 3 heads that affects every American. First, compliance with the rules and regulations is a cost that businesses pass on to the purchasers of their products. Second, the balance of international trade has regulated many businesses out of business. Third, the laws of Government have created a false sense of security creating the mentality that the Government is watching for bad business practices protecting American’s from corrupt business executives.

We define these basic principles in detail. But unlike most essays on the failure of government, Fake the Nation goes the extra mile to demonstrate proven business practices that will make the government operate efficiently.

To support American we do not need bigger government. We need leadership. It’s been said that “experience equals knowledge, the application of knowledge equals wisdom”. It is impossible to attain wisdom in a vacuum. If our leaders to not have the breadth and depth of experience they cannot apply their experiences to become wise.

The two party political system perpetuates the waste of American tax payer dollars. Fake the Nation tracks of $111 TRILLION of waste created because the federal government leadership doesn’t understand business – yet they now run the financial and automotive industries in America.

Fake the Nation provides proof of the problems and solutions to control the expenses of the federal government through 3 simple principles:

1. The federal government has no obligation to provide any service that can be provided by private business and/or state and local government. The federal government’s responsibility is only applied where the services would be duplicated by the majority of the states or where the services are for the protection on one state from the actions of another state.
2. State responsibilities only apply when the services offered by the State benefit all local level governments. State governments will not regulate any aspect of private business except to protect the rights of all citizens within the state.
3. Local governments shall have the responsibility to set the rules and laws for the citizens of their community. No state or federal law, rule or regulation shall dictate to the local governments except where the rules, laws or regulations adversely affect the lives of citizens within other local governments. This is not to be extended to include civil rights, only criminal activities

This can only be accomplished when the American people stop adopting the platforms of political parties and mandate politicians adopt the Peoples Platform.

We the People decide the agenda politicians enact the vision of the American people.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY– – CURRENT
Mission
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people. View the Agency’s Strategic Plan at: www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm.

Organization
DOE’s mission is carried out by 8 program offices, 13 staff and support offices, 22 operations and area offices, 24 research laboratories and facilities, 4 Power Marketing Administrations, the Energy Information Administration, and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
(http://www.energy.gov/organization/index.htm)

Personnel
EPA employs approximately 17,000 people across the country. Staff are highly educated and technically trained; more than half are engineers, scientists, and policy analysts. In addition, a large number of employees are legal, public affairs, financial, information management and computer specialists. For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/careers.

Before
• $6.3B Budget
• 17,000 Employees
Score
• Fail
Score Summary
Details in PDF

Score Detail

Strategic Goal 1: – $972M
Clean Air and Global Climate Change
Protect and improve the air so it is healthy to breathe, and risks to human health and the environment are reduced. Reduce greenhouse gas intensity by enhancing partnerships with businesses and other sectors.

• Most Stringent Ozone Standard. In March 2008, EPA issued the most stringent 8-hour standard ever established for ozone, the primary component of smog. The Agency revised the ozone standards for the first time in over a decade, basing changes on the most recent scientific evidence about the effects of ozone on human health. EPA valued the health benefits from this rule between $2 billion and $19 billion by preventing 260–2,000 premature deaths, 380 cases of chronic bronchitis, and many other adverse health effects. The cost estimates of this rule range from $7.6 billion to $8.5 billion.

• Stronger Standard for Lead. In October 2008, EPA substantially strengthened the national ambient air quality standards for lead, improving health protection for at-risk groups, especially children. EPA also established new requirements for the existing lead monitoring network by requiring that monitors be placed near large sources of lead emissions as well as in large urban areas. Exposure to lead is associated with a broad range of health effects, including harm to the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, kidneys, and immune system. Children are particularly vulnerable. Exposures to low levels of lead early in life have been linked to effects on IQ, learning, memory, and behavior. Lead also can cause toxic effects in plants and can impair reproduction and growth in birds, mammals and other organisms. More stringent standards for lead will help to reduce exposure and also the associated health effects.

• New Locomotive and Marine Diesel Pollution Standards. In March 2008, EPA issued tough new emission standards that will slash pollution from locomotive and marine diesel engines by up to 90 percent, helping Americans breathe cleaner air. The benefits of the new standards will begin immediately in 2008, and EPA estimates that by 2030 the regulations will have helped to prevent 1,400 premature deaths and 120,000 lost workdays nationwide. Estimated annual health benefits are valued at between $8.4 billion and $12 billion.

