GAO

United States General Accounting Office

Report to Congressional Requesters

April 2000 MANAGING FOR 

RESULTS

EPA Faces Challenges 

in Developing 

Results-Oriented 

Performance Goals 

and Measures

GAO/RCED-00-77

Page 1 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Contents

Letter 3

Appendixes Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 22

Appendix II: Strategic Goals in EPAs September 1997

Strategic Plan 24

Appendix III: Performance Goals and Measures In EPAs

Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Plan 25

Appendix IV: End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan 26

Tables Table 1: Hierarchy of Indicators 9

Figures Figure 1: Number and Percentage of Performance Goals

Contained in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Plan 6

Figure 2: Number and Percentage of Performance Measures

Contained in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Plan 7

Figure 3: Numbers and Percentages of Performance Goals

for Each Level of EPAs Hierarchy of Indicators 11

Figure 4: Numbers and Percentages of Performance Measures

for Each Level of EPAs Hierarchy of Indicators 12

Abbreviations

EMPACT Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community

Tracking

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

LUST Leaking Underground Storage Tank

NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards

OMB Office of Management and Budget

OPAA Office of Planning, Analysis, and Accountability

Project XL Project eXcellence and Leadership

RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

RMP Risk Management Plan

SPCC Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure
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Page 3 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

United States General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

Resources, Community, and

Economic Development Division

B-284576 Letr

April 28, 2000

The Honorable Bud Shuster

Chairman, Committee on Transportation

and Infrastructure

House of Representatives

The Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner

Chairman, Committee on Science

House of Representatives

For over a decade, internal and external studies have called for the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to manage for environmental

results as a way to improve and better account for its performance. The

Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (the Results Act)

requires EPA and other federal agencies to prepare performance plans

containing annual performance goals and measures to help move them

toward managing for results. These performance goals and measures are

used to assess an agencys progress toward achieving the results expected

from its major functions. Under the act, a performance goal is a target level

of performance expressed as a tangible, measurable objective against

which actual achievement can be compared. Performance measures are

the yardsticks to assess an agencys success in meeting its performance

goals.

Performance goals and their associated measures are often expressed as

end outcomes, intermediate outcomes, or outputs. End outcomes are the

results of programs and activities compared to their intended purpose,

such as ensuring that drinking water is safe. Intermediate outcomes show

progress toward achieving end outcomes. They are often required for

programs when end outcomes are not immediately clear, easily delivered,

or quickly achieved. For example, convincing local communities to adopt

higher water quality standards is an intermediate outcome leading to the

end outcome of safe drinking water. Outputs are typically activities or

products, such as the number of environmental regulations promulgated,

and do not directly measure results.

EPAs fiscal year 2000 performance plan contains 187 performance goals

and 364 performance measures. Concerned about EPAs progress in

developing goals and measures that focus on environmental results rather
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than on program activities, you asked us to (1) determine the extent to

which EPAs fiscal year 2000 performance goals and measures focus on end

outcomes, intermediate outcomes, or outputs; (2) identify any challenges

the agency faces in developing additional performance goals and measures

that focus on end outcomes; and (3) describe the initiatives the agency is

taking to address any identified challenges.

Results in Brief In EPAs fiscal year 2000 performance plan, 16 percent of the goals and 12

percent of the measures focus on end outcomes, targeting the

environmental changes that EPA plans to achieve as a result of its

activities. End outcomes generally entail reductions in the amount of

pollutants emitted or discharged into or concentrated in the environment.

To a lesser extent, these end outcomes relate to reductions in the amount

of pollutants absorbed by living organisms and the adverse effects of the

pollutants on ecology and human health and welfare.

EPA program managers told us that the limited availability of data on

environmental conditions and knowledge of the health effects of pollutants

needed to measure EPAs performance was the major challenge to

developing outcome goals and measures. Such data is needed to establish a

direct cause-and-effect relationship between a programs activities and the

resulting changes in the environment. This relationship is often difficult to

establish because of factors beyond a programs control, such as changes in

weather patterns and economic conditions.

In October 1998, EPA announced plans to establish a central information

office to, among other things, lead the agencys efforts toward obtaining the

environmental information needed to measure the results of its programs

activities. This office has initiated several efforts to improve the quality of

EPAs data, such as developing an action plan to detail the key steps the

agency needs to take to help ensure that its environmental data are

sufficiently complete, compatible, and accurate to meet its needs. In

addition, EPAs Office of Planning, Analysis, and Accountability has

initiated an effort to work with the agencys program offices to improve the

quality of annual performance goals and measures and the agencys Office

of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance is attempting to link its

enforcement and compliance activities with environmental results. Other

program offices are also taking actions to develop additional outcome

goals and measures.
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Background Under the Results Act, federal agencies develop annual performance plans

that establish performance goals to define the level of performance to be

achieved by a program activity and establish performance measures to

indicate or assess the relevant outputs, service levels, and outcomes of

each program activity. Performance goals and measures are key elements

in determining whether an agency has been effectively accomplishing its

strategic goals. Performance measurement reinforces the connection

between the long-term strategic goals and strategies outlined in an agencys

strategic plan and the day-to-day activities of its program offices. (See app.

II for a list of EPAs strategic goals.)

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has instructed agencies that,

as a general rule, outcome goals should be included in their annual

performance plans whenever possible. OMB acknowledges, however, that

activity-based output goals can provide important information for agency

managers to use in managing their programs. Consequently, OMB

recognizes that the performance plans of most agencies will contain output

goals and measures and that, in the plans of some agencies, the majority of

goals and measures could be outputs.

EPAs Performance 

Plan Emphasizes 

Output Goals and 

Measures 

EPAs fiscal year 2000 performance plan emphasizes output goals and

measures that provide information on the level or quality of environmentalrelated products or services, such as activities that result from the agencys

efforts. As shown in figures 1 and 2, outputs account for 74 percent of the

performance goals and 81 percent of the performance measures contained

in EPAs plan. End outcomes and intermediate outcomes total 26 percent of

EPAs performance goals and 19 percent of its performance measures. EPA

planning, budgeting, and program office officials responsible for

performance planning noted that this was only the second such plan that

they had developed under the Results Act and said that they were striving

to make future plans more outcome oriented.
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Figure 1: Number and Percentage of Performance Goals Contained in EPA’s Fiscal 

Year 2000 Performance Plan

10%

16%

74%

Intermediate outcomes (19)

End outcomes (30)

Outputs (138)

Total: 187 performance goals
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Figure 2: Number and Percentage of Performance Measures Contained in EPA’s 

Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Plan

EPA classifies its programs into two typesmedia and nonmedia. Media

programs include clean air, safe water, and pollution prevention programs

that aim to clean up the environment. Nonmedia programs include those

that do not directly affect the environment, such as research and

development, enforcement, public awareness and general management

activities.

