EVERYDAY CHOICES: 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR 

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

Technical Report 

prepared by the 

EPA Environmental Stewardship Staff Committee 

for the 

EPA Innovation Action Council 

November 2005 
i 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page

INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1

CHAPTER 1: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND HOW IT 

CONTRIBUTES TO EPA’S MISSION.......................................................................................3

1.1 SOMETHING IS HAPPENING ......................................................................................................3 

1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP – AN EMERGING VISION AND FRAMEWORK.........................6 

1.3 ENABLING AND ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP – A CHANGING ROLE 

FOR EPA ................................................................................................................................13 

CHAPTER 2: EPA’S CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES..............................................................................................16

2.1 A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF EPA’S CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ..................................................................................................16 

2.2 PERSPECTIVES FROM STATE OFFICIALS, EXPERTS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS...................24 

CHAPTER 3: OPPORTUNITIES FOR EPA LEADERSHIP ..............................................29

3.1 USE RECOGNITION/CHALLENGE PROGRAMS IN A STRATEGIC WAY TO MOTIVATE 

BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS............................30 

3.2 ENERGIZE INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 

STEWARDSHIP........................................................................................................................31 

3.3 LEAD BY EXAMPLE AT EPA FACILITIES AND IN EPA OPERATIONS .......................................32 

3.4 INSPIRE EPA STAFF TO PRACTICE STEWARDSHIP ..................................................................34 

3.5 USE INFORMATION AND MARKETS TO FOSTER STEWARDSHIP OF ECOSYSTEMS ....................35 

3.6 ENCOURAGE STEWARDSHIP IN COMMUNITIES .......................................................................36 

3.7 PROMOTE PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP .......................................................................................37 

CHAPTER 4: STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 

STEWARDSHIP AT EPA ..........................................................................................................40

4.1 STRENGTHEN MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING ON RESULTS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL 

STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................40 

4.2. IMPROVE EPA-WIDE COMMUNICATION, OUTREACH AND MARKETING ...................................48 

4.3 UNIFY EPA ACTIVITIES TO MAKE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL 

AUDIENCES ............................................................................................................................51 

4.4 REFLECT STEWARDSHIP IN EPA PLANNING, BUDGETING AND ACCOUNTABILITY 

SYSTEMS................................................................................................................................51 
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4.5 ALIGN EPA EFFORTS WITH STATE AND TRIBAL ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES........................53 

4.6 REFINE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES TO REALIZE FULL 

VALUE....................................................................................................................................55 

4.7 IMPROVE OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE – PERFORM CRITICAL RESEARCH........................................57 

APPENDIX A: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP & EPA: CHARGE FROM 

THE ADMINISTRATOR TO THE INNOVATION ACTION COUNCIL..................59 

APPENDIX B: ROSTER OF PROJECT PARTICIPANTS ..................................................61 

APPENDIX C: DETAILED SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS WITH STATE 

OFFICIALS, EXPERTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS .........................................62 

APPENDIX D: STEWARDSHIP RESOURCE OUTCOME STATEMENTS ....................80 

APPENDIX E: SOME DEFINITIONS OF STEWARDS AND STEWARDSHIP ..............84 

APPENDIX F: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FOR THE CRITICAL 

ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................................88 

ENDNOTES......................................................................................................99 

APPENDIX G: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP MEASUREMENT 

REPORT.................................................................................................................[web link]

APPENDIX H: BENCHMARKING REPORT ON PERFORMANCE 

MEASURES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND 

INNOVATION .......................................................................................................[web link]

APPENDIX I: OPTIONS PAPERS .............................................................................[web link] 

APPENDIX J: LIST OF EPA ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

PROGRMS AND DESCRIPTIONS ....................................................................[web link]

[Web links to be supplied in the near future.] 
iii 

[This page intentionally blank.] 
1 

INTRODUCTION 

On May 9, 2005, Administrator Stephen L. Johnson asked the EPA Innovation Action Council 

(IAC), a group of the most senior career officials from each headquarters and regional office, to 

undertake a special project on environmental stewardship. (See Appendix A, “Environmental 

Stewardship and EPA: Charge from the Administrator to the Innovation Action Council.”) 

In his charge, the Administrator noted that “in addition to operating effective regulatory and 

enforcement programs, EPA is gaining substantial experience with stewardship approaches – 

including voluntary programs, market incentives, recognition and leadership programs, pollution 

prevention, environmental education, information and collaborative problem solving. Although 

these stewardship efforts are designed to produce environmental results, EPA can improve their 

effectiveness with a more unified strategy and with clear goals and priorities.” 

With this in mind, he asked the Innovation Action Council to do three things: 

1. Explore and better define EPA’s vision of environmental stewardship and the role of 

stewardship in the future of environmental protection; 

2. Assess EPA’s current environmental stewardship activities to determine effectiveness 

and opportunities for improvement; and 

3. Recommend options and priorities for how EPA, in partnership with states and tribes, can 

encourage stewardship that addresses environmental priorities and achieves results. 

The IAC responded by establishing a Steering Committee, composed mainly of IAC members, 

and a staff committee that had broad representation from around the Agency. (See Appendix B) 

The staff committee has met almost every week since it was established and has been very 

actively and enthusiastically engaged throughout the project. In addition to its own research, the 

staff committee also drew on the wisdom of a number of experts and stakeholders and several 

outside consultants. 

The report to the Administrator, Everyday Choices: Opportunities for Environmental 

Stewardship, is the IAC’s official response to the Administrator’s charge. This technical report 

and appendices from the staff committee to the IAC provide many details that could not be 

included in a short report. The staff committee wrote and rewrote many papers on a wide range 

of topics. Many of these papers appear as sections in the technical report and the appendices. 

Taken together they illustrate the logic and the many opportunities for EPA’s active involvement 

in environmental stewardship. 

The first chapter in this technical report addresses the first part of the charge, to explore and 

better define EPA’s vision and role in environmental stewardship. Chapter 2 contains the 

assessment requested in the second part of the charge and the results of the interviews conducted 

with state officials, experts and other stakeholders. Chapters 3 and 4 respond to the third part of 

the charge, concerning options and priorities for EPA. 
2 

It is important to stress that the ideas and proposals described in this technical report were 

developed by the staff committee as background material for the IAC response to the 

Administrator. They have been compiled in this report to help inform the broader dialogue about 

environmental stewardship at EPA and to serve as a resource during the implementation phase of 

this project. 
3 

CHAPTER 1: 

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND HOW IT 

CONTRIBUTES TO EPA’S MISSION 

1.1 SOMETHING IS HAPPENING 

An industry official approves the design of a new product. An individual selects a new 

automobile. A community launches a new recycling system. A state government purchasing 

agent buys supplies. 

These are everyday choices – each of which may appear to be small and of little consequence, 

but when multiplied by the number of times they are made every day they have significant 

implications for the environment and the quality of life for everyone. Some of the people making 

these choices understand these consequences and factor them into their decisions. Others make 

no connection. 

Now consider the following news stories from the last 14 months: 

• The president of a major U.S. manufacturing company announces plans to invest $1.5 

billion in the development of cleaner technologies and products over the next ten years, 

positioning the company for new sales. “We plan to make money doing it,” he says.1

• The number of individuals placing orders for new hybrid-fueled automobiles creates 

months-long backlogs.2

• The mayors of 50 cities from around the world sign the United Nations Urban 

Environmental Accords, listing 21 actions to improve energy use, waste reduction, urban 

design, urban nature, transportation, environmental health and water use.3

• The U.S. Secretary of the Army issues a far-reaching “Army Strategy for the 

Environment: Sustain the Mission – Secure the Future,” mandating principles of 

sustainability across the Army specifically to strengthen its long-term military 

effectiveness.4

These are news stories about leaders among business, individuals, communities and government 

organizations voluntarily making choices in the course of their everyday lives and work – 

choices that in these cases make economic sense and will help improve environmental quality 

and achieve sustainable outcomes. Among the leaders, there is what some people are calling the 

race to the top. These stories are not what many people expect to hear. These stories are about 

leaders and they do not yet reflect broad practice among the 295 million Americans who make 

countless decisions every day that affect the environment. But they demonstrate what can and is 

being done around the United States and the world. 