• Better Air Quality in Schools. In FY 2008, EPA sponsored the Eighth Annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium with more than 500 attendees from across the country to accelerate the adoption of key drivers of effective and sustainable indoor air quality management programs in schools. EPA also recognized 43 school districts and several individuals for making outstanding progress in creating healthy learning environments for children.

• Environmental Management of Asthma. In FY 2008, held the Third National Asthma Forum with more than 200 community leaders and national program partners to build action plans, collaborations, and commitments to achieve asthma health outcomes. EPA’s Communities in Action for Asthma Friendly Environments online network participation doubled in FY 2008, bringing the total to more than 300 communities working together to accelerate learning and drive forward best practices.

• Radon Outreach. EPA spearheaded a highly successful National Radon Action Month with more than 700 unique education and outreach events nationwide and nearly 2,000 radon poster entries from 26 states.

• Supermarket-EPA Partnership. In FY 2008, EPA launched its GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership with the supermarket industry to promote advanced technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce supermarket emissions of stratospheric ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases. Since initiated, the partnership has nearly tripled its membership and prevented emissions of 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to the annual emissions of about 500,000 cars.

• Radiological Emergency Response Exercises. During FY 2008, EPA participated in several major radiological emergency response exercises to increase preparedness in responding to potential dirty bomb attacks on U.S. cities. In simulated efforts, EPA assessed impacted areas, recommended precautions to protect public health, communicated with the public, and decontaminated affected areas.

• Expanded Radiation Data. During FY 2008, the Agency more than tripled the number of locations included in RadMap, a Geographic Information Systems-based, interactive desktop tool that can quickly provide emergency responders and health officials with key information on radiation monitoring system locations across the country. This tool has been well received in the EPA emergency response community, and the Agency is evaluating options to broaden responder access to the tool.

• New Climate Leaders. In 2008, EPA recognized 51 new companies as Climate Leaders, bringing membership in the Climate Leaders Program to more than 200 partners working to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and set aggressive long-term reduction goals. Notably, eight companies took the next step in the partnership by announcing new goals for reducing greenhouse gases. Collectively, EPA’s Climate Leaders represent more than 10 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and have pledged to prevent estimated greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 9 million cars annually.

• Low Carbon Computer Campaign. In 2008, EPA launched the ENERGY STAR Low Carbon IT Campaign to help reduce the growing demand for electricity and save money while addressing climate change impacts. The campaign encourages companies to enable power management, or sleep mode, on computers and monitors, potentially saving more than 44 billion kilowatt-hours or $4 billion worth of electricity and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of about 5 million cars each year.

• Research to Inform National Ambient Air Quality Standards. In FY 2008, EPA researchers characterized the respiratory and cardiovascular effects of air particles of different sizes, showing that breathing in these particles affects blood clotting, can cause changes in heart rate, and can result in mild lung infections. Studies are ongoing to determine the effects of long-term particulate matter exposure on humans. In addition, EPA’s Office of Research and Development provided research, data, and advice, which were critical in National Ambient Air Quality Standards reviews and decisions on ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and lead.

Strategic Goal 2: – $2,855M
Clean and Safe Water
Ensure drinking water is safe. Restore and maintain oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health; support economic and recreational activities; and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife.

• Protected Drinking Water. In FY 2008, 92 percent of the population served by community water systems received drinking water that met all applicable health-based drinking water standards. These results exceeded the Agency’s annual goal of 90 percent—a particularly noteworthy accomplishment as community water systems face challenges daily in applying existing drinking water regulations and implementing standards for new contaminants.

• Open Beaches. Under EPA’s Beach Program during calendar year 2007, the most recent year for which EPA has data, 35 states and territories monitored more than 3,600 beaches to ensure that they were safe for swimming. Of the more than 663,164 beach season days during the year, coastal and Great Lakes beaches stayed open 95 percent of the time, consistent with previous years’ performance.

