Environment DEC
From the November 2003 issue
Draft Commissioner's Policy on Environmental Management Systems
DEC has proposed a Commissioner Policy that will incorporate Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and other environmental performance improvement tools into its programs. This policy identifies EMSs and other environmental performance improvement tools as effective means for improving the rates of compliance within the regulated community and for diminishing the environmental impact resulting from both regulated and non-regulated activities.
The policy authorizes the development of programs to do the following:
- Create and implement an Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) to encourage development of EMSs
- Develop and use environmental performance improvement tools in DEC's enforcement program
- Pilot the use of EMSs in DEC operations
Additional information about this policy can be found on DEC's website (see link below).
As defined in the policy, an EMS is a set of management processes, procedures, and auditable performance objectives that allow a facility to analyze, control, and reduce the environmental impact of its activities, products, and services while maintaining full compliance with environmental requirements. An EMS is appropriate for all kinds of organizations of varying sizes in public and private sectors. In addition to considering compliance with legal requirements, an EMS gives consideration to ways of improving areas that are not regulated and of achieving levels of performance that exceed legal requirements. Additional information about EMSs can be found on DEC's website (see link below).
The basic elements of an EMS include:
- Reviewing an organization's environmental goals
- Analyzing an organization's environmental impacts and legal requirements
- Setting environmental objectives and targets to reduce environmental impacts and comply with legal requirements
- Establishing programs to meet these objectives and targets
- Monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the objectives
- Ensuring employees' environmental awareness and competence
- Reviewing progress of the EMS and making improvements
In addition to these basic elements, the draft Commissioner's Policy requires DEC programs to promote EMSs that consider the following: views of stakeholders; measurable performance; credibility, and public disclosure and communication. The draft policy was published in the October 8, 2003 edition of the Environmental Notice Bulletin, and the initial steps taken to establish the programs specified in the policy will begin shortly after the close of the comment period on November 21, 2003.
