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Defining the Core Mission at EPC

Defining the Core Mission at EPC. EPC Board April 21, 2011. Defining the Agency’s core mission Improving our efficiency in delivering core services Detailing changes that have been made to the organizational structure to improve our efficiency

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Defining the Core Mission at EPC

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  1. Defining the Core Mission at EPC • EPC Board • April 21, 2011

  2. Defining the Agency’s core mission • Improving our efficiency in delivering core services • Detailing changes that have been made to the organizational structure to improve our efficiency • Enhancing our interaction with the business community • Identifying our partners • Challenging ourselves to do better at permitting activities

  3. Defining the Core Mission Through the Declaration of Legislative Intent 84-446 “…provide & maintain for the citizen and industry…standards which will ensure the purity of all waters and soil consistent with public health and public enjoyment there of, the propagation and protection of wildlife, birds, game, fish and other aquatic life, atmospheric purity and freedom of the air from contaminants and freedom from excessive and unnecessary noise…”

  4. Core Mission (continued) 84-446 Duties of the Environmental Director • Maintain continuous program for monitoring Air, Water and Noise • Monitoring network should provide accurate information on whether the requirements of the Act are being complied with • And whether air, water, and noise pollution is increasing or decreasing

  5. Core Mission (continued) EPC Sterling Derived Mission, Vision, Values Mission:To protect the natural resources of Hillsborough County through local control and regulation of activities that may cause pollution Vision: Environmental Excellence in a Changing World Values: Environmental stewardship, integrity, honesty, and a culture of fairness and cooperation

  6. Core Mission (continued) The Act Prescribes Core Functions To Be: • Citizen response • Air, water, wetland and waste permitting, compliance, and enforcement • Ambient air and water monitoring • Noise program

  7. Core Mission (continued) Included Within These Core Functions Are: • Bio-terrorism monitoring • Sustainability programs • Voluntary compliance programs such as: • Green Yards • Green Star • Brownfields

  8. Improving Our Efficiency in Delivering Core Services Setting specific agency priorities or goals Agency Planning Initiatives • Goals and Objectives 2001-2010  2001-2010 • Sterling Management Strategic Plan 2010 – Present 

  9. 2006 Organizational Chart 2011 Organizational Chart Water & ERM Wetland Management Air Management Executive Director Administration Water Management Waste Management Legal Environmental Resource Management Legal & Admin. Services

  10. Enhancing Our Interaction With the Business Community • Forming An Informal Business Feedback Committee consisting of: • Large industry sector • Small business sector • Consultant • Agricultural • Development

  11. Identifying Our Partners Voluntary Green Star Auto Salvage Facilities Green Yards Scrap Handlers Brownfield Redevelopment Sites Priority Permitting Applicants Traditional FDEP SWFWMD DOF DOH Hillsborough County Army Corp of Engineers EPA Homeland Security City of Tampa Tampa Port Authority  Tampa Bay National Estuary Program Nitrogen Management Consortium Agency on Bay Management

  12. Permitting Activities *** Subject of Delegation Feasibility Study

  13. Permitting Activities (continued)

  14. Plan of Action • Complete FDEP ERP delegation • Complete delegation feasibility study for remainder of ERP programs • Complete EPC rule review to look for consistency with the intent of the EPC Act and to look for rules that are no longer needed • Hold EPC Board retreat to go over results and receive direction

  15. Goals & Objectives 2001 - 2010 • Regulatory Effectiveness • Regulatory Efficiency • Coordination with Regulatory Partners • Partnering with Regulated Sector for Better Compliance • Outreach/Education 

  16. Sterling Derived All Encompassing EPC Priorities • Environmental Protection Excellence • Successful and Engaged Workforce • Customer/Partner Focused Excellence • Fiscal Responsibility • Continuous Improvement 

  17. Dr. Scott Emery President, Environment and Health Integrated (EHI) Visiting Research Professor, University of South Florida

  18. Environmental Resource Permit(ERP) • State level rules(s) [basis in Chapter 373 F.S.] • Provides at least partial compliance by the State with several major federal laws. • Clean Water Act • Rivers and Harbors Act • Main federal agencies: USEPA & Army Corps of Engineers

  19. An ERP Is Required Before Beginning Any Construction Activity That Would: • Affect wetlands • Alter surface water flows • Contribute to water pollution

  20. Main Areas of Technical Expertise In ERPs: • Engineering (Stormwater / Environmental) • Water Quality • Wetlands Ecology [Many local governments do not have all these in-house] [Hillsborough County does]

  21. Coordination / Streamlining Currently Underway • EPC / SWFWMD MOU on wetlands • EPC / Port Authority • EPC / FDEP on delegation of select ERP categories

  22. WARNING / CAUTION • DO NOT ASSUME THAT ALL PERMITTING CAN OR EVEN SHOULD BE CENTRALIZED AT ONE LOCATION / LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT • SOME ASPECTS OF PERMITTING ARE ACTUALLY DONE QUITE EFFICIENTLY AT THE REGIONAL/STATE LEVELS Having said that: we should continue to actively seek out areas to streamline permitting effort at all levels of government.

  23. Short–Term Areas of Investigation • Examine Hillsborough County’s / EPC’s in-house technical expertise (breadth and depth) • Examine potential additional ERP categories for delegation to Hillsborough County / EPC [and perhaps City of Tampa] • Develop application to FDEP for the additional delegation prior to July 2012 deadline

  24. Longer-Term Actions Once application/Statement of Qualifications are in to FDEP: • Develop with FDEP and SWFWMD specific protocols for responsibilities for each category and sub-category of ERP • Develop a phase-in schedule for any of the categories / sub-categories that are to be transferred to the local level

  25. Local Example Gas station / convenience store – East Brandon Area • Issue:stormwater collection / treatment / discharge • Permittee had to deal with: • County Stormwater (Land Development Code) (Site Development Plans) • SWFWMD (ERP Requirements) • DOT Stormwater Connection Permit • Question: Can all three of these (or even 2 of these…) be combined? If so, how?

  26. Overall Goal • Collect as many permitting requirements as feasible in one location and/or at one level while continuing to satisfy federal and state regulations

  27. Assumption • Keeping as much of this as feasible at the local level of government provides benefit to the county citizen when compared with having to deal with multiple levels of government regulation

  28. Why Promote Local Level? • Local knowledge of situations is often important • Citizen / permittees have better access to their public employees and elected officials at the local level • Local Land Development Code and site development requirements often can encompass part/all of Federal and State requirements • Continue ongoing efforts to identify areas of permit overlap and development mechanisms to minimize these

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