• Proposed Regulation to Protect Underground Drinking Water Sources. In FY 2008, EPA proposed a new regulation for the Underground Injection Control Program to allow for the underground storage of greenhouse gases in a manner that protects ground water sources of drinking water. This regulation will not only help protect the nation’s drinking water but also will support promising new technologies for addressing climate change.

• Restored Impaired Waters. EPA continues to make strong progress in addressing impaired waters. By the end of FY 2008, a total of 2,165 water bodies that were listed as impaired in 2002 were restored to fully attain the Agency’s water quality standards, exceeding EPA’s annual target of 1,550. By attaining water quality standards, waters become safer for drinking, fishing and swimming.

• Reduced Nonpoint Source Pollution. In FY 2007, the most recent year for which EPA now has data, the Agency exceeded its annual goals for reducing specific nonpoint sources of pollution. EPA’s partners reduced phosphorus by 7.5 million pounds; nitrogen by 19.1 million pounds; and sediment by 3.9 million tons in water bodies around the country. FY 2008 results will be available in spring 2009. Reducing nonpoint sources of pollution will decrease storm water runoff and improve water quality.

• Watershed Pollutant Reduction Plans. By the end of FY 2008, EPA and states completed 35,979 EPA-approved water body pollutant reduction plans (Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs), exceeding EPA’s annual target of 33,801. A Total Maximum Daily Load is a plan for ensuring that a water body meets the Agency’s water quality standards for specific pollutants.

• Research on Disinfection Byproducts. In FY 2008, the Agency completed research on health risks associated with drinking water exposures to disinfection byproducts. This research provides scientific support for more robust health risk assessments of both regulated and unregulated disinfection byproducts, enabling water suppliers to make more informed treatment decisions that control exposure to disinfection byproducts while meeting disinfection requirements.

• Supporting Drinking Water Regulations. In FY 2008, EPA released an online Drinking Water Treatability Database that provides information decision-makers can use to determine appropriate treatment technologies for drinking water contaminants. In addition, the research program provided scientific support to help meet challenges associated with simultaneous compliance of the Disinfection Byproduct Rule, the Lead and Copper Rule, and other components of National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

• Water Criteria for Beaches. EPA researchers developed “Virtual Beach” and “Beach Advisor” modeling software, which use site-specific weather and other factors to predict recreational water criteria. Unlike existing approaches that take more than 24 hours, this software can help local beach managers make same-day decisions on beach closures or advisories.

Strategic Goal 3: -$1,689M
Land Preservation and Restoration
Preserve and restore the land by using innovative waste management practices and cleaning up contaminated properties to reduce risk posed by releases of harmful substances.

• Reduced Municipal Solid Waste. In FY 2007, the most recent year for which there are data, EPA contributed to reducing, reusing, and recycling 23.5 billion pounds of municipal solid waste.1 This is equivalent to reducing 6.9 million metric tons of carbon equivalent.

• Permitting Hazardous Waste Facilities. In FY 2008, 96 percent of the nation’s hazardous waste management facilities were operating under permits or other approved controls to protect human health and the environment. These permits ensure that facilities control groundwater contamination and safely remove or isolate hazardous waste to prevent exposure.

• Preventing Releases From Underground Storage Tanks. In FY 2008, there were significantly fewer releases from underground storage tanks than the Agency’s annual performance goal of “no more than 10,000 releases.” To account for this success, EPA has made its future performance goal more challenging by lowering it to no more then 9,000 releases.

• Cleanup Completed at 30 Superfund Sites. In FY 2008, EPA completed cleanup construction (“construction complete”) at 30 Superfund sites, achieving its annual target for that measure. Since the Superfund Program’s inception, EPA has completed construction at 1060 sites

• Risks Addressed at Superfund Sites. Protecting human health by controlling human exposures and protecting the environment by controlling migration of contamination by groundwater are top priorities for EPA’s Superfund Remedial Program. In FY 2008, EPA increased the number of sites where human exposures are under control by a net of 24 sites, and the number of sites where the migration of contaminated groundwater is under control by a net of 20 sites, exceeding the Agency’s annual targets.

