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State-EPA Symposium on Environmental Innovation & Results

State-EPA Symposium on Environmental Innovation & Results. Denver, Colorado January 24, 2006 Linda B. Rimer, Ph.D. US Environmental Protection Agency. What we will cover. What is SEQL? Why EPA is involved Lessons learned SEQL as collaborative problem solving. What is SEQL?.

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State-EPA Symposium on Environmental Innovation & Results

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  1. State-EPA Symposium on Environmental Innovation & Results Denver, Colorado January 24, 2006 Linda B. Rimer, Ph.D. US Environmental Protection Agency

  2. What we will cover . . . What is SEQL? Why EPA is involved Lessons learned SEQL as collaborative problem solving

  3. What is SEQL? • Sustainable Environment for Quality of Life –a multimedia, multi-jurisdictional planning effort (2 states, 15 counties) • Promotes integrated planning to protect the environment and quality of life while promoting economic win-wins • Landmark regional partnership for integrated planning (air, water, land use, energy, economic development, transportation) • One of the first of its kind in the nation

  4. Local governments Businesses/developers Environmentalists Community groups Citizens Who Is Involved with SEQL? N.C. Department of Environment & Natural Resources S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control

  5. Why EPA is involved . . . Our Mission: Protect public health and the environment Threat to both: urbanization patterns in this county Limits to EPA Authority: urbanization patterns largely outside EPA’s regulatory authority i.e. there is no part of the CAA or CWA that says “thou shalt not sprawl”

  6. The Big Questions: What Is The EPA Role? And How Do We Fill It? • National Standards • Guidance and tools • Convenor • What of our regulatory authority and silos? “Never has the world faces greater choices . . .down one path is utter despair and hopelessness; down the other, total extinction. Let us choose wisely” Woody Allen

  7. Find a community that wants to work with us on integrated planning: air, water, land use, economic development, transportation and energy

  8. The Charlotte, NC/Rock Hill, SC Region

  9. Key Lessons Learned to Date • Don’t make the idea of integrated planning seem harder than it is • Encourage both small and large jurisdictions to pursue integration • Get local groups involved • Use an excellent facilitator • Think process/collaboration/communication • Focus on “interest” rather than “position” • Use “doing” as a starting point • Be persistent

  10. EPA: Lessons Learned • Inform all players – let people decide what they want to do • Communicate reasonable expectations for project results • Adjust to not being “in charge” • Demonstrate EPA commitment for the long haul • Ensure adequate project resources – don’t over-promise • Defining success depends on where you sit • Get and maintain political support • Listen, learn and collaborate • Identify local key driver for project • Use events to gain momentum and build support

  11. SEQL as Collaborative Problem Solving • Shared Environmental Problem • Convener of Stature • Committed Leader • Representatives of Substance • Clearly-Defined Purpose • Formal Charter • Common Information Base

  12. Rebecca Yarbrough Centralina COG PO Box 35008 Charlotte, NC 28235 (704) 348-2730 ryarbrough@centralina.org Wendy Bell Catawba Regional COG PO Box 450 Rock Hill, SC 29731 (803) 327-9041 wbell@catawbacog.org Chris Stoneman US Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 (919) 541-0823 stoneman.chris@epa.gov Linda Rimer US Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 (919) 541-0785 rimer.linda@epa.gov For more information:

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