Our analysis shows that EPAs media and nonmedia programs differ

significantly in the extent to which their performance goals and measures

reflect environmental outcomes. Thirty-three percent of EPAs performance

goals and 24 percent of its performance measures for environmental media

programs focus on end or intermediate outcomes; 10 percent of its

performance goals and 7 percent of its performance measures for

nonmedia programs focus on such outcomes.

EPA officials told us that it is much more difficult to link nonmedia

programs to specific environmental results. They pointed out that the

agencys strategic goals cover most, if not all, of the agencys major

7%

12%

81%

Intermediate outcomes (24)

End outcomes (45)

Outputs (295)

Total: 364 performance 

measures
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activities. Therefore, the annual performance plan includes nonmedia

programs whose outputs are inherently difficult to link to specific

environmental results. For example, officials of the Office of Research and

Development told us that, given the offices role in providing scientific and

engineering information, models, methods, and tools, it is impossible to tie

its achievements to a specific change in pollutant levels. However, they

noted that their models, methods, and tools are inputs to the development

of environmental regulations and policies and frequently advance the state

of environmental science, thereby better enabling EPA to achieve its

environmental outcomes.

EPA has adopted a framework for categorizing its performance goals and

measures. EPA calls this framework the hierarchy of indicators because

it ranks the performance goals and measures according to their direct

impacts on improving the environment. The agency uses the framework as

a tool to evaluate its progress in moving from activity-based to resultsbased performance goals and measures. As shown in table 1, at the top of

the hierarchy are the reductions of environmental risks or impacts to the

ecology or to human health and/or welfare. An example is EPAs

performance goal and measure for restoring watersheds to their designated

uses. Activities and services that EPA and the states perform, such as

producing rules and standards to achieve environmental improvements are

at the low end of the hierarchy under level 1. EPA has established a level

R for research and development efforts to recognize that they are

different from other types of environmental activities. According to EPAs

performance planning guidance, program offices should develop

performance goals and measures at the highest indicator level for which

adequate data exist.
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Table 1: Hierarchy of Indicators

Level

Description of 

indicator 

Type of performance goal 

and measure generally 

associated with the indicator

Example of 

performance goal

Example of performance 

measure

6 Environmental risks or 

impacts to the ecology 

or human health and/or 

welfare

End outcome Restore watersheds 

to their designated 

uses.

Number of river miles, lake 

acres, and estuary square 

miles that will be restored to 

their designated uses.

5 Pollutants absorbed by 

the human body

End outcome Reduce pesticide 

poisonings by 5 

percent.

Pesticide poisonings will be 

reduced by 5-percent. 

4 Concentrations of 

pollutants in the 

environment

End outcome Maintain healthy air 

quality for levels of 

carbon monoxide, 

sulfur dioxide, 

nitrogen dioxide, and 

lead.

All areas currently meeting 

national ambient air quality 

standards will continue to 

maintain healthful standards for 

carbon monoxide, sulfur 

dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and 

lead.

3 Discharges and 

emissions of pollutants

End outcome Reduce discharges of 

toxic air pollutants by 

4 million pounds per 

year.

Discharges of toxic air 

pollutants will be reduced by 4 

million pounds per year.

2 Actions or responses 

by regulated parties

Intermediate outcome At least 100 drinking 

water systems eligible 

for Drinking Water 

State Revolving 

Funds will have 

initiated operations 

that protect human 

health and welfare. 

At least 100 eligible drinking 

water systems will initiate 

operations to protect human 

health and welfare.

1 Actions by EPA, states, 

tribes, or other 

governmental bodies

Output Prepare final rules for 

disposal of leadbased paint debris 

and establish 

standards regarding 

hazardous levels of 

lead in paint, dust, 

and soil.

The lead debris disposal rule 

and lead hazards standards 

rule will be completed by 

September 30, 2000.

Continued
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 Source: GAO’s analysis of EPA’s data.

Figure 3 shows the numbers and percentages of performance goals for

each level of EPAs hierarchy of indicators. Figure 4 provides similar

information for performance measures.

Level

Description of 

indicator 

Type of performance goal 

and measure generally 

associated with the indicator

Example of 

performance goal

Example of performance 

measure

R Research and 

development

Output Develop a conceptual 

model for developing 

watershed 

assessment 

techniques that would 

assist local, regional, 

and national 

environmental 

decisionmakers in 

maintaining the 

ecological integrity of 

a watershed.

A model to assess the 

exposure of wildlife to 

multimedia environmental 

contaminants (i.e., in the soil, 

water, food, and air) will be 

released.

Continued from Previous Page
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Figure 3: Numbers and Percentages of Performance Goals for Each Level of EPA’s 

Hierarchy of Indicators

2%

4%

9%

10%

20%

54%

Environmental risks or

impacts to ecology, etc. (1)

Concentrations of pollutants (4)

Pollutants absorbed by

the body (8)

Discharges and emissions

of pollutants (17)

Actions or responses by

regulated parties (19)

Research and development (37)

Actions by EPA, states, tribes, or

other governmental bodies (101)

Total: 187 performance goals

1%

2%

4%

9%

10%

20%

54%

1%
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Figure 4: Numbers and Percentages of Performance Measures for Each Level of 

EPA’s Hierarchy of Indicators

EPA Faces Major 

Challenges in Getting 

the Data Needed to 

Develop Outcome 

Goals and Measures

EPA considers getting the data needed to measure results its biggest

challenge in developing outcome-oriented performance goals and

measures. Over the years, EPA and the states have collected extensive data

on the environment; however, substantial gaps exist in the data on

environmental conditions and their effects on human health. For example,

EPA lacks toxicity data for more than one-third of the chemicals produced

in large volumes as well as for about two-thirds of the known hazardous air

pollutants. Such gaps make it difficult to establish a direct cause-and-effect

relationship between a programs activities and specific changes in

environmental conditions. Furthermore, different data collection and

analysis methods among EPAs databases and state databases (which EPA

relies upon extensively) make it difficult to aggregate data and use the

information to determine environmental outcomes. Substantial costs are

involved in improving EPAs and the states databases to be more

3%

7%

8%

24%

57%

Environmental risks or

impacts to ecology, etc. (1)

Concentrations of pollutants (5)

Pollutants absorbed by

the body (9)

Discharges and emissions

of pollutants (30)

Actions or responses by

regulated parties (24)

Research and development (86)

Actions by EPA, states, tribes, or

other governmental bodies (209)

Total: 364 performance measures

1%

<1%
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responsive to the need for additional outcome-oriented goals and

measures.