Throughout the millennia there have always been people who have voluntarily made choices that 

respected the long-term interests of the environment. Stewardship has a long history in many 
4 

cultures. Close to home, these values and practices have been and continue to be central for most 

American Indians – considered by many to be the first practitioners of environmental 

stewardship in North America. George Washington practiced stewardship as a farmer. The 

consequences of poor environmental stewardship were often not as severe when the population 

and economy were smaller and technologies were simpler than they are today, but serious 

human-caused environmental problems have occurred at a number of times and places.5

Today, some people and organizations see that ecologically sustainable choices are in their best 

interest. They see that ecologically sustainable choices are likely to be economically sustainable. 

For them, environmental stewardship is a natural part of the marketplace and can be the route to 

sustainability. 

Consider this recent statement by the leaders of five highly respected research institutes in five 

major industrialized countries: 

“Over the next 50 years, while the world’s population is forecast 

to increase by 50 percent, global economic activity is expected to 

increase roughly fivefold. Conventional demand studies suggest 

that global energy consumption is likely to rise nearly threefold 

and manufacturing activity at least threefold, driven largely by 

industrialization and infrastructure growth in developing regions. 

Global throughput of material is also likely to triple, according to 

conventional projections.”6

These numbers will likely be somewhat smaller in the US and other developed countries, but the 

global trends will affect everyone. It is fair to say that most people do not want to see 

environmental and other negative resource-related impacts grow by 500%, 300% or even 50%. 

In fact, people want an environment that is cleaner for everyone, a resource base that is more 

robust and an economy that is stronger and supports all individuals. Not only do people want to 

enjoy these benefits in their own lifetimes, but they also want to sustain them for their children 

and grandchildren. 

The choices that businesses, individuals, communities and government organizations make every 

day – product design and manufacture, personal housing and transportation, city planning and 

services, and government procurement and operations – are what ultimately drives the strength 

of our economy and our resource base and the quality of our environment. More specifically, 

environmental degradation or improvement, whether it first appears to be caused by “major” or 

“minor” sources, is ultimately the product of many everyday choices. (See Figure 1.) 

It is possible for the 295 million Americans to make these everyday choices and meet their needs 

while simultaneously improving and sustaining the economy, the resource base, and the 

environment. Careful choices can abundantly provide for and sustain all three for future 

generations. This is the vision that many of the leaders see. They see that this vision can be 

accomplished by making everyday choices carefully – redesigning products, creating new 

transportation options, and so forth. In these changes, they see opportunity for themselves, their 

organizations and the society at large: overall success is linked to the success of each part. 
5 

Figure 1: Who Can Help Solve These Environmental Challenges? 

Proposed approach: Target key groups and their stewardship roles

• product design

• supply chain management

• consumer education

• facility design, management & operation

• purchasing

• facility planning & management

• technology demonstrations

• policies & regulations

• land use 

• ecosystem protection

• infrastructure planning & 

management

Gov’t

Individuals

Companies

Communities

• consumer choices

• transportation

• household management

• local decisions

Other key groups 

• universities

• NGOs

• financial community

• trade associations

Most of these everyday choices are beyond the direct control of government and should remain 

so. While current regulatory programs have yielded remarkable results over the past several 

decades and should be vigorously continued, no amount of regulatory authority or funding would 

be sufficient to meet the current challenges to the environment posed by a changing population, 

economy and technology. But government can help by creating opportunities in the marketplace 

and at large for careful everyday choices – enabling and encouraging environmental stewardship. 

When people have realistic and attractive opportunities to make these careful choices, they often 

do so on their own because they see that it is in their interest and then everyone benefits. 

Today there is wide public recognition and agreement that human prosperity and environmental 

quality go hand in hand and that environment and sustainability are critical to a successful 

society. Equally important, there is a shared understanding that governments can not accomplish 

many important societal goals on their own; for that reason, our understanding of and experience 

with collaboration and partnerships have advanced considerably. 

In response to these developments in the society at large, EPA and its state government partners 

have initiated a series of efforts designed to enable and encourage environmental stewardship. 

Some of these efforts remain small, but some have become substantial programs. At EPA, these 

efforts are emerging throughout headquarters and regional programs. This is what led the EPA 

Administrator to say in his charge to the Innovation Action Council that “in addition to operating 

effective regulatory and enforcement programs, EPA is gaining substantial experience with 

stewardship approaches – including partnership (or voluntary) programs, market incentives, 

recognition and leadership programs, pollution prevention, environmental education, information 

and collaborative problem solving. Although these stewardship efforts are designed to produce 
6 

environmental results, EPA can improve their effectiveness with a more unified strategy and 

with clear goals and priorities.” 

1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP – AN EMERGING VISION AND FRAMEWORK

Dictionary Definitions of Steward and Stewardship 

Steward: [ME. steward < Old English E. stigweard < stig, enclosure, hall, sty + weard, a keeper, ward] 1. 

A person put in charge of the affairs of a large household or estate....7

Stewardship: The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.8

For additional definitions, see Appendix E. 

The mission of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the 

natural environment. Our state government partners have missions that are very similar. Over 

much of our history, we have approached this mission largely through regulations on pollution at 

the point of discharge. In the 1990s, realizing that options for environmental benefits exist 

earlier in a process or activity than the point of discharge, we added the focus of pollution 

prevention to encourage pollution reduction at the source. This approach recognizes the many 

choices that people make every day that affect the environment and creates opportunities for 

them to make them in ways that benefit the environment. Within the Agency, it has also helped 

forge the development of a number of cross-media and integrated activities. 

This development has helped and been helped by an evolving sense of environmental 

responsibility or stewardship, particularly among the leaders of the largest organizations whose 

actions affect the environment. As illustrated in Figure 2, the evolution has progressed from 

compliance, to continuous improvement, to goals and targets, and, most recently, to 

sustainability-based strategies. 

Figure 2: The Evolution of Environmental Stewardship9

Compliance 

Focus on longlasting solutions 

to promote 

sustained env. 

quality

Use of targets, 

measures, & 

reports to 

reduce env. 

footprint

Use of 

measurement 

& reporting to 

improve env. 

performance

Sustainability- 

 based 

 Strategies 

Goals & 

Targets 

Continuous 

Improvement 

Acceptance 

of meeting 

standards & 

requirements
7 

This evolving sense of environmental responsibility or stewardship is exciting because it can 

significantly help to protect human health and the environment – a goal that is widely endorsed 

and integral to EPA’s mission. Indeed, environmental stewardship approaches have already 

begun to yield impressive results. Environmental stewardship can help address a wide variety of 

environmental problems. Current enforcement and compliance methods are and will remain 

essential to the EPA, but in some cases, regulation could achieve greater results if coupled with 

environmental stewardship. In some situations – especially involving many everyday choices – 

stewardship may be the more or only viable approach. It holds the promise of giving private 

parties the opportunity to participate in achieving sustainable environmental results and of 

reducing costs to government. Given the actions already taken by some leaders and the readiness 

of many parts of society to engage, EPA and its state partners have a significant opportunity to 

enable and encourage others to follow. 

The logic of this role is fairly straight-forward. (See Figure 3) By focusing on key groups, such 

as individuals, communities, business and government organizations, EPA can help to enable 

and encourage them to make everyday choices that will lead to the health and sustainable use of 

key natural resources and resource systems: energy, water, materials, ecosystems, land and air. 

With time and collaboration, this will lead to the long-term measurable improvements in the air, 

water and land that we need to protect human health and the natural environment. In this 

context, environmental stewardship is a means and sustainable natural resource systems and 

better environmental quality are ends. 

Figure 3: Stewardship Behavior – One Link Between EPA Activities 

and Environmental Results 

EPA 

Programs 

and 

Activities

Target 

Groups

Individuals 

Communities 

Companies 

Government

Short-term 

Outcomes

Changes in 

attitude, 

knowledge 

& skills

Logic model approach

value practice

Intermediate 

Outcomes

Behavior changes 

that lead to 

sustainable use

Energy

Water

Materials 

Ecosystems 

Land

Air

Long-term 

Outcomes

Environmental 

improvements 

Air 

Water 

Land

EPA’s Strategic Plan currently describes environmental stewardship as a driver that crosses the 

Agency’s five Goals. Specifically, it defines it as follows: “Behavior that includes, but also 

exceeds, required compliance. Stewards of the environment recycle wastes to the greatest extent 

possible, minimize or eliminate pollution at its source, and use energy and natural resources 

efficiently to reduce impacts on the environment.”10
8 

The EPA Innovation Action Council (IAC) has articulated a vision and definition of 

environmental stewardship, to guide the Agency (see Exhibit 1): 

Exhibit 1: Environmental Stewardship: IAC Vision and Definition 

Vision 

EPA’s vision of environmental stewardship is that all parts of society actively take responsibility to 

improve environmental quality and to achieve sustainable outcomes. 