• Superfund Sites Ready for Anticipated Use. Superfund cleanup helps communities return some of the nation’s worst hazardous waste sites to safe and productive uses. In FY 2008, the Agency determined that 85 Superfund sites were ready for anticipated use, exceeding the annual target of 30. For these sites, construction remedies have been completed; cleanup goals to reduce unacceptable risk that may affect current and future land uses have been achieved; and institutional controls have been implemented. The cumulative number of sites ready for anticipated use site wide is 343.

• Controlled Contamination at High Priority Facilities. In FY 2008, EPA continued to focus on those hazardous waste facilities presenting the greatest risk to human health and the environment. EPA exceeded all three targets for its list of the 1,968 high-priority hazardous waste facilities requiring cleanup or “corrective action” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). At these high-priority facilities, human exposure to contaminants is now under control at more than 96 percent of facilities, compared to a target of 95 percent. The migration of contaminated ground water is under control at more than 83 percent of facilities, compared to a target of 81 percent. Final cleanup remedies have been.

• Research on Ethanol and Fuel Byproducts. In FY 2008, EPA conducted modeling and field investigations to evaluate how methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethanol, and other fuel additives move and transform in the environment. Regulators in California, Michigan, New York, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin are using EPA tools to predict the impact of ethanol on gasoline spills and to examine effects on water aquifers.

• EPA Demonstrates National and International Leadership in Nanotechnology. Over the past year, EPA has been a national and international leader in nanotechnology environmental health and safety. On the national level, EPA played a leading role in developing an interagency nanotechnology environmental health and safety research strategy that outlines federal priorities and agency responsibilities. In the international arena, EPA provided U.S. and international leadership in 1) reviewing the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD’s) harmonized test guidelines for their applicability to nanomaterials, and 2) designing and implementing an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development program to test 14 representative nanomaterial types.

• New Technology Leads to Cost Savings of More Than $1 Million. EPA developed and tested a new, more cost effective technology to treat ground water contaminated with hexavalent chromium, a chemical that is known to cause ulcers, rashes, respiratory problems and cancer. EPA successfully implemented a full-scale version of the new technology at the former Macalloy Corporation Superfund site in Charleston, South Carolina, resulting in risk reduction and taxpayer savings of more than $1 million.

Strategic Goal 4: -$1,227
Healthy Communities and Ecosystems
Protect, sustain, or restore the health of people, communities, and ecosystems using integrated and comprehensive approaches and partnerships.

• Chemical Assessment and Management Program. Launched in March 2008, the Chemical Assessment and Management Program uses industry-provided data to create risk and hazard-based prioritizations to assess whether high- and moderate-production volume chemicals produced in the United States pose risks to human health and the environment. In FY 2008, the Agency completed 150 risk-based prioritizations and 55 hazard-based prioritizations are on track to be completed in early FY 2009.

• Reducing Exposure to Lead-Based Paint. In March 2008, EPA issued the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule, which requires renovation contractors to receive training and to use lead-safe work practices when renovating housing and child-occupied facilities built prior to 1978.

• Reevaluating Risks of Older Pesticides. In FY 2008, EPA completed its last pesticide “Reregistration Eligibility Decision” under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the federal law regulating pesticides. Under this multi-year effort, the Agency identified a wide range of potential risks to human health and the environment posed by older pesticides still on the market and developed plans to address the risks, including reducing workers’ exposure to pesticides and eliminating pesticides in urban watersheds.

• Reducing Perfluorooctanoic Acid Levels. In February 2008, EPA released the first progress report from its Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Stewardship Initiative. Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical used in many products including Teflon and microwave popcorn bags, has been shown to be extremely persistent in the environment and may have adverse effects in humans. All participating companies reported some reductions in product content and emissions, while three of eight companies reported reductions in emissions of perfluorooctanoic acid and related chemicals by more than 98 percent. With this Initiative, industry is on target to meet a 95-percent reduction in perfluorooctanoic acid emissions and product content by 2010.

• Revitalize Brownfields Properties. FY 2007 results for EPA’s Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program show that 1,371 properties were assessed, and 77 properties were cleaned up, leveraging 5,209 jobs and $1.7 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding. In addition, 2,399 acres were made ready for reuse through site assessment or property cleanup. FY 2008 results will be available in FY 2009.