Even with better data, linking environmental programs and activities to

outcomes is sometimes difficult. Environmental conditions change

because of a complex web of factors, including such variables as the

weather or economic activity, many of which are beyond the control of

EPA and its state partners. For example, the annual use of pesticides in a

particular region can vary depending on how insect populations fluctuate

from year to year. Therefore, the peaks and valleys in the annual

application of pesticides make it difficult to attribute reductions in their

use to a specific governmental program. Some EPA officials have raised

concerns about being held accountable under the Results Act for

environmental outcomes that they think are largely out of their control and

have indicated that they would rather be held accountable for program

outputs, over which they have more control.

The long-term nature of environmental programs also hinders the

development of the data needed for annual performance goals and

measures. A program implemented today might take many years to show

results. The actions by EPA and the states to reduce the amount of

polluting nutrients that work their way into lakes, rivers, and bays illustrate

the lengthy interval between some environmental activities and their

effects. Nutrients from fertilizers and the manure of poultry and other

livestock flow through the ground and eventually find their way into the

water. These nutrients pollute the water and, among other things, cause the

growth of algae that can release toxins, killing fish. However, reducing the

amount of polluting nutrients in the ground today may not result in

improved water quality for a decade or more. Therefore, a performance

goal to reduce these nutrients in the water may not result in an

environmental impact in the short-term.

Another challenge in developing better information on program results is

that data provided by the states often are incompatible. For example, states

do not use identical survey methods and criteria to rate their water quality.

EPA officials told us that such inconsistencies from state to state make

developing national performance goals and measures difficult.

Furthermore, they said that the scientific community generally recognizes

that the indicators for measuring performance in improving water quality

have not been very good.
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Despite such limitations in the states data systems, EPA is dependent upon

them for much of the data it needs to measure its performance. These

systems, like EPAs systems, primarily are designed to provide information

on the outputs associated with program activities, such as the enforcement

of regulations, rather than the environmental results of these activities.

Given the expense of collecting environmental data, EPA is concerned

about the reporting burden it may place on states and regulated industries

as the agency seeks to obtain better data to measure its results. States have

expressed concern about additional reporting burdens and have called for

any expansion in reporting requirements to be balanced with a reduction in

some of EPAs other reporting requirements.

EPA is considering ways to modernize its own data systems, but correcting

the problems may require considerable resources. Substantial resources

and expertise are required to identify and test potential results-oriented

performance measures. Once the measures are established, gathering and

analyzing the data can be resource-intensive and can take years to show

environmental improvement. Nor is it always cost-effective to collect the

data needed to monitor environmental programs. For example, Office of

Water officials told us that to establish a complete set of outcome goals and

measures for water quality would require creating a costly national

monitoring system that would take years to implement. They also noted

that, in passing the Clean Water Act, the Congress never envisioned a

federal system and left the primary monitoring responsibility with the

states.

EPA Has Initiated 

Actions to Develop 

Additional OutcomeOriented Performance 

Goals and Measures

EPA has recently taken several actions that should strengthen its ability to

develop additional outcome-oriented performance goals and measures.

The most important initiative is the creation of the Office of Environmental

Information, which is charged with ensuring that EPA has the data it needs

to manage for results. Other initiatives include developing processes and

long-term strategies to improve the quality of performance goals and

measures and linking the activities of program offices with environmental

results.

Creating a Central 

Information Office

In October 1998, EPA announced plans to establish a central information

office to consolidate its diverse data systems and to improve the quality of

data used by EPA and provided to the public. The new Office of

Environmental Information is responsible for (1) ensuring that the quality

of data collected and used by EPA is known and appropriate for its
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intended uses, (2) reducing the data collection and reporting burden of the

states and regulated industries, (3) filling significant data gaps, and (4)

providing the public with integrated information and statistics on

environmental and public health issues.

In a September 1999 report on the status of EPAs efforts to improve its

information management,1 we recommended that the EPA Administrator

direct the program manager of the new Office of Environmental

Information to develop an action plan detailing the steps the agency needs

to take to help ensure that EPAs environmental and regulatory data are

sufficiently complete, compatible, and accurate to meet its needs. We said

this action plan should include the offices strategy, milestones, and

resource needs to (1) fill key gaps that have been identified in the agencys

information on environmental conditions; (2) identify and develop all

needed data standards and implement them in all major databases; (3)

coordinate EPAs data standardization efforts with the states, federal

agencies, and other organizations that maintain major environmental

databases; (4) improve the collection of accurate data by implementing its

quality assurance throughout the agency as well as in the states; and (5)

identify the procedures so that the data errors detected in one EPA

information system can be corrected agencywide. On December 22, 1999,

EPA advised the Chairman, Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs,

that it agreed with our recommendation and intended to develop an

information plan that would serve as its action plan.

EPA officials responsible for designing EPAs Office of Environmental

Information have stated that developing environmental results data will be

a major part of the agencys initiative to overhaul how it collects, manages,

and disseminates information. EPA has indicated that its information plan

will articulate the central role that performance measures will play in

helping the agency meet its strategic goals. According to the agency, the

plan will describe how it will foster and encourage efforts to develop

performance measures.

EPA recognizes that to be successful in filling data gaps it will need a clear

understanding of the data required to measure performance for the diverse

environmental activities the agency undertakes. As EPA program offices

move toward developing outcome goals and measures, it will become more

1

Environmental Information: EPA Is Taking Steps to Improve Information Management, but

Challenges Remain (GAO/RCED-99-261, Sept. 17, 1999).
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apparent what specific environmental information is needed to measure

the agencys progress toward improving the environment. In some cases,

program offices may need to establish outcome goals before all the

environmental data are available to provide the Office of Environmental

Information a starting point to determine what data should be collected

and analyzed. For example, the Office of Water has adopted a fiscal year

2000 outcome goal to restore watersheds. However, this goal does not

show the target level of watersheds to be restored during that fiscal year

because EPA does not have the baseline data available to measure the

performance for this goal.