Definition 

Environmental stewardship is the responsibility for environmental quality shared by all those whose 

actions affect the environment, reflected as both a value and a practice by individuals, companies, 

communities, and government organizations. Positive stewardship behavior demonstrates acceptance of 

this responsibility through the continuous improvement of environmental performance to achieve 

measurable results and sustainable outcomes. 

This definition of environmental stewardship is meant to be broad and inclusive. EPA should 

use this definition to encourage everyone to improve their environmental performance. Strong 

environmental stewardship is expressed in both values and practice. 

The values are simple: 

1. Respect for the environmental, on which life depends; 

2. Acceptance of personal and organizational responsibility for environmental quality; and 

3. Recognition of the need to sustain the environment for future generations. (See 

Exhibit 2) 

Exhibit 2: Environmental Stewardship is Future-Oriented 

White House Office of the Federal Environmental Executive 

“We define sustainable environmental stewardship to include those concepts, strategies, tools, practices, 

and approaches that lead to environmental improvement in a manner that is sustainable over time, 

considers the long term effects as well as the shorter term, more immediate effects, and that contributes 

positively, even if indirectly, to the social and economic condition.”11

State of Illinois – Environmental Protection Agency 

“Environmental stewards strive to sustain natural resources and our environment for future generations. 

People depend on natural resources for their livelihood. However, pressures on the environment resulting 

from development are steadily increasing. Therefore, it is necessary for citizens and the business 

community to ensure that their activities and operations are environmentally responsible.”12

University of Michigan 

“Everyone is a steward of the environment around us. We do not own the environment–no one can. We 

are simply caretakers of the resources that we use in our daily lives, and it is our responsibility to 

administer those resources to the best of our abilities so they are available for the use and enjoyment of 

others, including future generations. Stewardship is what we do.... Simply put, stewardship is the concept 

of responsibly managing all of our resources for the benefit of present and future generations of people, 

plants, and animals.”13 
9 

EPA: “Beyond RCRA - Waste and Materials Management in the Year 2020” 

“What kind of world will we actually inhabit in 2020? Some predict that it will be better than the present - 

where products and materials will be less toxic and reusable, and where resources will be used more 

efficiently so that far less waste is produced. Others predict we will experience a bleaker future - where 

harmful chemicals will be more prevalent throughout our environment and may seriously affect 

groundwater, drinking water, and food supplies. While we can’t know which of these scenarios - or others 

- will exist in 20 years, considering the future now makes sense if we want a chance to shape it 

positively.”14 

Iroquois Confederacy: 

“In our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”15

A Journalist 

Every day parents prepare their children for the future; every day we should prepare the future for our 

children.16

The committee developed a list of characteristics or practices and behaviors (see Exhibit 3) 

(“short-term outcomes” in the logic model) of sound environmental stewardship. This list is 

based closely on several widely-recognized sets of principles, such as the Hannover Principles, 

the CERES Principles, the Equator Principles, the Enlibra Principles, the Principles of Ecoefficiency by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, The Natural Step and 

others.17

Exhibit 3: Characteristics (or Practices and Behaviors) of Sound 

Environmental Stewardship 

1. Protects natural systems and uses natural resources effectively and efficiently. Considers and 

reduces the household, community, farm, or company’s entire environmental footprint. Safeguards 

and restores nature at home and elsewhere. Follows the pollution prevention hierarchy of acting 

first to prevent pollution at its source. Uses less toxic, more environmentally benign materials, uses 

local resources and conserves natural resources whenever possible. Reuses and recycles materials 

and wastes. Seeks sustainability. 

2. Makes environment a key part of internal priorities, values and ethics, and leads by example. 

Makes decisions through his/her own volition that will prevent or minimize environmental harm. 

Anticipates, plans for, and takes responsibility for economic, environmental and social 

consequences of actions. Approaches business strategies, policy planning, and life as an integrated 

dynamic with the environment. Acts in innovative ways, using all available tools and adding value 

wherever practical. Adopts holistic, systems approaches. 

3. Holds oneself accountable. Measures the effects of behavior on the environment and seeks 

progress. Applies an understanding of the “carrying capacity” of the environment (the ability of the 

environment to absorb pollution) to measure progress and update objectives to achieve continuous 

improvement, often using indicators, environmental assessments, and environmental management 

systems. 
10 

4. Believes in shared responsibility. Recognizes obligations and connections to shareholders, 

customers, communities at home and elsewhere. Within a company, a steward is concerned with the 

full life cycle of products and services, beyond company boundaries, up and down the supply chain 

(including suppliers, customers and end-of-product-life). Within a community, a steward protects 

the environment for all members and takes responsibility for effects of use of resources extracted 

from other locations, effects on the overall watershed, effects on downstream air pollution, and 

effects of wastes disposed of elsewhere. A steward operates with transparency and encourages 

others to be collaborative stewards. 

5. Invests in the future. Anticipates the needs of future generations while serving the needs of the 

present generation. Actions reflect possible changes in population, the economy and technology. 

Guides the development of technology to minimize negative environmental implications and 

maximize potential stewardship applications. Values and protects natural and social capital. Seeks 

preventative and long-term solutions in community development, business strategy, agricultural 

strategy, and household plans. 

6. Exceeds required compliance. Views environmental regulations only as a floor, not a target. (Note: 

this characteristic applies only to the extent that regulations apply; an environmental steward does 

not have to be part of EPA’s regulatory universe.)

“In an ideal world, regulation is replaced by stewardship; an inherent respect for the environment. In this 

concept of stewardship, everyone takes responsibility for their actions and the use of resources for the 

benefit of the community.” 

 - excerpt from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, “Principles of Enforcement”18 

Another way to look at key stewardship groups is to look at what drives them towards the values 

and practice of environmental stewardship and what barriers they face. The experts and 

stakeholders interviewed in connection with this environmental stewardship project made a 

number of interesting points on this subject. The following chart is drawn largely from their 

comments. (See Exhibit 4). 

Exhibit 4: Drivers and Barriers for Environmental Stewardship 

 Drivers Barriers 

All - Consideration of future generations 

- Concern over environmental, 

economic, and social viability 

Lack of accountability and responsibility; Lack 

of clear goal or end state 

Lack of measuring and valuing tools 

Lack of trust 

Individuals - Individual belief system, altruism 

- Environmental education 

- Recognition of connection between 

environmental quality and quality of 

life 

- Increased awareness & access to 

information and scientific evidence 

Feeling that small, individual actions don’t 

make a difference 

Lack of understanding of connection between 

people and the environment 

Perception that “green” products are more 

costly and of lower quality; reluctance to 

accept cost or quality penalties with purchases 

Reluctance to make lifestyle shifts to 

accommodate stewardship behaviors 
11 

 Drivers Barriers 

Companies - Increased knowledge of business 

benefits from stewardship 

- Public, customer and shareholder 

expectations 

- Pressure for corporate transparency, 

public access to information 

- Competitive pressures for waste 

reduction 

- Desire to reduce risk from noncompliance with basic 

environmental laws, regulations, 

and standards 

- Concern over corporate or brand 

image 

- Awareness of supply chain risks 

and opportunities 

- Emerging international regulations 

Lack of accountability and responsibility 

- Lack of well-documented connection 

between environmental stewardship and 

economic benefits / good business practice 

Consumer perception that “green” products are 

more costly and of lower quality 

Majority of capital market institutions are not 

yet measuring and valuing environmental 

performance and stewardship 

Hard to navigate government programs 

Lack of sufficient technical assistance for small 

and mid-sized businesses 

Lack of economic signals in the marketplace 

Communities - Environmental education 

- Public demand- Recognition of 

connection between environmental 

quality and quality of life 

- Increased awareness & access to 

information and scientific evidence 

- Enhance the effectiveness of public 

services 

General feeling of apathy; lack of 

accountability and responsibility 

- Feeling that small actions don’t make a 

difference 

Lack of understanding of connection between 

people and the environment 

Reluctance to make lifestyle shifts to 

accommodate stewardship behaviors 

Reluctance to agree to up-front costs to support 

stewardship 

Government 

Organizations 

- Public perception, expectations; 

public pressure 

- Pressure for transparency 

- Need to respond to new and complex 

problems 

- Need to achieve better results with 

less resources 

- Demands of stakeholders 

Lack of accountability and responsibility 

Term “environmental stewardship” not widely 

used among state and local government 

agencies 

Difficulty defining environmental stewardship 

and creating consistency across programs 

Lack of alignment between stewardship and 

regulations 

Having defined the target groups and what they can do to practice environmental stewardship, it 

is necessary to define the intermediate outcomes that EPA should work with these groups to 

achieve. 

