 | Vol. 4 No. 2 Fall 1996 |
| A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs |
In 1995, the DEP embarked on a new management strategy focusing environmental outcomes on a goal-oriented framework, rather than activity outputs. Under the National Environ-mental Performance Partnership System or NEPPS, states initially identify key environmental issues and evaluate the capability of existing programs to address these issues. This evaluation, conducted from a resource-based perspective, is published periodically in a Self-Assessment document. The key environmental issues addressed in this process are: 1) related to protection of human and ecosystem health, 2) important on a statewide or regional basis, 3) supported by data, and 4) related to legislated goals (e.g., Clean Water Act) and associated standards, if possible. Based upon these key issues, environmental goals and measurable milestones are developed.
Progress toward meeting environmental goals and milestones is assessed using environmental indicators, which measure the causes of pollution, current conditions and effects, and actions needed to address problems. These indicators are reported in subsequent Self-Assessment documents.
Activities that the state and EPA will perform to achieve milestones, maintain program strengths, and address program limitations are specified in a Performance Partnership Agreement, or PPA, which is signed by the state and the EPA Regional Office. The PPA includes activities that are funded and/or delegated to the DEP by EPA, as well as state-funded initiatives. The goals, milestones and indicators that will be reported are also provided in the PPA.
Grant Flexibility
Another component of NEPPS is the Performance Partnership Grant, or PPG, which combines numerous program and media-specific EPA grants into one grant. The PPG is intended to encourage improved environmental performance by providing states with the flexibility to allocate EPA grant funds to significant environmental problems, implement ecosystem or community-based strategies, address multi-media problems, and reduce administrative burdens by combining numerous grants into a single grant. Grants eligible for the PPG include air pollution, radon, several pesticides and water pollution grants, and waste-related grants. Currently, the State Revolving Fund, Superfund, Underground Storage Tank Trust and the Estuary Programs are not eligible for participation in the PPG; however, these programs will participate fully in other aspects of NEPPS. New Jersey's first PPG application requested $16.3 million and included all eligible grants.
Enhanced Public Participation
Enhanced public participation is also a key component of NEPPS. Previously, activity-oriented workplans were negotiated by programs in DEP and EPA, with limited discussion between programs, and no discussion with stakeholders. By contrast, NEPPS is conducted in a public forum to obtain stakeholder input on key environmental issues, program evaluations, goals, milestones, and indicators.
On April 30, 1996, DEP and EPA hosted a "Management for Environmental Results" workshop and, in the summer, conducted focus group sessions for Air and Radiation, Water Resources, Drinking Water, Land and Natural Resources, and Waste/Site Remediation. The results of these workshops will be used to guide development of the PPA, and selection and reporting of indicators.
Implementation of NEPPS
Together, the Self-Assessment, PPA and PPG provide the foundation for a goal-oriented environmental plan developed in conjunction with stakeholders, which the DEP can use to address the most significant environmental challenges facing New Jersey. However, changes will not occur overnight. Through incremental changes in program management, data collection and indicator evaluation, risk assessment and the prioritization of issues, the DEP will improve its environmental management program. Workshops and focus groups will continue as DEP and EPA develop and implement NEPPS.
| August 1995 | NJDEP completed a pilot Self-Assessment for air, freshwater watersheds, ground water and drinking water. |
| March 1996 | DEP Commissioner Robert C. Shinn, Jr. and EPA Regional Administrator Jeanne Fox signed New Jersey's first Performance Partnership Agreement which included air, freshwater watersheds and drinking water. |
| August 1996 | The first Department-wide Self-Assessment, which Includes Air and Radiation, Water Resources, Land and Natural Resources, Pesticides and Waste/Site Remediation was completed. |
| August 1996 | An Environmental Indicators Appendix to the Self-Assessment, which provides detailed information on the indicators, should be published. |
| October 1996 | DEP and EPA Region 2 anticipate signing the first Department-wide PPA, and receiving PPG funds. |
Available Documents
The 1996 and 1997 "Self-Assessment of New Jersey's Environment and NJDEP Programs"; the "1996 Performance Partnership Agreement"; and the workshop report entitled "Management for Environmental Results in New Jersey" are available from NJDEP's Division of Science and Research (609-984-6071). Upon publication, these documents are also made available via the DEP's electronic bulletin board (609-292-2006). Comments or questions may be forwarded to Leslie McGeorge, Director, Division of Science and Research, at (609) 984-6071, or Bryan Ianni, Assistant Commissioner's Office, Environmental Regulation at (609) 292-2795.