Developing Processes and 

Long-Term Strategies to 

Improve the Quality of 

Performance Goals and 

Measures

In June 1999, the Director of EPAs Office of Planning, Analysis, and

Accountability implemented an effortcalled the Performance

Measurement Improvement Teamto work with program staff to develop

more results-oriented goals and measures. The team currently includes

members of EPAs Office of the Chief Financial Officer and may be

expanded to include members of the program offices and other key staff

involved with performance planning. EPA planning officials had hoped that

this initiative would lead to improvements in the agencys fiscal year 2001

performance plan. However, they said that the schedule to submit the goals

and the measures to OMB for approval in September 1999 did not allow

them enough time to significantly participate in the development of the

fiscal year 2001 performance goals and measures.

Nevertheless, the team is focusing on a long-term effort to make

incremental improvements to EPAs performance goals and measures. The

team is developing a process to work with the program managers to

develop long-term strategies for addressing the specific problems facing

each program office in establishing outcome goals and measures. The

director of the team told us that one of the key reasons that many of EPAs

performance goals and measures are output-oriented is that they are linked

to EPAs strategic objectives, which were established in September 1997 in

response to the requirements of the Results Act. About half of the 41

strategic objectives are output-oriented. The director told us that the team

plans to work with the program offices to develop more outcome-oriented

strategic objectives, which in turn will lead to additional outcome goals and

measures of performance.
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Linking Program Activities 

With Environmental Results

Several of EPAs program offices have initiatives aimed at developing more

outcome-oriented goals and measures. After consulting with stakeholders,

the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance established its

National Performance Measures Strategy in 1997, which included a strategy

to develop more and better outcome and output performance goals and

measures. In reporting on this strategy in December 1997, the office

identified outcome and output goals and measures that it intended to

adopt, along with an implementation schedule. For fiscal year 2001, the

office established five additional outcome goals and four additional output

goals. For example, the office has a fiscal year 2001 goal to increase or

maintain environmental compliance rates or other indicators of

compliance for selected regulated industries using baseline data developed

during fiscal year 2000. The office also has cooperative agreements with 11

states to develop and implement outcome-based performance measures for

enforcement and compliance assurance programs.

In addition, EPAs Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances

has set up a working group to explore ways to develop more outcome goals

and measures. For example, the group is examining the possibility of

measuring the results of reductions in the use of harmful pesticides based

upon wildlife mortality rates. The office also has a cooperative agreement

with Florida State University to identify environmental indicators for

pesticides, toxics, and pollution prevention. Thirteen representatives from

the private sector, states, academia, and environmental groups will serve as

advisers to the university. Although the indicators are being developed for

the states, officials from the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic

Substances told us that they also plan to use the data to modify their

portion of EPAs revised strategic plan, which is scheduled to be completed

in September 2000, to make future performance goals and measures more

outcome-oriented.

The Office of International Activities also led a working group to develop

best practices for the agencys international capacity building programs

to assist other nations to reduce environmental risks. According to

program officials, they have used this guidance to develop more outcomeoriented goals and measures for fiscal year 2001. For example, the office

has a goal to increase access to safe drinking water in certain communities

in Central America and Africa. EPA will establish baselines and measure

the progress of these programs in strengthening the analytical capabilities

of laboratories, improving the effectiveness of treatment plants for

drinking water, and implementing source water protection programs in
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targeted communities. This intermediate outcome goal will show progress

in achieving the end outcome of safer drinking water in the communities.

While officials of EPAs program offices recognize that they need additional

outcome goals and measures, they told us that, for the most part, they

would continue to need outputs to manage their programs. They said that

statutory requirements drive many of EPAs output goals and measures and

others are necessary to manage the programs. For example, EPAs fiscal

year 2000 output goal to reassess 20 percent of the pesticide tolerances

(legal amounts of pesticide residue permissible on food) is mandated by

the Food Quality and Protection Act of 1996. The act requires EPA to

reassess within 10 years the 9,721 pesticide tolerances existing in 1996.

Progress in this area is of interest to the Congress and other stakeholders,

including farmers, food processors, and public interest groups.

We noted that some goals that have been established in response to

legislative mandates are outcomes. In enacting the Acid Rain Program, the

Congress included an outcome goal for a specific reduction of nitrogen

oxide. Consequently, EPA has an outcome goal for this program to reduce

annual emissions of nitrogen oxide by 2 million tons by the end of fiscal

year 2000. Superfund officials told us that recent congressional direction

has increased the awareness of the need to develop outcome goals and

measures. In its report accompanying the VA, HUD, and Independent

Agencies fiscal year 2000 appropriations act,2 the Senate Committee on

Appropriations expressed concern that EPA had gauged the performance

of the Superfund Program solely on outputs, such as the number of

contaminated sites cleaned up, and had no outcome-oriented measures

that directly address reduction of risk to human health and welfare and

the environment. The Superfund program plans to establish an outcome

goal to specify the percentage of sites where human exposure and ground

water releases have been controlled.

Conclusions While EPA has developed outcome goals and measures for its various

strategic goals and objectives, its progress has been limited because of

gaps in the environmental data needed to determine the impact of its

programs. EPA has recently established an Office of Environmental

Information to fill such gaps, but it is too early to tell what contributions

2

S. Rep. No. 106-161, at 89 (1999).
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the new office will make in providing the data needed by EPA to establish

outcome goals and measures. The success of the new office will largely

depend upon the extent to which the program offices are able to identify

their specific data requirements. Current actions by several program

offices to develop more outcome-oriented performance goals and

measures are a step in the right direction toward identifying such

requirements.

Agency Comments We provided a draft of this report to EPA for its review and comment. EPA

commented that the report presents a balanced picture of the challenges

the agency faces in developing more outcome-oriented performance goals

and measures and the progress that it has made. EPA generally agreed with

the reports classifications of the agencys performance goals and measures

as outputs, intermediate outcomes, and end outcomes; although, in a few

cases, EPA believed that the goals and the measures classified as outputs

reasonably could be considered intermediate outcomes. However, EPA

recognized that such classifications are subject to the application of the

best professional judgment and that reclassifying them would not

materially affect the reports conclusions. We believe that our

classifications of EPAs performance goals and measures are appropriate

and consistent with the definitions of outputs, intermediate outcomes, and

end outcomes that we used in performing our work. (See app. I.) EPA also

provided specific technical comments and clarifications that we have

included in the report.

The scope and methodology for our work are discussed in appendix I. We

performed our work from August 1999 through March 2000 in accordance

with generally accepted auditing standards.
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As arranged with your offices, unless you publicly announce its contents

earlier, we will make no further distribution of this report until 7 days after

the date of this letter. At that time, we will send copies of this report to the

Honorable Carol Browner, EPA Administrator, and to other interested

parties. We will also make copies available to others on request. If you or

your staff have any questions, please call me at (202) 512-6111. Major

contributors to this report were Edward Kratzer, Ralph Running, Donald

Pless, and Bernice Dawson.