Effective environmental stewardship requires all of us to manage natural resources in ways that 

protect and enhance – rather than compromise – the ability of future generations to meet their 

own needs. In this project we considered our stewardship of six major groups of natural 

resources: air, ecosystems, energy, land, materials, and water. 

The manner in which we extract (mine/harvest), use, reuse and dispose of these natural resources 

determines the major environmental outcomes with which EPA and the nation at large are 

concerned. How we steward these natural resources is also the key to solutions to environmental 
12 

problems. Proactively supporting innovations to protect, conserve, and enhance these resources 

will enable us to contribute to the well being of both people and the natural environment over the 

long run. 

To this end, the committee developed six simple statements describing the outcomes that the 

nation ought to seek. 

• Air: Sustain clean and healthy air. 

• Ecosystems: Protect and restore ecosystem functions, goods, and services. 

• Energy: Generate clean energy and use it efficiently. 

• Land: Support ecologically sensitive land management and development. 

• Materials: Use materials carefully and shift to environmentally preferable materials. 

• Water: Sustain water resources of quality and availability for desired uses. 

The committee expended considerable effort to describe these outcomes in greater detail, in the 

belief that such statements could be very useful for planning, implementation and 

measurement/evaluation. These outcome statements are included in Appendix D. 

Because these six natural resources are each part of a larger, life-sustaining system, the 

stewardship of any single resource inevitably influences the quality or availability of others. A 

closer look at “materials stewardship” illustrates this interdependence: Through green design, 

lifecycle management, conservation, and recycling of materials and products, environmental 

stewardship can (1) protect ecosystems affected by resource extraction and waste disposal; (2) 

avoid pollution of water, land, and air associated with materials production, transportation, use or 

disposal; and (3) conserve water and energy consumed in production, transportation, or use. 

Wise strategies maximize “compounded returns” such as these. 

The discussion of key stewardship groups and the stewardship/sustainability outcomes lead to a 

useful framework for environmental stewardship. (See Exhibit 5). 

Exhibit 5: Environmental Stewardship Framework 

 Air Ecosystems Energy Land Materials Water 

Individuals 

Companies 

Communities 

Government 

Organizations 

 
13 

The workgroup asked several experts to offer their thoughts on the vision statement we 

developed (See Chapter 2 and Appendix C). Most tacitly agreed with the statement. However, 

they also offered an admonition. EPA cannot allow environmental stewardship to become just 

one more EPA initiative. It must be viewed as a legitimate part of the mission the Agency was 

given by the Congress. It must be linked to core programs and it must be attended by operational 

goals. For it to be viewed credibly, some suggest that the Agency needs to “set the bar higher” 

for its actions under environmental stewardship and should offer bold steps that are recognized 

as the Agency doing something differently. We should be a catalyst for change. In the words of 

one expert: “Stewardship is a powerful and potentially very successful concept; it has the 

potential to be a touchstone that people can use to bring them back to the underlying purpose and 

goals that should inform and underlie all EPA activities.” 

1.3 ENABLING AND ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP – A CHANGING ROLE 

FOR EPA 

Over the past decade, EPA has gained considerable experience in stewardship approaches. Most 

of EPA’s programs can (directly or indirectly) encourage environmental stewardship values and 

practices, but some are more oriented in this direction than others. Examples of programs and 

activities that particularly enable and encourage environmental stewardship values and practices 

include: 

• Pollution Prevention 

• Performance-based/Leadership/Recognition Programs 

• Partnership/Voluntary Programs 

• Environmental Education and Fellowships 

• EPA Web Site – information on tools and best practices 

• Collaborative problem solving 

• Geographic Approaches 

• Compliance Assistance 

• Technical Assistance 

• Provision of Market Incentives 

• Research (e.g., on green engineering and chemistry, behavior, industrial ecology) 

In turn, each of these categories has many components. For instance: 

• Pollution Prevention: Design for the Environment, Green Suppliers Network, Hospitals 

for a Healthy Environment, state/tribal technical assistance to business; 
14 

• Performance-based/Leadership/Recognition: Performance Track, EnergyStar, President’s 

Environmental Youth Awards, Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award; and 

• Geographic Approaches: Watersheds and estuaries, Brownfields, SEQL and other regional 

projects, CARE. 

As part of this project, the committee has created a list of many of these programs, with 

descriptions. (See Appendix J). Within several months, we expect to have a web-enabled 

portfolio, to make it easier to identify EPA environmental stewardship programs. 

EPA has started down the path of enabling and encouraging environmental stewardship, but 

there is still a great deal more for the Agency to do to help the country achieve the emerging 

vision of environmental stewardship and meet the challenge to the environment posed by the 

changing population, economy and technology. 

In this context, several key points about EPA’s changing role are in order. These points generally 

apply to EPA’s state and tribal government partners as well. 

• An increase in the amount of attention to environmental stewardship should not imply a 

decrease in the amount of attention to effective regulatory and enforcement programs. 

• EPA will need to be much more strategic in its environmental stewardship activities. Our 

strategy to date has been to “let a thousand flowers bloom.” Now we need to think 

carefully about targets of opportunity, approaches and deployment of resources. The 

framework of key stewardship groups – individuals, companies, communities and 

government organizations – and the six major resource systems that must be the 

immediate objects of our stewardship – air, ecosystems, energy, land, materials and water 

– appears to be a useful organizing concept. 

• In this context, EPA environmental stewardship programs that address only one target 

group and/or one resource may get environmental results, but programs or multi-program 

strategies that address more than one group/resource may achieve more for EPA’s limited 

resources. 

• Viewed from the outside, EPA has a treasure chest of information that can help people 

and organizations meet their environmental stewardship responsibilities. But this 

information is not integrated and oriented optimally to meet customer needs. 

• In terms of jurisdiction and solutions, EPA has but a portion of environmental stewardship 

opportunities within its purview. We acknowledge and applaud those whose own vision 

and actions already are at the forefront of environmental stewardship, whether in their 

personal, public, or business life. Our role is to enable and encourage those who have not 

adopted environmental stewardship to benefit from the leaders, and to move individuals 

from passive choices to informed and active choices. 

• As EPA moves to enable and encourage better environmental stewardship, we will need to 

play multiple roles. We will need to act as a leader, a partner, a student, problem solver, a 

facilitator and a regulator. We will need to provide information, incentives and 
15 

recognition, and we will need to demonstrate exceptional stewardship in our own 

programs. More specifically, we will need to offer practical direction and challenges to 

individuals both inside and outside the Agency. We will need to strengthen our role as 

partners with companies who are incorporating environmental considerations within each 

business decision they make. We must serve as a facilitator for communities, providing 

access to the tools and knowledge they need to make informed environmental decisions. 

We must continue to be environmental problem solvers. We will have to do all this while 

maintaining our traditional regulatory role. In short, the “EPA brand” – the services for 

which we are known – will evolve. 

• EPA must collaborate with state, tribal and local government partners that deliver many of 

its regulatory programs and also have developed regional and community based 

environmental stewardship programs. As with other environmental stewardship leaders, a 

number of state, tribal and local governments are on the forefront of environmental 

stewardship and EPA should seek to support and encourage these efforts through its 

funding, technical assistance, and partnerships on voluntary and other programs. 

• These new roles will create new expectations of EPA staff. We will need to pay attention 

to the resulting internal challenges as we address human capital development. 

• Moving towards stewardship strategies already has fostered considerable innovation on 

the part of EPA and other organizations. In fact, innovation and collaborative problemsolving are key to advancing environmental stewardship strategies. 

• The shifts suggested here will require a foundation based on three major elements: 

⎯ Information. Environmental stewardship must rest on a bed of sound knowledge and 

information – strong science and research, technical assistance information, 

transparent publicly-reported operating information, such as the Toxics Release 

Inventory (not including confidential information), and program accountability 

information. 

⎯ Inspiration. Environmental stewardship depends on people who can see beyond the 

short-term and who are excited to take actions because they see the long-term benefits 

to themselves and others. Spreading inspiration is also a major task of leaders in 

every field. 

⎯ Trust. Environmental stewardship requires considerably more trust between all parties 

than in the regulatory system – a change that can be particularly difficult to make. 

Trust must be initiated by leaders. The old adage from nuclear disarmament may also 

apply: “Trust but verify.” 

