BEYONDCOMPL ANCE: W hat do Newport News, Richmond, Seattle, Phoenix, Boston, and SanFrancisco have in common? These cities are all actively working to minimizetheir negative impact on the environment using methodology learnedat the innovative Environmental Management Systems ImplementationInstitute taught through <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong>'s Center for Organizational and <strong>Tech</strong>nologicalAdvancement (COTA) ,An environmental management system, or EMS, addresses a broad rangeof society's evolving needs for environmental protection, Having an EMS inplace allows an organization to analyze, control, and reduce the environmental,impactof its activities, products, and services.EMS follows the model of "plan, do, check, and act," using a proactivesystems methodology rather than the traditional command and controlapproach, It is a continuous improvement process appropriate for alltypes and sizes of organizations in both the public and private sectors. Theultimate goal is to integrate environmental considerations into everydaybusiness operations, ensuring that such stewardship becomes part ofeveryone's daily responsibilities,"What You Don't Know Can Hurt You," was the sobering title of the first EMSinitiative in 2001. The City of Roanoke provided funding to introduce EMS tolocal governments, One hundred teams from <strong>Virginia</strong> completed the initialworkshop,The EMS Implementation Institute grew from the seeds of this grant. Todate, 53 local, state, and federal government agencies have learned how toimplement EMS for their communities or organizations, Most apply for the<strong>Virginia</strong> Department of Environmental Quality's (VDEQ) Environment ExcellenceProgram. Four localities have achieved ISO 14001 certification, theinternational standard for EMS,W, Robert Herbert, a COTA Fellow, leads the pioneering institute, "We teachthe EMS teams, we support them, but we can't take the credit for theirProactiveenvironmentalmanagementsystemsBY LOIS STEPHENSPublic officials lookto Virgmia <strong>Tech</strong>'slocal resource centerwhen developingtheir environmentalmanagement systems<strong>Outreach</strong>NOW 16
successes," says Herbert. ;'Each locality'steam works very hard to make theirsystem effective and sustainable."With the institute's inception camethe federal Environmental ProtectionAgency's (EPA) designation of <strong>Virginia</strong><strong>Tech</strong> as a Public Entity EMS Resource(PEER) Center, making the universityone of 11 such centers throughout thecountry. The centers promote government-to-governmentsharing and mentoringbetween public sectors. Whileall the PEER centers provide a broadarray of information and tools to helppublic entities understand EMS for theiroperations, <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong> has taken theI·ead in moving teams from learning toimplementation."<strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong> has set the standardfor other universities and nonprofitorganizations around the country interms of providing EMS assistance tolocal governments for managing theirenvironmental issues effectively andefficiently," says Jim Horne, EPA officerand, father of the PEER Center.As a former city manager, Herbert realizedthat the success of implementingEMS would hinge on the commitmentof top officials from each locality. Theinstitute requires a four-person unit toattend four workshops over the courseof two years. The composition of theteam reflects the area or facility. A typicalteam representing a city may consistof the city manager, city attorney,director of public works or utilities, anda representative of their choice, such asa council member or project manager.Prior to the workshops, an environmentalengineer and a COTA team visit eachDave Elmorelocality for a baseline environmentalassessment. They walk the sites, askquestions, identify potential "timebombs," and prepare the group fortraining at The Hotel Roanoke ConferenceCenter. After another three sitevisits and numerous team and seniormanagement conference calls to offersupport and measure progress, participantsearn EMS practitioner status.All participants have access to Webbasedsoftware for transmittinginformation and a site for postingresources and teaching tools. Localitiesalso share best practices. Homework isposted after the training is completed.As the program's reputation grew, theFederal Transit Administration contractedin 2004 with <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong> forEMS training for public transportationnon profits. As a result, upgrading maintenancepractices, such as tracking fuelusage and air emissions, monitoringtire air pressure, and adjusting idlingtimes for vehicles, has made a hugeimpact.The Utah Transit Authority's participationled to the implementation of theirsystem-wide, ISO-certified EMS. "TheBob Herbert, a Fellow of <strong>Virginia</strong><strong>Tech</strong> 's Center for Organizationaland <strong>Tech</strong>nological Ad vancement.consults with his associate, RoseWoodford, about an upcomingEnvironmental ManagementSystems Implementation Institute.cora. vt.eaubenefits have been considerable,"said Chief Performance Officer JerryBenson. "We realized direct savings ofover $1.3 million in our first full year ofimplementation. Employees at everylevel work cleaner, more efficiently, andless wastefully."The most recent outgrowth of the programis the annual <strong>Virginia</strong> EMS Conferencedesigned to share best practices,provide updates about ISO 14001,and lend support to all those in variousstages of their EMS ventures.The EMS Institute continues to branchout and is now involved with theChesapeake Bay Initiative, an allianceof states committed to pollution controlefforts in the bay and its tributaries. Inconcert with the <strong>Virginia</strong> Department ofEnvironmental Quality and the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong>is working with eight teams from wastewatertreatment plants that dischargeinto the Chesapeake Bay watershed.The evolving ventures continue between<strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong> 's Center for Organizationaland <strong>Tech</strong>nological Advancement's EMSprogram, VDEQ, and the EPA's Office ofWater. Plans include the organizationof a formal <strong>Virginia</strong> EMS Association.Meanwhile, another two-year programis underway for 13 teams that have embarkedon the journey to build cleaner,safer, and more efficient communities.<strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Tech</strong>, Georgia <strong>Tech</strong> , Kansas State University,Purdue University, University of Colorado, University ofFlorida, University of Massachusetts, and the University ofMissouri share the designation of Public Entity EMS ResourceCenters, along with the Global Environmental and <strong>Tech</strong>nologyFoundation and the Sustainable Earth Initiative.Outreacil NOW 117
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