David G. Wood

Associate Director, Environmental

Protection Issues
Page 21 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures
Page 22 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Appendix I

Objectives, Scope, and Methodology AAppenednxidxeiIs

We were asked by the Chairman, Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure, House of Representatives, and the Chairman, Committee on

Science, House of Representatives, to (1) determine the extent to which the

Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) fiscal year 2000 performance

goals and measures focus on end outcomes, intermediate outcomes, or

outputs; (2) identify any challenges the agency faces in developing

additional performance goals and measures that focus on end outcomes;

and (3) describe the initiatives the agency is taking to address any

identified challenges.

To determine the extent to which EPAs fiscal year 2000 performance goals

and measures are outcomes, we obtained and reviewed EPAs Fiscal Year

2000 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification, the

Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, and the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-11 part 2. We classified the

performance goals and measures in the agencys annual performance plan

either as outcome or output using the definitions provided by OMBs

Circular A-11. We further classified performance goals and measures as

intermediate outcomes. The Government Performance and Results Act and

OMBs guidance do not define intermediate outcomes. Therefore,

consistent with previous GAO work, for review purposes, we defined

intermediate outcomes as goals and measures that provide information on

the results, the effects, or the consequences of programs and activities that

are expected to lead to end outcomes but are not themselves ends.1 We

compared our evaluation with classifications prepared by EPAs Office of

Planning, Analysis, and Accountability (OPAA) and found them to be

generally consistent. However, EPA did not break outcomes into end

outcomes and intermediate outcomes.

To gain a better understanding of the relationship of EPAs annual

performance goals and measures to the agencys strategic goals, we

obtained and reviewed the agencys strategic plan and discussed the

strategic goals and objectives with program officials responsible for its

development. We also obtained and reviewed guidance that the Office of

the Chief Financial Officer issued to the program offices to prepare the

annual performance plan and discussed with EPA officials their

1

Results Act: Information on Performance Goals and Measures Contained in the Department

of Transportations Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Plan (GAO/RCED-00-13R, Nov. 15, 1999)

and Managing for Results: Measuring Program Results That Are Under Limited Federal

Control (GAO/GGD-99-16, Dec. 11, 1998).
Appendix I

Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Page 23 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

interpretation and understanding of the guidance related to the

development of the programs outcome goals and measures.

To better understand the challenges EPA faces in developing additional

outcome goals and measures as well as the actions the agency is taking to

address these challenges, we interviewed EPA budget and program

officials responsible for their development. Our review included interviews

with officials in the program offices responsible for achieving the

performance goals in the annual plan, including the Office of Air and

Radiation; the Office of Water; the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency

Response; the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances; the

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance; the Office of Research

and Development; and the Office of International Activities. At each office,

we discussed the process and the criteria used to develop performance

goals and measures, the need to develop additional outcome goals and

measures, and the constraints and the challenges to developing outcome

goals and measures. Each program office was also requested to provide

information on any activities or initiatives it was taking or planned to take

to develop outcome goals or measures and the time frames for when more

outcome goals or measures might be included in its annual performance

plan.

We conducted our review from August 1999 through March 2000 in

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
Page 24 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Appendix II

Strategic Goals in EPAs September 1997 

Strategic Plan ApendxiI

Source: EPA.

Number Strategic goal Description

1 Clean air The air in every American community will be safe and healthy to breathe. In 

particular, children, the elderly, and people with respiratory ailments will be 

protected from health risks of breathing polluted air. Reducing air pollution will 

also protect the environment, resulting in many benefits, such as restoring life 

in damaged ecosystems and reducing health risks to those whose subsistence 

depends directly on those ecosystems.

2 Clean and safe water All Americans will have drinking water that is clean and safe to drink. Effective 

protection of America’s rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, and coastal and ocean 

waters will sustain fish, plants, and wildlife, as well as recreational, subsistence, 

and economic activities. Watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems will be 

restored and protected to improve public health, enhance water quality, reduce 

flooding, and provide habitat for wildlife.

3 Safe food The foods Americans eat will be free from unsafe pesticide residues. Children 

especially will be protected from the health threats posed by pesticide residues, 

because they are among the most vulnerable groups in our society.

4 Preventing pollution and reducing risk 

in communities, homes, workplaces 

and ecosystems

Pollution prevention and risk management strategies aimed at cost-effectively 

eliminating, reducing, or minimizing emissions and contamination will result in 

cleaner and safer environments in which all Americans can reside, work, and 

enjoy life. EPA will safeguard ecosystems and promote the health of natural 

communities that are integral to the quality of life in this nation.

5 Better waste management, restoration 

of contaminated waste sites, and 

emergency response

America’s wastes will be stored, treated, and disposed of in ways that prevent 

harm to people and to the natural environment. EPA will work to clean up 

previously polluted sites, restoring them to uses appropriate for surrounding 

communities, and respond to and prevent waste-related or industrial accidents.

6 Reduction of global and cross-border 

environmental risks

The United States will lead other Nation’s in successful, multilateral efforts to 

reduce significant risks to human health and ecosystems from climate change, 

stratospheric ozone depletion, and other hazards of environmental concern.

7 Expansion of American’s right to know 

about their environment

Easy access to a wealth of information about the state of their local 

environment will expand citizen involvement and give people tools to protect 

their families and their communities as they see fit. Increased information 

exchange between scientists, public health officials, businesses, citizens, and 

all levels of government will foster greater knowledge about the environment 

and what can be done to protect it. 

8 Sound science, improved 

understanding of environmental risk, 

and greater innovation to address 

environmental problems

EPA will develop and apply the best available science for addressing current 

and future environmental hazards, as well as new approaches toward 

improving environmental protection.

9 A credible deterrent to pollution and 

greater compliance with the law

EPA will ensure full compliance with the laws intended to protect human health 

and the environment.

10 Effective management EPA will establish a management infrastructure that will set and implement the 

highest quality standards for effective internal management and fiscal 

responsibility.
Page 25 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Appendix III

Performance Goals and Measures In EPAs 

Fiscal Year 2000 Performance Plan ApendxiI

a

Three of the fiscal year 2000 performance measures for EPA’s Strategic goal for Enforcement/ 

Compliance are necessary to establish statistically valid noncompliance rates and other baselines for 

three intermediate outcome measures included in EPA’s Fiscal Year 2001 Annual Performance Plan 

and Congressional Justification.

Source: GAO’s analysis of EPA data.