As we consider EPA’s changing role in more detail, it is timely to begin with a further 

assessment of our current programs and activities, which is where the next chapter begins. 
16 

CHAPTER 2: 

EPA’S CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES 

In order to assess EPA’s current environmental stewardship activities, the committee undertook 

two tasks. In the interest of getting an outside view, the committee engaged contractors to 

perform both tasks. First, the committee retained ICF Consulting, Inc., to do an independent 

assessment. This assessment is presented in the first section below. Second, the committee 

retained Ross and Associates to interview key experts and stakeholders. The summary of these 

interviews is presented in the second section below. 

2.1 A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF EPA’S CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

The critical assessment of EPA’s current portfolio of environmental stewardship programs and 

activities was based on data provided by EPA during August-October, 2005. The assessment 

was designed to answer the following questions: 

1. What fraction of the Agency’s resources is invested in environmental stewardship 

activities? 

2. How are the Agency’s investments distributed across the key sustainability goals of 

environmental stewardship (i.e., air, water, land, materials/toxics, ecosystems, energy)? 

3. How are the Agency’s investments distributed across the key stakeholder groupings (i.e., 

individuals, businesses, governments and communities)? 

4. How are the Agency’s investments distributed among “end-of-pipe” programs versus 

those that address problems from a prevention or sustainability perspective? 

Time and resources did not permit a detailed program-by-program analysis to address these 

questions. Rather, this assessment looked at EPA’s stewardship portfolio as a whole using 

previously-collected data, limited quantitative analysis, and the application of professional 

judgment by EPA staff and ICF Consulting staff with broad experience with the subject matter. 

Supplementary information relating to this critical assessment is presented in Appendix F. 

2.1.1 Database Development 

2.1.1.1 Definitions 

This assessment sorted EPA’s environmental stewardship activities into 4 major groupings: 

1. Partnership programs that support environmental stewardship [These programs are also 

often known as voluntary programs.] 

2. Grant programs that support environmental stewardship 
17 

3. Programs providing information, education, tools and other resources in support of 

environmental stewardship 

4. Regulatory, enforcement and compliance assistance programs, including site-specific 

Regional projects. 

To be included in the critical assessment of partnership (or voluntary) programs, an activity 

had to meet all of the following criteria: 

• Voluntary 

• Significant, two-way engagement with their members 

• Requires action on the part of the stakeholder 

• In active operation 

The grants program assessment, excluded grant programs principally designed to support State 

or Tribal implementation of regulatory programs or enforcement activities, or were principally 

designed to fund infrastructure construction. 

EPA’s portfolio of information, education and related programs is also analyzed below. 

The Agency’s regulatory program provides a baseline from which a stakeholder’s voluntary 

activities can grow and be measured. However, because the regulatory program dwarfs the 

Agency’s voluntary activities, the inclusion of the former would make it difficult to draw any 

conclusions about the latter. With more time and resources, it would be possible to analyze the 

regulatory program as well and elucidate its impact on stewardship behavior and outcomes. 

2.1.1.2 Data Collection 

Because there was no pre-existing list of environmental stewardship activities, it was necessary 

to create one. The critical assessment process began by collecting, compiling and reconciling 

several lists containing approximately 400 distinct EPA activities.19 Of these, several dozen 

were found to be inactive or terminated, and a few dozen other activities fell out of the critical 

assessment because no information about the activity – other than its name – was readily 

available. The remaining activities were categorized as grants, information/education activities, 

or as voluntary programs. 

ICF developed a list of 133 partnership programs sponsored by various Headquarters 

components and Regional offices. Budget data were provided by the program offices for 73 out 

of the 87 headquarters programs, which account for the lion’s share of the Agency’s voluntary 

programs investment. However, it must be noted that the budget data were collected somewhat 

informally, and it is likely that there are inconsistencies between EPA offices in how voluntary 

program budgets were defined. 

Funding data for EPA’s grant programs were collected from an online database maintained by 

the Grants Administration Division, supplemented by data from the program offices. Funding 

data were available for 24 of the 57 grant programs. 
18 

ICF assigned each partnership program and grant program to one sustainability outcome (e.g., 

air, water, land, ecosystems, energy, materials/toxics, or “multiple resource outcomes”). ICF 

also assigned each program to a primary and secondary stakeholder type (e.g., individuals, 

communities, governments, businesses). In addition, ICF also assigned a third stakeholder 

grouping as an intermediary if needed: for example, a partnership program might work with 

retailers to change the products that consumers purchase. For this program, individuals would be 

the primary stakeholder category, and businesses would be the intermediary. Not surprisingly, 

assignment of programs to sustainability outcomes and stakeholder groupings was more an art 

than a science. 

Performance data for the partnership programs could not be collected in a consistent fashion 

during the time available. EPA has struggled to collect comparable performance data for its 

diverse portfolio of partnership programs, and because such data were lacking, ICF was not able 

to analyze the performance of the voluntary programs; nor could ICF assess the extent to which 

environmental stewardship drives environmental results. This is an important gap in EPA’s 

management systems, one which is addressed in greater detail later in this report. 

2.1.2 Critical Assessment of Voluntary Programs 

2.1.2.1 Aggregate Budget Analysis 

The Agency’s FY2005 appropriation included $2.3 billion for its Environmental Programs and 

Management account and approximately $8 billion for the Agency overall. The 73 partnership 

programs for which ICF collected budget data accounted for $125 million in 2005 spending, 

equivalent to 5.4% of the Environmental Programs and Management account or 1.6% of the 

overall EPA budget. (See Figure 4.) 

Figure 4: EPA Agency-wide Budget and Partnership (Voluntary) Programs Budget 

It is also interesting to evaluate the distribution of Agency investments based on the size of the 

partnership programs. As shown in Exhibit 6 below, the 7 largest Headquarters programs 

account for about two-thirds of the overall partnership program budget. The remaining 66 

programs account for the other third. 
19 

Exhibit 6: Distribution of Headquarters Partnership Programs by Program Budget & Size 

Funding Range Number of Programs Total Budget Percentage of Total Budget

Less than $100,000 19 $512,500 0.4%

$100,000 - $499,000 19 $3,999,900 3.2%

$500,000 - $999,999 9 $6,510,100 5.2%

$1 million - $4.9 

million 19 $34,385,670 27.4%

$5 million - $9.9 

million 3 $23,097,100 18.4%

$10 million or greater 4 $56,900,000 45.4%

 

Total 73 $125,405,270.00 

2.1.2.2 Sustainability Outcomes 

EPA’s environmental stewardship portfolio is dominated by activities directed towards air (23% 

of the programs), materials issues (22% of the programs), land use issues (18% of the programs) 

and water issues (17% of the programs). Eighteen other programs address more than one 

resource type. Only 9 of the 133 programs address ecosystems. Energy as a sustainability 

outcome is not the stated primary focus of any program (although many programs address energy 

use as a means of reducing other environmental impacts). (See Figure 5.) However, as shown in 

Figure 5, the large majority of EPA’s HQ voluntary program budget is invested in air-related 

programs, a natural resource highly affected by energy use. 

Figure 5: Distribution of Headquarters Partnership Programs 

and Investments by Sustainability Outcome 

[See text above concerning percentages relating to energy.] 

DISTRIBUTION OF PARTNERSHIP 

PROGRAMS BY SUSTAINBILITY 

OUTCOME 

DISTRIBUTION OF HEADQUARTERS 

PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM INVESTMENTS 

BY SUSTAINABILITY OUTCOME 
20 

Within the air resource category, climate change attracts the greatest attention, accounting for 

almost half of the programs (and two-thirds of the HQ partnership program budget investment). 

Criteria air pollution accounts for almost one third of the programs, while indoor air quality, air 

toxics, and ozone depletion together account for the remaining quarter. Acidic deposition is not 

the principal target of any stewardship program. 

The other major resource areas (water, materials) did not have a similar concentration of 

programs addressing a single environmental issue. About one quarter of the water programs 

addressed water quality, another quarter addressed drinking water, and the remainder addressed 

water availability, groundwater, surface water, etc. in fairly equal measure. Water availability 

accounts for over half the budget for water-related HQ partnership programs, with the remaining 

funds being evenly dispersed among programs that address other water issues. Irrigation and 

recreational uses of water, water security, and near-shore and deepwater oceanic issues appear to 

be unaddressed. 

The materials programs were similarly well-distributed, with a handful of programs addressing 

product design, product end-of-life, national program chemicals, other industrial/agricultural 

chemicals, toxic waste, and hazardous waste. About two-thirds of the HQ partnership programs 

budget that relates to materials is used to address pesticides and other industrial chemicals, with 

the remaining one-third of funds addressing the other materials programs. Product packaging 

and municipal solid waste are not the primary target of any of these programs. 

