|
Commissioner's Strategic Priorities for 2008
MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt | MassDEP's mission is to protect and enhance the Commonwealth's natural resources - air, water, and land - and to provide for the health and safety of its citizens. As an agency, we have a long history and well-deserved reputation for being innovative leaders in environmental protection.
Today we face new challenges, including very real threats from greenhouse gases and climate change, growing stress on our precious water resources, demand for innovative and safe beneficial use of our waste, redevelopment of Brownfields sites, the handling of hazardous substances and the increased need to respond to environmental disasters, and emerging concerns about unregulated substances like pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology.
To meet these new challenges and maintain the substantial gains we have achieved for the environment, we need to be creative problem-solvers and we need results.
MassDEP is committed to excelling in these efforts. We will achieve this goal by focusing on "six 'E's" in all of our activities:
Environmental Quality and Protecting Public Health:
Our core mission at all times is to protect and preserve the environment, the natural resources, and the people who live, work and play in the Commonwealth. However, we must strive to achieve this in new and smarter ways. Specific innovative initiatives for the year will include:
- Bolstering water quality and quantity by promoting best practices for better conservation, management and protection, together with improved working relationships with water suppliers and watershed stakeholders, and new strategies for Total Maximum Daily Loads and stormwater;
- Enhancing recycling and solid waste management, including: use of technology innovations and opportunities to revive/expand municipal recycling assistance programs;
- Creating new opportunities for public-private partnerships in Brownfields cleanups, including expanded municipal outreach and a state "triage team" to fast-track cleanup and development;
- Progress on toxics and emerging contaminants, including: implementation of the New Toxics Use Reduction Act, implementation of the new Mercury Products law, and expanded and collaborative efforts to manage emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, nanoparticles, etc.); and
- Expanding our emergency response capabilities and continuing the Safe Neighborhood Chemical Initiative (SNCI).
Energy Impacts are Environmental Impacts:
Energy choices have environmental impacts, and environmental choices have energy impacts. We need to add energy to the factors we consider in reaching sound, protective and balanced decisions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce costs, build greener, more efficient schools and buildings, and improve the quality of our air and environment. Initiatives for the year will include:
- Implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI);
- Evaluating all MassDEP programs to assess their carbon impacts and potential for greenhouse gas reductions and better energy efficiency, without compromising environmental goals and standards;
- Instituting a new way to achieve greenhouse gas reductions, consistent with goals advocated by the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Province Ministers;
- Supporting the Lead by Example program to ensure that the state does everything it can to lead by example to reduce its carbon footprint; and
- Assisting cities and towns. A Municipal Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Assistance Program will be a key initiative for MassDEP and its partners, EOEEA and DOER. An Energy Management Pilot for Wastewater and Drinking Water Plants is already underway. This pilot will help 14 municipalities make their water treatment plants more energy-efficient, saving money for the municipalities and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
Encourage Technological Innovation:
We need to encourage technology innovation in all our programs. Thirty years of environmental protection experience tells us that, given a chance, the private sector can find new, creative solutions to the most difficult environmental problem. Actions this year will include review of our new and existing regulations to ensure we are not creating barriers to technological innovation, and creating incentives wherever possible.
Efficiency:
Governor Patrick's mandate for state government to operate "at the speed of business" is positive and doable. We need to build on our terrific track record of streamlining and improved customer service. Priority initiatives include:
- Implementing reforms to 4 priority permitting areas (groundwater discharge permits, air permits, Chapter 91, and wetlands appeals);
- Implementing the 20% across-the-board reduction in agency permit-review timelines;
- Implementing the 180-day maximum DEP review timeline;
- Enhancing on-line permit assistance tools; and
- Securing resources to transform our information management and on-line services capabilities.
Enforcement:
The credibility of any environmental program depends on strong and consistent enforcement. Enforcement creates a level playing field by holding violators accountable and rewarding voluntary compliance. We need to continue to implement a strong enforcement program while doing more to raise the bar of what constitutes "best business practices."
Education, Outreach & Technical Assistance:
MassDEP has long provided critically-needed technical assistance to municipalities, businesses, and citizens. We must build on this foundation and provide improved education, assistance, and incentive-based funding to address today's challenges of climate change, water resource management, energy efficiency, and emerging contaminants. We must also build on the capacity of our own staff. Initiatives will include:
- Expanding agency outreach capabilities, such as in the public affairs office, as well as expanded internet capabilities, and technical assistance programs and forums on cutting-edge issues that affect our environment and economy; and
- Staff capacity building, including best workplace practices, improved staff diversity, recruitment and retention, expanded staff training for continuing education, career opportunities and mentoring, and fostering good ideas from all parts of the organization.
I look forward to working with the talented, professional men and women at MassDEP to achieve these goals in 2008. Together, we will succeed.
Print-friendly version: MS Word 900 KB | PDF 160 KB |
communicate with dep