Performance goals Performance measures

Strategic goal

OutputsIntermediate

outcomes

End

outcomesPercentage

outputs

Percentage

outcomes

OutputsIntermediate

outcomes

End

outcomes

Percentage

outputs

Percentage

outcomes

Clean Air 9 0 5 64 36 19 0 14 58 42

Clean Water 30 4 9 70 30 65 7 10 79 21

Safe Food 4 0 1 80 20 16 0 1 94 6

Pollution 

Prevention

19 3 7 66 34 28 4 10 67 33

Waste 

Management

14 8 1 61 39 34 6 2 81 19

Global and 

Cross Border

15 0 6 71 29 27 1 6 79 21

Right to Know 11 2 0 85 15 28 3 0 90 10

Sound 

Science

19 1 0 95 5 34 1 1 94 6

Enforcement/ 

Compliance

5 1 1 71 29 15a 2 1 83 17

Effective 

Management

12 0 0 100 0 29 0 0 100 0

Total 138 19 30 74 26 295 24 45 81 19
Page 26 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance 

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000 

Performance Plan ApendxiIV

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Strategic Goal 1 − Clean 

Air

Certify that 5 of the 

estimated 30 remaining 

non-attainment areas have 

achieved the 1-hour 

National Ambient Air 

Quality Standards 

(NAAQS) for ozone. (Nonattainment areas do not 

meet one or more of the 

NAAQS for certain types of 

air pollutants designated in 

the Clean Air Act.)

4 1,406,000-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 

volatile organic compounds 

emissions 

3

936,000-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 

nitrogen oxide emissions

3

343,000-ton reduction in 

national non-road mobile 

source volatile organic 

compounds emissions 

3

133,000-ton reduction in 

national non-road mobile 

source nitrogen oxide 

emissions

3

Number of non-attainment 

areas to have the 1-hour 

ozone standard revoked

4

None (The goal is an 

output. Maintain progress 

and continue to implement 

measures to reduce 

particulate emissions, and 

transition to and implement 

the particulate matter 2.5 

NAAQS.)

1 55,000-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 

particulate matter 10 

emissions 

3

52,000-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 

particulate matter 2.5 

emissions

3

Continued
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 27 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Nationwide, reduce air 

toxics emissions from 

stationary and mobile 

sources combined by 5 

percent from 1999 (for a 

cumulative reduction of 30 

percent from the 1993 level 

of 1.3 million tons.)

3 5-percent reduction in 

combined stationary and 

mobile source air toxics 

emissions

3

21,871-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 

benzene emissions

3

3,498-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 1.3 

butadiene emissions

3

14,400-ton reduction in 

national highway vehicle 

formaldehyde emissions

3

Maintain healthful and 

improve substandard 

ambient air quality with 

respect to carbon 

monoxide, sulfur dioxide, 

nitrogen dioxide, and lead.

4 100 percent of areas that 

have been designated as 

meeting national air quality 

standards will continue to 

maintain healthful standards 

for carbon monoxide, sulfur 

dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, 

and lead. 

4

Reduce the level of 

nitrogen oxide from coalfired utility sources by 2 

million tons from levels 

before implementation of 

Title IV of the Clean Air Act 

Amendments. Reflects total 

reduction that will be 

maintained annually.

 3 2-million-ton nitrogen oxide 

reduction

3

Reduce emissions of sulfur 

dioxide from utility sources 

by 5 million tons from the 

1980 baseline. Reflects 

total reduction that will be 

maintained annually. 

3 5-million-ton reduction in 

sulfur dioxide emissions

3

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 28 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Strategic Goal 2 − Clean 

Water

Reduce the consumption of 

contaminated fish and 

exposure to contaminated 

recreational waters by 

increasing the information 

available to the public and 

decisionmakers.

5 None None

91 percent of the 

population served by 

community drinking water 

systems will receive 

drinking water meeting all 

health-based standards 

that were in effect as of 

1994.

5 91 percent of the population 

served by community 

drinking water systems will 

receive water for which 

there have been no 

violations during the year of 

any federally enforceable 

health-based standards that 

were in effect as of 1994.

5

States and community 

water systems will 

increase efforts and 

programs to protect 

their source water 

resources including 

ground water.

2 7,000 community 

water systems 

implementing efforts 

to protect their 

source water 

resources, such as 

wellheads, sole 

source aquifers, and 

watersheds

2

Estimated number of 

community water 

systems (and 

estimated 

percentage of 

population served) 

implementing a 

multiple barrier 

approach to prevent 

drinking water 

contamination (No 

target)

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 29 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

A population of 28 

million will be served 

by community water 

systems that are 

implementing efforts 

to protect their 

source water 

resources, such as 

wellheads, sole 

source aquifers, and 

watersheds. 

2

At least 100 eligible 

drinking water 

systems will have 

initiated operations 

that will protect human 

health and ensure 

compliance with 

health-based drinking 

water standards 

through use of the 

Drinking Water State 

Revolving Fund.

2 100 community and 

nonprofit, 

noncommunity water 

systems that have 

initiated operations 

as a result of 

receiving funds from 

the Drinking Water 

State Revolving 

Fund

2

Restore and protect 

watersheds through 

implementation of Clean 

Water Act Strategies.

6 Assessed river miles, lake 

acres, and estuary square 

miles that are covered 

under Watershed 

Restoration Action 

Strategies and were 

restored to their designated 

uses during the reporting 

period 

6

Reduce the number of 

nonpoint sources 

contributing to the 

total load of fecal 

contamination and 

nutrients in two 

targeted Gulf 

watersheds.

2 None None

Improve habitat in the 

Chesapeake Bay.

4 71,500 acres of submerged 

aquatic vegetation will be 

present in the Chesapeake 

Bay.

4

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 30 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

877 stream miles of 

migratory fish habitat will be 

reopened through provision 

of fish passages.

4

70 percent of 

agricultural, 

recreational and 

public lands have 

voluntarily integrated 

pest management 

practices in the 

Chesapeake Bay 

watershed.

2

40 percent of 

wastewater flow into 

the Chesapeake is 

treated by biological 

nutrient removal. 

2

Another two million people 

will receive the benefits of 

the secondary treatment of 

wastewater, for a total of 

181 million people.

5 Two million additional 

people will receive the 

benefits of the secondary 

treatment of wastewater.

5

54 percent of biosolids are 

beneficially reused.