2.1.2.3 Stakeholder Groups 

About half of EPA’s environmental stewardship programs engage the business sector. Another 

24 percent engage community partners. The remaining programs are split between those that 

promote stewardship with governments and with individuals. Business-focused programs also 

take the largest share of HQ voluntary program budget investments, accounting for 56% of the 

total. Note however, that programs targeting individuals receive a larger share of the budgetary 

pie than their numbers would suggest, while the opposite is true of programs directed at 

governmental and community stakeholders. (See Figure 6.) 

Figure 6: Distribution of Partnership Programs 

and Investments by Stakeholder Type 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF 

PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS BY

STAKEHOLDER TYPE 

DISTRIBUTION OF HEADQUARTERS 

PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM INVESTMENTS BY 

STAKEHOLDER TYPE 
21 

Within the business category, a plurality of programs (and over half of the HQ voluntary 

program budget) address multiple business sectors (e.g., Sector Strategies) or all business sectors 

alike (e.g. Green Power Partnership). Many other programs, however, address a specific 

business sector, such as the chemical industry (5 programs) or the mining industry (2 programs). 

Only one business-focused program explicitly addresses small business as its primary audience. 

Within the community category, 21 of the 32 programs address all types of communities. The 

remaining 11 are targeted at professional associations, non-governmental associations, rural and 

urban communities, schools, and watershed groups. Over 90 percent of HQ funding for 

community programs goes to programs that address all types of communities. 

Five of the 12 programs addressing individuals address all individuals, while the remaining 

programs specifically engage students and urban populations. Almost 90 percent of HQ funds for 

programs targeted at individuals go to voluntary programs that address all individuals. 

The 23 programs relating to governmental stakeholders are divided between Federal participants 

(8), state/local participants (7), tribes (2), and programs open to any governmental participant 

(6). Programs targeting Federal participants receive over 80 percent of HQ funding on voluntary 

programs and states receive the majority of the remaining 20 percent. 

2.1.2.4 Distribution of programs by resource area and stakeholder group 

Exhibit 7 below displays the number of programs at each intersection of resource area and 

stakeholder group, while Exhibit 8 displays the budget amount invested by HQ voluntary 

programs at each intersection point. This view can suggest opportunities for program comarketing and program consolidation. 

Exhibit 7: Distribution of Partnership Programs by 

Stakeholder and Sustainability Outcome 

Air Ecosystems Energy

Land 

Uses Materials

Multiple 

Resource 

Areas Water Total

Business 24 -- -- 8 22 7 5 66

Communities 2 3 -- 12 2 4 9 32

Government 5 -- 4 5 5 4 23

Individuals 5 1 -- -- -- 2 4 12

Total 31 9 0 24 29 18 22 133
22 

Exhibit 8: Distribution of FY05 Headquarters Partnership Program Investments by 

Stakeholder and Sustainability Outcome 

2.1.2.5 Program intervention 

Programs can intervene at different points in a decision chain that gives rise to an environmental 

problem. The Agency has increasingly sought to move from a pollution control to pollution 

prevention and, in recent years, to working with businesses and individuals to completely reenvision their production and consumption approaches to reduce life-cycle environmental 

impacts (described as “sustainability” below). 

ICF was able to assign 118 of the 133 partnership programs within this framework, although it 

should be noted that not all programs or resource areas (viz. ecosystems) fit neatly. 

Of the 118 programs, 72 can be classified as sustainability programs, 12 as source reduction 

programs, and 34 as end-of-pipe programs. (See Figure 7 below.) Examples of sustainability 

programs include ENERGY STAR, the Green Power Partnership and SmartWay Transport, 

Green Chemistry, most of the Design for the Environment initiatives, the Federal Electronics 

Challenge, Business for the Bay, Adopt Your Watershed, and the Water Use Efficiency Program. 

Figure 7: Distribution of Partnership Programs by Intervention Point 

Air Ecosystems Energy Land Uses Materials

Multiple 

Resource 

Areas Water Total

Business $49,219,370 -- -- $1,110,000 $13,776,200 $5,980,700 $7,500 $70,093,770 

Communities $12,350,000 $502,000 -- $2,078,000 $0 $405,000 $15,335,000 

Government -- $100,000 -- $250,000 $3,560,500 $4,594,000 $911,000 $9,415,500 

Individuals $28,150,000 $10,000 -- $85,000 $2,316,000 $30,561,000 

Total $89,719,370 $612,000 $0 $3,438,000 $17,336,700 $10,659,700 $3,639,500 $125,405,270 

DISTRIBUTION OF PARTNERSHIP 

PROGRAMS BY INTERVENTION POINT 
23 

2.1.2.6 Related Programs 

In addition to operating programs that directly stimulate environmental stewardship activities by 

stakeholders, EPA also supports environmental stewardship through the provision of grants, 

information, software, educational materials and training. 

2.1.2.6.1 Grant Programs

In the grants area, ICF identified 57 grant programs that could be categorized as environmental 

stewardship-related.20 EPA allocated $343 million in FY2005 for the 24 grant programs for 

which budget data were available, equivalent to 4.3% of the overall EPA budget. 

The distribution by sustainability outcome – by both number of programs and dollar allocation -- 

is dominated by multiple resource-area grants and grants in the water area. (See Figure 8.) 

Grants programs that address water receive the most funding, at almost $226 million, while 

programs that address multiple resource areas are funded at $110 million. The programs with the 

largest individual headquarters budgets are the National Nonpoint Source Management Program 

($207 million), Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program ($51 million), and ORD’s 

Consolidated Research and Training ($30 million). 

Figure 8: Distribution of Grant Programs and 

Investments by Sustainability Outcome 

2.1.2.6.2 Information, Education and Training Activities

ICF identified 104 distinct EPA activities which concentrate on providing education, 

information, software, training and other tools in support of environmental stewardship. The 

distribution of the activities is dominated by air, water, materials and multiple resource area 
24 

activities. Ecosystems and energy together account for 7 of the 104 activities. (See Figure 9 

below.) 

Figure 9: Distribution of Environmental Education, Awareness, and 

Training Programs by Sustainability Outcome 

2.2 PERSPECTIVES FROM STATE OFFICIALS, EXPERTS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

To inform this report, interviews were conducted on environmental stewardship with several 

groups of knowledgeable individuals: eight commissioner or deputy-commissioner level officials 

in state environment and natural resource agencies and a number of subject matter experts and 

EPA stakeholders from academia, policy advocacy and research organizations, the sustainability 

and conservation movements, corporations and business, non-profit environmental organizations, 

and officials from states, local government, and Tribal nations. 

State officials were asked about EPA’s draft vision and definition for environmental stewardship 

and the concepts embedded therein; environmental stewardship or stewardship-like efforts 

underway in their organizations; and how EPA might better work with states to facilitate 

environmental stewardship and encourage stewardship behaviors in individuals, businesses, and 

communities. Experts were asked questions about the definition and concept of environmental 

stewardship, the prospective role of government and EPA in fostering stewardship, and examples 

of stewardship behaviors among business, individuals, government, and communities. 

Stakeholders were asked about the definition of environmental stewardship, their stewardship 

efforts and experiences, barriers that prevent them from becoming better environmental 
25 

State Leaders Interviewed 

1. Bill Ross, North Carolina 

2. Larry Soward, Texas 

3. Dawn Gallagher, Maine 

4. Mike Linder, Nebraska 

5. Bob King, South Carolina 

6. Scott Hassett, Wisconsin 

7. Howard Roitman, Colorado 

8. Jim Branham, California 

stewards, and steps that EPA could take to help their organizations and/or constituencies to be 

better environmental stewards. 

On balance, interviewees expressed strong support for the ideals embodied in EPA’s draft vision 

and definition of environmental stewardship. State officials in particular emphasized the 

importance of stewardship-related efforts both to achieving environmental quality goals and to 

promoting the long-term health and sustainability of environment and natural resource agencies. 

These views are summarized briefly below. Appendix C is a more detailed report. 

2.2.1 Results of Interviews with State Officials 

While state officials expressed strong support for 

environmental stewardship ideas, there was less 

unanimity of support for use of the term 

“environmental stewardship.” Some state officials 

expressed a preference for terms that are more in 

general use in program implementation and that 

carry with them a stronger connotation of the 

marriage of environmental quality and abundance 

with economic prosperity. 

All states have ongoing efforts that they characterize as consistent with EPA’s draft vision and 

definition of environmental stewardship, although these efforts often are articulated under the 

umbrella of “environmental sustainability” or are related to traditional core environmental 

programs rather than promoted as “environmental stewardship.” 