• Drinking Water and Wastewater Services Along the U.S.-Mexico Border. In FY 2008, 5,162 homes, out of 98,515 (2003 baseline), that lacked potable water service connections in the U.S.-Mexico border region were provided connections to drinking water systems, and 31,686 homes, out of 690,723 (2003 baseline), that lacked wastewater service connections received wastewater services. In addition, construction was certified for 3 water and wastewater infrastructure projects in the region, which are expected to benefit more than 133,818 people when completed.

• New International Recycling Initiative. In May 2008, EPA’s Administrator led a U.S. delegation to the meeting of G8 Environment Ministers in Kobe, Japan. In recent years, global environmental issues such as climate change have become major international political issues. Ministers and senior officials from 19 countries including the G8 (The Group of Eight highly industrialized countries) and representatives of eight international environment-related organizations participated in the meeting. Intensive discussions were held on climate change, biodiversity, and the “reduce, reuse, recycle” concept. The “Kobe Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Action Plan,” established at the meeting, directs G8 countries to place high priority on policies to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

• Remediating Contamination in the Great Lakes. In 2007 (the most recent year for which EPA has data), approximately 973,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments were remediated in the Great Lakes by EPA and its partners. This includes 450,000 cubic yards pursuant to the Great Lakes Legacy Act. FY 2008 results will be available in the fall of 2009

• Reducing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Great Lakes. At measured sites in the Great Lakes, average concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in whole lake trout and walleye samples continued to decline by approximately 6 percent annually, and the average concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in the air continued to decline by approximately 7 percent annually, meeting the Agency’s FY 2008 targets.

• Protecting Mississippi Wetlands. On August 31, 2008, EPA signed the Final Determination prohibiting the Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps Project to protect at least 67,000 acres of some of the richest wetland and aquatic resources in the nation, which serves as critical fish and wildlife habitat. EPA determined that the proposed project would result in unacceptable damage to this valuable fish and wildlife habitat and its environmental, economic, and recreational implications. This marks EPA’s twelfth use of the section 404(c) wetlands permitting Clean Water Act authority.

• Restoring Gulf of Mexico Habitat. In FY 2008, EPA’s regional offices and industry partners coordinated efforts of more than 72 organizations to restore a total of 25,215 acres of coastal and marine habitat in the Gulf of Mexico, significantly exceeding EPA’s FY 2008 goal of 18,200 acres.

• Reducing Nitrogen Pollution in Long Island Sound. Based on 2007 results available in FY 2008, EPA has reduced point source nitrogen pollution in Long Island Sound by 27 percent since 1999. As a result, at least 28 fewer tons of nitrogen are entering the sound per day, improving water quality for living marine resources.

• Improving Drinking Water in Pacific Island Territories. As of June 30, 2008, 78 percent of the Pacific Island territory population served by community water systems received drinking water meeting all applicable health-based drinking water standards, improving from a low of about 39 percent in 2003. As a result of work conducted over the past 5 years, in FY 2008, 100 percent of Guam’s population served by community water systems received water that meets drinking water standards for the first time.

• Models Forecasting Human Toxicity of Chemicals. During FY 2008, EPA completed the first phase of ToxCast™, a research program that builds computational models to forecast the potential human toxicity of chemicals. These hazard predictions will provide EPA regulatory programs with scientific information to help prioritize chemicals for more detailed toxicological evaluations and lead to more efficient use of animal testing. In 2008, EPA profiled 320 chemicals, primarily pesticides.

• New Process for Developing Human Health Assessments. In FY 2008, EPA announced a new process for developing human health assessments that are included in the Agency’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), an electronic database that captures the potential human health effects of specific substances in the environment. EPA released 16 draft and 5 final assessments in FY 2008, and the new process should increase the number of assessments completed in future years. EPA is finalizing a performance measure that will track progress in implementing the new process starting in FY 2009.

Strategic Goal 5: – $735M
Compliance and Environmental Stewardship
Protect human health and the environment through ensuring compliance with environmental requirements by enforcing environmental statutes, preventing pollution, and promoting environmental stewardship. Encourage innovation and provide incentives for government, business, and the public that promote environmental stewardship and long term sustainable outcomes.