3 Publicly owned treatment 

works beneficially reusing 

all or a part of their 

biosolids, and where data 

exists, the percentage of 

biosolids generated that are 

beneficially reused are 54 

percent

3

Reduce the number of 

homes in Indian country 

with inadequate 

wastewater sanitation 

systems by 6 percent 

through funding from the 

Clean Water State 

Revolving Fund Tribal Set 

Aside Program.

5 6-percent reduction in the 

number of homes in Indian 

country with inadequate 

wastewater sanitation 

systems

5

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 31 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Industrial discharges of 

nonconventional pollutants 

will be reduced by 1.5 

billion pounds per year (a 7 

percent reduction) as 

compared to 1992 

discharges when 

considerations for growth 

are considered.

3 1.5-billion-pound reduction 

in loadings in permit 

compliance system 

database for facilities 

subject to effluent 

guidelines promulgated 

prior to 1998, as compared 

to 1992 levels

3

Industrial discharges of 

toxic pollutants will be 

reduced by 4 million 

pounds per year (a 14 

percent reduction) and 

conventional pollutants will 

be reduced by 388 million 

pounds per year (a 9 

percent reduction) as 

compared to 1992 

discharges when 

consideration for growth 

are considered.

. 3 388-million-pound reduction 

in loadings in permits 

compliance system for 

conventional pollutants for 

facilities subject to effluent 

guidelines promulgated 

prior to 1998, as compared 

to 1992 levels

3

4-million-pound reduction in 

loadings in permits 

compliance system of toxic 

pollutants for facilities 

subject to effluent 

guidelines promulgated 

prior to 1998, as compared 

to 1992 levels

3

Through assistance 

under the Clean Water 

Action Section 104(g), 

699 wastewater 

treatment facilities will 

be prevented from 

going into Clean 

Water Act 

noncompliance or 

assisted in moving 

toward compliance.

2 699 wastewater 

facilities are 

prevented from going 

into Clean Water Act 

non-compliance or 

assisted in moving 

toward compliance.

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 32 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Strategic Goal 3 - Safe 

Food

Use of pesticides classified 

as having the highest 

potential to cause cancer, 

or neurotoxic effects, will be 

reduced by 5 percent (from 

the fiscal year 1995 

baseline).

3 5-percent reduction of 

pesticide use that has the 

highest potential to cause 

cancer or neurotoxic effects

Strategic Goal 4 - 

Pollution Prevention

10 to 15 model 

agricultural 

partnership projects 

will be implemented 

that demonstrate and 

facilitate the adoption 

of farm management 

decisions and 

practices that provide 

growers with a 

“reasonable transition” 

away from the highest 

risk pesticides.

2 Implementation of 

10-15 model 

agricultural 

partnership pilot 

projects

2

Protect homes, 

communities, and 

workplaces from harmful 

exposure to pesticides and 

related pollutants through 

improved cultural practices 

and enhanced public 

education, resulting in a 

reduction of 5 percent, or 

20 percent cumulative, 

(from 1994 levels) in the 

incidences of pesticide 

poisonings reported 

nationwide.

5 20-percent reduction in 

pesticide poisonings

5

15 percent of 

pesticides with high 

probability to 

leach/persist in 

groundwater will be 

managed.

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 33 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Reduce exposure to toxic 

fibers by identifying fibers 

of concern and addressing 

risks through outreach, 

voluntary initiatives, and 

regulatory actions.

5 None None

890,000 additional people 

will live in healthier 

residential indoor 

environments.

5 315,000 additional people 

will live in radon-resistant 

homes.

5

64,000 additional people will 

live in radon-mitigated 

homes. 

5

360,000 fewer children will 

be exposed to 

environmental tobacco 

smoke. 

5

890,000 additional people 

will live in healthier indoor 

air. 

5

2,580,000 students, faculty, 

and staff will experience 

improved indoor air quality 

in their schools.

5 2,580,000 students, faculty, 

and staff will experience 

improved indoor air quality 

in their schools.

5

The quantity of Toxic 

Release Inventory 

pollutants released, 

treated, or combusted for 

energy recovery will be 

reduced by 200 million 

pounds, or 2 percent, from 

1999 reporting levels.

3 200-million-pound reduction 

of Toxic Release Inventory 

pollutants

3

None (The goal is an 

output: Continue to assure 

broad implementation and 

reporting of pollution 

prevention measures by 

facilities required to submit 

Toxic Release Inventory 

data.)

1 145,000 facilities

submit form Rs with

source reduction

activity.

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 34 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Achieve a 5-percent 

increase in the use of 

cleaner flexographic 

ink technologies and 

cleaner (water-or-nonsolvent-based) 

adhesives or bonding 

techniques in foam 

furniture products.

2 None None

From the 1998 

baseline, expand 

pollution prevention 

practices in the 

garment and textile 

industries by 

achieving a 35-

percent increase in 

the use of safer 

alternative cleaning 

technologies.

2 35-percent increase 

in the use of 

alternative cleaning 

technologies

2

Reduce persistent, 

bioaccumulative, and toxic 

chemicals in hazardous 

waste streams by 10 

percent as compared to the 

1991 baseline.

3 10-percent reduction in 

persistent, bioaccumulative, 

and toxic chemicals in 

hazardous waste streams

3

Divert an additional 1 

percent (for a cumulative 

total of 29 percent or 64 

million tons) of municipal 

solid waste from landfilling 

and combustion, and 

maintain per-capita 

generation of Resource 

Conservation and 

Recovery Act (RCRA) 

municipal solid waste at 4.3 

million pounds per day.

3 64 million tons of municipal 

solid waste will be diverted.

3

4.3 million pounds of daily 

municipal solid waste 

generation will be 

maintained.

3

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 35 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Strategic Goal 5 - Waste 

Management

170 (for a cumulative total 

of 408 or 24 percent) of 

high priority RCRA facilities 

will have human exposures 

controlled and 170 (for a 

cumulative total of 289 or 

17 percent) of high priority 

RCRA facilities will have 

groundwater releases 

controlled.

3 170 high-priority RCRA 

facilities with human 

exposures to toxins 

controlled

3

170 high-priority RCRA 

facilities with human 

exposures to groundwater 

controlled

3

Maximize all aspects 

of Potentially 

Responsible Party 

participation, including 

70 percent of the work 

conducted on new 

construction starts at 

nonfederal facility 

sites on the National 

Priorities List, and 

emphasize fairness in 

the settlement 

process. Result is 

timely and protective 

cleanup of the nation’s 

worst contaminated 

sites and other 

significant threats to 

public health.

2 None None

Complete 21,000 

leaking underground 

storage tank (LUST) 

cleanups.