Many state efforts are focused on two related areas: working to encourage businesses to reach for 

environmental outcomes that are beyond those that would be required by existing regulatory 

programs (so-called “beyond compliance” efforts) and working to integrate or reduce barriers 

between environmental programs. For example: 

• Nebraska works across local, state, and federal agencies to combine watershed 

development and protection efforts with small community revitalization; 

• Colorado has an Environmental Management System (EMS) permit program that focuses 

on superior environmental outcomes and regulating businesses in a more holistic way; 

• Wisconsin has the AGreen Tier@ program that recognizes beyond compliance efforts; 

• North Carolina has an “Environmental Stewardship Initiative” to promote and encourage 

superior environmental performance in the regulated community; 

• Maine is working with other New England states to establish joint priority setting between 

environment and public health agencies. One of the outcomes of this effort will be 

materials to support individuals in assessing the “health” of their homes; 

• California is supporting efforts to develop best practices for sustainability in the wine 

grape and other agricultural sectors; and 
26 

• Minnesota has a program to foster product exchanges for lead tackle, mercury-containing 

products, lawn equipment and wood stoves. 

State stewardship-related efforts are not limited to areas where there are traditional 

environmental regulatory programs or mandates. 

• State environment agencies are increasingly considering land conservation goals in their 

stewardship-related efforts and are partnering with sister natural resource agencies to 

jointly further environmental and land conservation goals. For example, South Carolina is 

working with other southeast states to explore sustainability and stewardship at active 

military bases. 

• States increasingly are investing in efforts to give businesses and consumers information 

and encouragement to support more environmentally-sound behaviors and choices. Some 

of these efforts extend to direct financial support for environmentally beneficial choices. 

For example, Texas provides financial assistance for repair or replacement of vehicles that 

fail emissions testing. 

• States are acting as conveners and supporters of business or community-initiated 

environmental stewardship efforts that often are primarily motivated by economic or 

social values but can be optimized to achieve environmental benefits. For example, 

Maine inspectors are working to match the “waste” streams of facilities with raw material 

needs of other companies to further waste reduction goals. 

State officials offered a number of suggestions for how EPA might better work with states to 

further environmental stewardship goals. These include: 

• Defining environmental stewardship efforts in the context of existing EPA programs and 

priorities; 

• Nesting environmental stewardship efforts in the context of existing EPA measurement 

and program evaluation mechanisms; 

• Creating true flexibility at the regional-office level for state programs to explore 

stewardship-related ideas in part, at least, through an increased focus on environmental 

outcomes over programmatic processes; 

• Reaching to change culture within EPA, other government agencies, and with individuals, 

businesses, and communities by emphasizing joint responsibility and accountability for 

shared goals and working through partnerships and collaboration, rather than strict 

command and control strategies; and 

• Investing in stewardship-related support, including, for example, providing leadership 

within federal agencies for government to act as an environmental steward in its own 

consumptive and operational choices; developing core capacities, such as marketing 

capacities, that states could access to support their independent state-specific stewardship 

efforts; and acting as a convener and leader of a national dialogue that raises stewardship 

awareness and expectations in individuals, businesses, and communities. 
27 

Experts Interviewed 

1. Ray Anderson, Interface Carpets 

2. Herman Daly, University of Maryland 

3. Don Hudson, Chewonki Foundation 

4. Wes Jackson, Land Institute 

5. Matthew Kiernan, Innovest Strategic 

Value Advisors 

6. Reid Lifset, Yale University 

7. Mindy Lubber, CERES 

8. Joel Makower, Greenbiz.com 

9. Doug McKenzie-Mohr, Community Based 

Social Marketing 

Stakeholders Interviewed 

1. Marcia Aranoff, Environmental Defense 

2. Bill Becker, STAPPA/ALAPCO 

3. George Carpenter, Procter & Gamble 

4. Don Chen, Smart Growth America 

5. Chuck Clarke, Seattle Public Utilities 

6. Steve Hellem, GEMI 

7. David Paylor, State of Virginia 

8. Mark Van Putten, ConservationStrategy 

9. Terry Williams, Tulalip Tribes Natural 

Resources Department 

2.2.2 Results of Interviews with Experts and Stakeholders 

While they supported the ideas of environmental stewardship, experts and stakeholders identified 

a number of potential improvements to EPA’s definition and vision for environmental 

stewardship, including: 

• Articulate who is responsible for what to whom; 

• Recognize that the term “environmental stewardship” fails to fully capture the broader 

social and economic context of decision-making faced by many organizations and the 

term may be less useful in the context of business where the terms “sustainability” and 

“corporate citizenship” are increasing used; and 

• Respect that for some people the term “stewardship” has a strong religious connotation. 

While they often do not call them environmental stewardship activities, experts and stakeholders 

identified a strong trend towards increasing implementation of steward-like behaviors and 

working to encourage others to do so. A number of drivers motivate stewardship behaviors 

including: 

• Increasing awareness of the risks and opportunities posed by businesses’ supply chains; 

• Increasing availability of and access to 

information and scientific evidence about 

the status of ecosystems and their ability 

to support human life, health, and 

economy; and 

• Shifting public expectations about 

purchasing and investment decisions. 

Experts and stakeholders also identified a 

number of ways that environmental stewardship 

behaviors may be constrained, including: 

• Failure of “green” products to capture 

consumer imagination or market share in 

a way that allows companies to realize 

marketing advantage; 

• Failure of investors and financial 

institutions to fully value environmental 

performance; 

• Measuring stewardship behavior and 

performance can be difficult; 

• The perception that individuals and small actions cannot make a difference; and 
28 

• The lack of information on or effective targeting of barriers to individual consumers 

making better stewardship choices. 

Like the state leaders interviewed, experts and stakeholders suggested a number of ways that 

EPA might begin to help businesses, individuals, communities, and government organizations 

overcome these constraints, including: 

• Clarifying where the statutory authority to focus on stewardship comes from, in 

anticipation of questions from potential critics; 

• Focusing more of the Agency’s voluntary initiatives on small and mid-sized businesses, 

where technical assistance often is most needed; 

• Improving integration and coordination of the Agency’s voluntary programs and creating 

a more “customer-focused” orientation; 

• Targeting investments to explore actual implementation of stewardship behaviors, 

particularly those where outcomes can be measured; 

• Helping to understand the true barriers and benefits associated with specific stewardship 

behaviors. Through the increased use of marketing research and expertise, EPA can 

greatly improve state and local efforts to encourage specific stewardship behaviors among 

the general public and targeted populations; 

• Acting as a convener of public dialogue on stewardship issues and actions that companies, 

individuals, and governments can take, and using the “bully pulpit’ to publicize and call 

for successful stewardship approaches; 

• Considering approaches to reduce in a fundamental way the amount of material 

throughput in the economy – that is, to limit the amount of extraction, depletion, and 

pollution inherent in particular material flows; 

• Reaching out to the education community to incorporate environmental and stewardship 

based curriculum elements into ongoing efforts to define minimum educational 

expectation and to help educators understand how environmental and stewardship based 

curriculum might contribute to student success and testing program requirements; and 

• Leading by example with respect to federal government purchasing and infrastructure. 
29 

CHAPTER 3: 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EPA LEADERSHIP 

INTRODUCTION

The role of EPA in environmental stewardship is to enable and encourage individuals, 

companies, communities and government organizations to practice sound environmental 

stewardship. This role is central to EPA’s mission. The Agency can pursue this role in a variety 

of ways as illustrated in the ideas described in this chapter. These ideas form the basis for the 

options described in the Report to the Administrator. The ideas in this chapter, prepared by the 

staff committee, are described at greater length in Appendix I. 

It is important to stress that the ideas and proposals described in this report were developed by 

the staff committee as background material for the IAC response to the Administrator. They 

have been compiled in this report to help inform the broader dialogue about environmental 

stewardship at EPA and to serve as a resource during the implementation phase of this project. 

The ideas and proposals in this chapter are meant to spur creative thought and additional options 

for consideration. Some of the proposals are better developed than others and some fit in several 

categories and so are listed more than once. The staff committee considered five criteria while 

creating the list: 

1. Likelihood for significant, measurable environmental results. 

⎯ Inspires collaborative, multi-media approach for addressing important environmental 

problems. 

⎯ Demonstrates potential for continuous improvement, short-term results and potential 

for longer-term environmental outcomes. 

⎯ Addresses emergent, high priority issues. 

