1 / 29

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Office of Technical & Customer Assistance. Pre-application assistance. Why have a pre-application meeting? How do I schedule a meeting? Who should attend? What should I bring? What to expect? What not to expect?. Permit Streamlining.

aletta
Download Presentation

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Rhode IslandDepartment of Environmental Management Office of Technical & Customer Assistance

  2. Pre-application assistance • Why have a pre-application meeting? • How do I schedule a meeting? • Who should attend? • What should I bring? • What to expect? • What not to expect?

  3. Permit Streamlining • KPMG Peat Marwick Final Report “Permit Application Process Streamlining Study, July 30, 1997” • Approximately 130 recommendations • Policy changes, regulatory changes, changes to statutes • Some will require additional funds and additional staff

  4. Permit Streamlining • The Department has established an Advisory Committee to review and prioritize recommendations. • Freshwater wetland recommendations will be reviewed and prioritized first. • Separate stakeholder groups for air and waste will prioritize their respective recommendations.

  5. Major Project Review • OTCA serves as the primary point of contact for DEM on federal actions and federally funded projects, in accordance with DEM’s Coordination Policy. • OTCA coordinates DEM review of, and response to, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) disclosure documents and similar materials related to major projects; e.g., • major transportation, energy, water projects • restoration projects • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) applications for hydropower development, transmission lines and pipelines • Quonset/Davisville redevelopment projects • multimedia projects in the planning stage • OTCA does a preliminary review of major subdivisions when requested by the municipality, per Subdivision Enabling Act.

  6. How do we help consultants with major projects? • OTCA serves both the project proponent and DEM by facilitating good communication and promoting environmentally sound development projects. • OTCA assures that input from relevant DEM programs is solicited, and that we speak with a single voice- no conflicting requests or requirements. • Environmental concerns are identified at an early planning stage- no surprises down the line. • Multiple copies of materials for review are submitted to OTCA- we distribute them and keep track of deadlines. • Need a meeting? We schedule it, and make sure the right people are invited.

  7. General Customer Assistance • OTCA staffs the telephone console at 235 Promenade Street, and answers the general information phone number listed in the phone book • All staff are available to deal with general questions, even if the subject is outside the purview of the Department • OTCA can provide, or coordinate, DEM speakers on a variety of topics

  8. File Review Coordination • OTCA serves as file review coordinator for the regulatory Offices • consultants may still make appointments directly with some Offices • Waste Management (CERCLA, LUST, UST) • Water Resources (Wetlands, ISDS) • Air Resources • schedules multi-media file reviews associated with a single site • schedules single program reviews for some Offices • Compliance & Inspection • Water Resources (RIPDES) • answers questions regarding file review procedure • maintains Oil Spill Logs, and Groundwater Classification and Wellhead Protection Area maps

  9. Regulation & Publication Clearinghouse • OTCA has begun to collect and index copies of all regulations, policies, and outreach materials for single-point distribution • Material will be available over the Internet, and will be searchable

  10. Department Web Page • OTCA is the lead Office for construction and maintenance of a DEM web page • Content to include- • regulations and policies (downloadable files) • calendar of events • public notices • press releases • directory, phone book • FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

  11. http://www.state.ri.us/dem

  12. The Future?(in order of decreasing probability) • Internet access to permit tracking software systems • Internet access to application forms • Electronic submittal of applications • Internet access to DEM files

  13. Technical Assistance- What Services Are Provided? • Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance • Regulatory Compliance Assistance • On-site • Non-regulatory • Confidential