2 21,000 LUST

cleanups completed

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 36 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

90 percent of 

underground storage 

tanks will be in 

compliance with the 

December 22, 1998, 

requirement, which 

improves upon the 

estimated 65 percent 

as of December 22, 

1998 deadline.

2 90 percent of 

underground storage 

tanks in compliance 

with the 1998 

deadline

2

74 percent (141 for a 

cumulative total of 

2,600 out of 3,536) of 

existing RCRA 

municipal solid waste 

facilities in states will 

have approved 

controls in place to 

prevent dangerous 

releases to air, soil, 

groundwater, and 

surface water.

2 74 percent of 

existing RCRA 

municipal solid 

waste facilities in 

states will have 

approved controls in 

place to prevent 

dangerous releases 

to air, soil, 

groundwater, and 

surface water.

2

146 more hazardous 

waste management 

facilities will have 

approved controls in 

place to prevent 

dangerous releases to 

air, soil, and 

groundwater, for 65 

percent of 3,380 

facilities.

2 146 hazardous 

waste management 

facilities with permits 

or other controls in 

place

2

75 percent of facilities 

will be in compliance 

with the Risk 

Management Plan 

(RMP) submission 

requirements, 6 states 

(for a cumulative total 

of 13) will be 

implementing the 

RMP program, and 

300 audits will be 

completed on RMP 

plans to determine 

completeness and 

accuracy.

2 75 percent of 

facilities in 

compliance with the 

RMP requirements

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 37 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

400 additional facilities 

will be in compliance 

with the Spill 

Prevention, Control 

and Countermeasure 

(SPCC) provisions of 

the oil pollution 

prevention regulations 

(for a cumulative total 

of 890 facilities.)

2 400 facilities in 

compliance with the 

SPCC provisions

2

Facilities will be 

managed so as to 

prevent releases into 

the environment.

2 None None

Strategic Goal 6 − Cross 

Border and Global

Aquatic, wetland, riverine, 

and terrestrial habitat 

protection and restoration 

projects funded by the 

Great Lakes National 

Program Office will impact 

an additional 6,000 acres.

4 6,000 aquatic, wetland, 

riverine, and terrestrial 

habitat acres affected by the 

Great Lakes National 

Program Office

4

Documented reductions or 

progress which fulfills 

challenges under the 

Binational Toxics Strategy.

3 10 actions 

catalogued and 

publicized 

(partnerships or 

virtual elimination 

demonstration 

projects) initiated 

toward reduction 

challenges under the 

Binational Toxics 

Strategy

2

Greenhouse gas emissions 

will be reduced from 

projected levels by more 

than 50 million metric ton 

carbon equivalent per year 

through EPA partnerships 

with businesses, schools, 

state and local 

governments, and other 

organizations. Reduction 

level will increase 10 million 

metric tons over 1999.

3 50-million-metric-ton carbon 

equivalent reduction in 

annual greenhouse gas 

emissions

3

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 38 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Reduce energy 

consumption from 

projected levels by more 

than 60 billion kilowatt 

hours, resulting in over $ 8 

billion in energy savings to 

consumers and businesses 

that participate in EPA’s 

climate change programs. 

Increase of 15 billionkilowatt hours and $ 5 

million in annual energy 

savings over 1999.

3 60-billion-kilowatt-hour 

annual energy savings

3

Restrict domestic 

consumption of class II 

hydrochlorofluorocarbons 

below 208,400 metric tons 

and restrict domestic 

exempted production and 

import of newly produced 

class I chlorofluorocarbons 

and halons below 130,000 

metric tons.

3 Less than 208,400-metricton domestic consumption 

of class II 

hydrochlorofluorocarbons

3

Less than 130,000 metric 

tons of domestic exempted 

production and import of 

newly produced class I 

chlorofluorocarbons and 

halons

3

Restrict domestic 

consumption of 

methylbromide by 25 

percent of baseline levels.

3 Less than 19,200-metric-ton 

domestic consumption of 

methylbromide

3

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 39 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Strategic Goal 7 - Right to 

Know

All community water 

systems will issue 

annual consumer 

confidence reports 

according to the rule 

promulgated in August 

1998.

2 55,000 community 

water systems will 

comply with the 

regulations to 

publish consumer 

confidence reports.

2

249 million people 

will be served by 

community water 

systems that will 

comply with the 

regulation to publish 

consumer 

confidence reports.

2

By FY 2000, 75 

percent of 

environmental 

monitoring for public 

access and 

community tracking 

(EMPACT) 

communities will have 

in place, or will have 

initiated, community 

based strategies for 

time relevant 

environmental 

monitoring, 

information 

management and 

communication that 

will result in sustained 

community capacity to 

deliver timely 

environmental 

information.

2 Number of 

community-based 

strategies in place 

(i.e., number of 

pilots)

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 40 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

Strategic Goal 8 - Sound 

Science

None (Goal is an output: 

Implement sectorwide 

environmental strategies 

that will lead to reduced 

priority emissions, Toxic 

Release Inventory 

emissions, water use, 

energy use and volatile 

organic compounds 

emissions as well as nonpoint source pollution and 

nitrogen fertilizer use 

among participating firms.)

1 30-percent reduction in 

emissions

3

All 50 Project XL 

(eXcellence and 

Leadership) projects 

will be implemented.

2 50 Project XL 

projects in 

implementation

2

Strategic Goal 9 - 

Credible Deterrent

Deter and reduce 

noncompliance and 

achieve environmental and 

human improvements by 

maintaining a strong, 

timely, and active 

enforcement presence. 

EPA will direct enforcement 

actions to maximize 

compliance and address 

environmental and human 

health problems; 75 

percent of concluded 

enforcement actions will 

require environmental or 

human health 

improvements, such as 

pollutant reductions and/or 

physical or management 

process changes.

3 300-million-pound reduction 

in pollution

3

35 percent of actions 

require pollutant 

reductions

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page
Appendix IV

End and Intermediate Outcome Performance

Goals and Measures in EPAs Fiscal Year 2000

Performance Plan

Page 41 GAO/RCED-00-77 EPAs Performance Goals and Measures

iIncrease entities selfpolicing and selfcorrection of 

environmental 

problems through use 

of EPA incentive 

policies: small 

business, small 

community and audit 

policies over fiscal 

year 1998 levels.

2 1150 facilities selfdisclose potential 

violations.

2

End outcome goals

Intermediate 

outcome

performance goals

Level in

hierarchy

of

indicators

End outcome 

performance measures

Intermediate 

outcome 

performance 

measures

Level in

hierarchy of

indicators

Continued from Previous Page

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