• Reducing, Treating, and Eliminating Pollutants. In FY 2008, under EPA’s environmental compliance programs, EPA negotiated commitments in enforcement settlements for an estimated 3.9 billion pounds of pollutants to be reduced, treated or eliminated in the first year after pollution controls are installed. This is 3.01 billion pounds more than the 890 million pounds estimated to be reduced in FY 2007.

• Investments in Pollution Control Technology. In FY 2008, in compliance with EPA requirements, regulated entities committed to invest a total of $11.8 billion in pollution control and abatement equipment and technologies to improve their environmental performance or environmental management practices. Commitments to Reduce Harmful Air Pollutants. The 10 largest stationary source air enforcement cases will result in estimated commitments to reduce approximately 1.5 billion pounds of harmful air pollutants in the first year after pollution controls are installed, with human health benefits estimated to be $34 billion. Estimated health benefits include:

• Reducing approximately 4,000 premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease;
• 200,000 fewer days of missed work or school; and

• 2,000 fewer emergency room visits due to respiratory illnesses such as asthma.
• Eliminating Priority Chemicals. EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities, which comprises a variety of public and private companies and organizations that generate wastes containing one or more priority chemicals, greatly exceeded the Agency’s FY 2008 goal of eliminating 1 million pounds of these chemicals by achieving a 5.7 million pound reduction of chemicals.

• Preventing Pollution and Conserving Energy. Results from EPA’s FY 2007 Regional Pollution Prevention Grant Program, finalized this year, show that together grantees reduced 66 million pounds of pollutants, conserved 1.5 billion gallons of water, conserved 2,100 billion British thermal units (Btus) of energy, and saved $38.5 million.
• State Pollution Prevention Programs. In FY 2008, EPA worked with the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable to compile FY 2004 through FY 2006 performance results from state pollution prevention programs. These data show that the pollution prevention community reduced 7.6 billion pounds of waste, while saving 4,800 billion British thermal units of energy, 4.1 billion gallons of water, and $6.4 billion.

• Environmentally Sound Computers. EPA’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool Program, which assists institutions purchasing electronics in selecting environmentally sound computer products, helped conserve 3,292 billion British thermal units of electricity and save $83.6 million in energy costs in FY 2007. During FY 2008, the program initiated efforts to develop similar voluntary consensus standards for televisions and other electronic products.

• Biofuels Strategy. In FY 2008, EPA developed the Draft EPA Biofuels Strategy to promote policies and practices that can lead to the sustainable production of biofuels. The energy efficiency and environmental soundness of the country’s biofuels system determines the degree to which biofuels reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Also, the Agency supported 14 new biofuel-related research projects and is working with other federal agencies to define a set of criteria and indicators for sustainable biofuel production.

• Advancing Sustainability. EPA’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet Program held its fourth annual student design competition for sustainability in 2008. Winning designs included technology to produce plastic from wastewater, a laboratory to produce biodiesel from a cafeteria’s vegetable oil waste, and a hand-held water sanitizer for disinfecting drinking water in households of poor communities around the world. EPA supported these finalists with grant funding to bring the designs to market.

Organization Chart

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Accounting

Details in PDF

Accomplishments:
In 2008, the Agency set stringent new standards for a significant number of air pollutants or pollution sources; proposed a new regulation to allow for the underground storage of greenhouse gases in a manner that protects ground water sources of drinking water; ensured that 96 percent of hazardous waste facilities are permitted and 66 percent of the nation’s underground storage tanks are in compliance; completed a thorough reassessment of all food pesticides, setting the most health protective standards in the world for pesticides and food safety; and took enforcement actions to secure commitment from polluters to spend an estimated $11.8 billion on pollution control activities.

Challenges
EPA faced several challenges in 2008 including improving data collection for performance measures, improving efficiency of operations, ensuring consistent application of standards, meeting Homeland Security requirements, and working with partners to address infrastructure concerns. For example, approximately 160,000 public drinking water systems provide the nation with drinking water, and 16,000 facilities treat and dispose of wastewater. Many of the country’s water infrastructure systems are aging and need repairs or upgrades to meet various requirements of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA and its federal, state, and local partners face a significant challenge in developing a national strategy for addressing this issue and resolving the problem of aging and deteriorating water infrastructure to protect public health and the environment.
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