  14. Rhode Island Pollution Prevention Team

  15. Federal Pollution Prevention Grant Projects • U.S. EPA-HQ HWRP: 2 yr, $150,000 (88) • U.S. EPA-HQ SRRTA: 5 yr, $600,000 (89) • U.S. EPA-HQ Min. Casting Co.: 1 yr, $24,000 (92) • U.S. EPA-HQ IPT/P2 NBC: 5 yr, $600,00 (92) • U.S. EPA-HQ Textile Industry: 5 yr, $432,237 (92) • U.S. EPA-NE Auto Refinishing: 3 yr, $150,169 (94) • U.S. NOAA Seafood Process.: 3 yr, $603,101 (95) • U.S. EPA-NE Reg. Integration: 2 yr, $110,000 (96) • U.S. EPA-NE Auto Shops Mentoring: 18 mth, $66,797 (97) • U.S. EPA-NE Metal Fin. Evaporators: 2 yr, $142,367 (97) • U.S. EPA-NE ISO 14000: 3 yr $34,000 (97)

  16. URI-Center for Pollution Prevention Technical Support (‘88) • Multidisciplinary team approach • Laboratory and research facilities • analytical/pilot testing equipment • Incubator for new ideas and tech’s • “Safe haven” for industry

  17. EPA-HQ/EPA-NE Initiatives • National & Regional Initiatives: Project XL, ELP, CEIT, CLEAN, NEEATeam, 3PC, CSI, P4, NEPPS, PPG, IAQ “Tools for Schools”, UEI, STEP-Up, RRW, +++ • Common Sense Initiative (CSI) • Environmental Leadership Project (ELP)

  18. Rhode Island CSIMetal Finishing 2000 Project • EPA-NE, NBC, RIDEM, URI, Industry & Save the Bay • OBJ: explore cost efficient and flexible approaches for achieving enhanced environmental performance • Participation Criteria: compliance record; commitment to P2 and employee environmental education • Participation Incentives: e.g., regulatory flexibility, production modifications, regulatory relief • Economic Incentives: e.g., reduction in monthly effluent monitoring

  19. US EPA Grant Project • “Integration of P2 into an ISO 14000 Management System” • 3yr./$37,000 EPA-DEM-Industry Project; start date Oct ‘97 • Key Project Components: pollution prevention & measurement

  20. RI Environmental ComplianceIncentive Act (Effective July ‘97) • Signed by Gov. Almond July 10, 1997 • To encourage “voluntary self-evaluations of compliance programs and management systems” • Examples- audits or standard management practices to monitor compliance status

  21. Clean Air Act (CAA)- Small Business Assistance (SBAP) Small Business Assistance Program is a requirement of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and includes: 1. State Small Business Ombudsman 2. State Compliance Advisory Panel (CAP) 3. Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP)

  22. Components of SBAP 1. State Ombudsman: acts as the small business community’s representative for Clean Air Act matters: • Reviews regulation development and implementation to provide recommendations and comments to EPA and DEM • Helps disseminate information about upcoming regulations and requirements • Refers small businesses to appropriate specialists • Roger Greene 401-277-2771 ext. 2402 or in RI 800-932-1000, FAX 401-277-6802

  23. Components of SBAP 2. Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP): provides technical and administrative support w/in state government to help small business comply with the Act • Informs small businesses of Clean Air Act requirements • Helps small businesses deal with technical, administrative and compliance problems • Creates and disseminates easy to understand information • Refers small businesses to environmental auditors & specialists • Pam Annarummo 401-277-6822 ext. 7204 • Joe Antonio ext. 4410 FAX 401 277-3810

  24. Components of SBAP 3. Compliance Advisory Panel: a seven member panel to guide and determine the overall effectiveness of the SBAP: • 4 small business owners or representatives selected by the state legislature, 2 public representatives selected by the governor, and 1 representative from DEM Air Resources • Reviews SBAP and advises on its effectiveness • Makes progress reports to the EPA Small Business Ombudsman • Ensures written information is easy to understand

  25. Information Dissemination • Pollution Prevention Progress newsletter • Fact Sheets - “Plain English” and industry-specific information • Interdepartmental Projects coordination • EPA/DEM coordination

  26. On-site Compliance Assistance • Help small businesses understand the regulations and permitting processes • New facility assistance • Existing facility assistance • Facility expansion assistance • Other small business assistance

  27. Have questions? Need help? Office of Technical & Customer Assistance 222-6822

More Related