⎯ Iterative approach for getting results. 

2. Practical implementation steps. 

⎯ Cost effectiveness/favorable funding prospects. 

⎯ Potential for replicability or leveraging to maximize investment. 

⎯ Short-term measurable impacts. 

⎯ Likely support by EPA offices and programs. 

⎯ Utilizes existing EPA skills, experiences, and authority. 

3. Support from key outside groups. 

⎯ Creates stakeholder enthusiasm to adopt stewardship practices. 

⎯ Motivates public enabling institutions, e.g. academia, NGOs, and local governments. 

4. Advances EPA strategic priorities. 

⎯ Targets major obstacles facing current EPA activities. 

⎯ Addresses a gap in existing activities or strengthens work already being done. 

5. Alignment with stewardship strategy (principles, target groups & key outcomes). 

⎯ Unifying and inspirational. 
30 

⎯ Directly induces stewardship behavior or builds knowledge and capacity for 

stewardship objectives (training, research, partnership activities). 

IDEAS AND PROPOSALS FOR ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIPS

3.1 USE RECOGNITION/CHALLENGE PROGRAMS IN A STRATEGIC WAY TO MOTIVATE 

BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS

Principles: 

• Focus on significant environmental issues, both nationwide and regional in scope. 

• Design for biggest impact (use right incentives; reduce significant barriers). 

• Figure out the key behavioral leverage points for specific target groups. 

• Don’t set up new challenge programs in isolation; build on existing efforts. 

Approach: Create something of real interest to the public. For example, in conjunction with 

EPA 35th anniversary, Administrator could: 

• Host an environmental stewardship summit to discuss challenges and develop 

commitments; 

• Convene top experts to help prioritize emerging stewardship opportunities for EPA; and 

• Consider creating a Baldridge type award for environmental excellence (Presidential or 

Administrator level). 

3.1.1 Motivate Businesses with Targeted Challenges, Networks and Information 

• Expand EPA’s compliance assistance and P2Rx centers to encourage stewardship 

practices. 

• Create a network of experts to educate business sectors on economic benefits of 

stewardship. 

• Create a national challenge for clean transportation strategy; stakeholders to define 

priorities. 

• Challenge key economic sectors to create comprehensive stewardship programs & targets. 

• Develop regional and national challenges in programs such as Performance Track. 

• Select key environmental challenge and business sectors for a national challenge program. 

• Share ideas by creating an EPA Stewardship group/network of EPA employees who work 

on stewardship programs. 

3.1.2 Design Recognition, Challenges and Information to Encourage Community 

Stewardship 

• Highlight stewardship in EPA’s National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. 

• Target clubs (sports, garden, rotary) to participate in environmental stewardship activities 

in the community. 

• Institute a challenge to communities on ambient water quality monitoring and watersheds. 

• Build environmental stewardship in the Community Action for a Renewed Environment 

(CARE) grants. 
31 

• Develop a report card for communities on availability and sustainable environmental 

stewardship practices. 

• Develop a “calculator” for communities to identify stewardship actions, environmental 

and environmental impact links to information. 

3.1.3 Use EPA Expertise to Help All Federal Agencies Improve Environmental 

Performance 

• Create a friendly federal agency-to-agency challenge/contest/competition to reduce the 

environmental footprint. 

• Expand the Fedcenter.gov website (maintained by EPA, the Office of the Federal 

Environmental Executive, and the Army Corps of Engineers) to include more information 

for federal facilities on improving and measuring their environmental stewardship 

performance. 

• Work with GSA on solutions to obstacles that prevent progress on our EMS significant 

aspects. 

• Encourage and/or create statements of best practice or (possibly voluntary)“standards” on 

labeling and packaging to help consumers. 

• Partner with Canada to bring the Canadian One Tonne Challenge to the American public. 

• Work with the Federal Employee Thrift Savings Plan to include a corporate responsibility 

stock index option. 

• Leverage EPA efforts by working with non-government organizations (NGOs) and 

universities to encourage stewardship. 

(Note: ideas from topic 2, “Energizing Individuals,” and topic 3, “Leading by Example,” are 

relevant here.) 

3.2 ENERGIZE INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Context: 

• Individuals make environmental decisions every day (e.g., in our homes, purchases, 

transportation). 

• Many people want to make good environmental choices but not sure it makes a difference. 

• Low environmental literacy inhibits adoption of good environmental practices. 

• EPA can help increase awareness and information about stewardship behaviors. 

3.2.1 Increase Awareness of Environmental Stewardship Among the General Public 

• Encourage EPA staff to reach out locally to schools, companies, etc. on stewardship 

practices. 

• Strategically use environmental education to promote stewardship behavior in target 

groups. 

• Create partnerships to deliver existing tools/resources about how to reduce your 

environmental footprint. 

• Use Performance Track and other voluntary programs to engage staff/communities on 

stewardship actions. 

• Create an environmental stewardship major outreach/marketing campaign. 
32 

3.2.2 Upgrade EPA Website to be the Premiere Location for how to “Reduce Your 

Footprint” 

• Build on existing sites that provide practical ways to be a good environmental steward. 

3.2.3 Enhance Delivery of Information that Inspires Individuals to be Good Stewards 

• Have EPA join the Commuter Choice Program, maintain transit subsidies program, etc. 

• Lead the effort to include a socially responsible investment fund in the Thrift Savings Plan 

(TSP). 

• Work with the Federal Highway Administration to encourage bike trails along highway 

routes in metropolitan areas. 

• Work with companies to sponsor collection and proper disposal of household hazardous 

wastes. 

• Evaluate financial incentives for consumer choices that have less environmental impact. 

3.2.4 Design Creative Challenges that Cultivate Stewardship Behavior 

• Create challenges such as: 

o For EPA employees to reduce their environmental footprint at home and work. 

o To a specific group of individuals to solve a specific environmental problem. 

o To the public to reduce their environmental footprint (e.g., Canada’s One Tonne 

Challenge as a model). 

3.2.5 Leverage Recognition Programs and Find New Ways to Showcase the “Power of 

One” 

• Use of the Example Presidential Environmental Youth Awards. 

• Create new recognition program for stewardship excellence at work, community or 

personal lives. 

3.3 LEAD BY EXAMPLE AT EPA FACILITIES AND IN EPA OPERATIONS

3.3.1 Set Bold Public Goals to Reduce EPA’s Current Footprint Using Our New EMSs 

• Achieve carbon neutral operations for at least one EPA facility every 2 years (EPA’s Ada 

Lab as model). 

• Offset emissions for all EPA work-related air travel. 

• Cut energy use by 25 percent by 2012 from 2003 levels. 

• Cut water use by 20 percent by 2012 from 2003 levels. 

• Have all new buildings achieve ENERGYSTAR label for energy efficiency. 

• Adopt green janitorial & pest control services for all EPA-occupied facilities by 2010. 

• Provide staff training on green meetings; develop contract language for easy access. 

• Double the number of EPA laboratories in Lab 21 within 2 years. 
33 

3.3.2 Spur Markets for Environmentally-Preferable Products and Services 

• Identify the best opportunities to green incoming products/services (comprehensive supply 

chain study). 

• Purchase renewable energy certificates for 100% of EPA’s electricity consumption by 

2006. 

• Triple EPA’s fleet of energy efficient hybrid vehicles in three years. 

• Require LEED Gold (the leading green building standard) for all new EPA facilities. 

• Continually increase inventory of products offered in Agency’s green office supply 

contract. 

• Have all new computer equipment meet the EPEAT bronze-qualified standard (for 

environmental preferability). 

3.3.3 Encourage Stewardship Behavior in EPA Employees 

• Authorize each employee to spend one day per year working to work on a local 

stewardship project. 

• Increase overall employee participation in transit subsidy and carpool programs. 

• Create new awards to recognize EPA’s most outstanding environmental stewards - on and 

off the job. 

• Create high quality education and training to help staff understand environmental issues, 

conditions, trends and stewardship initiatives. 

3.3.4 Work with Other Agencies on Improving Federal Government Environmental 

Performance 

• Partner with the Office of Personnel Management on a socially responsible investment 

option for the federal retirement system. 

• Partner with the General Services Administration, the Department of Energy and other 

federal agencies and DOE on infrastructure to support green power and alternative fuel 

use, as well as the application of green building principles, throughout the federal 

government. 

• Challenge agencies to adopt best practices for all phases of electronics life cycle through 

the Federal Electronics Challenge. 

3.3.5 Demonstrate Value of Information, Education and Best Practices 

• Consider becoming the first federal agency to participate in the Global Reporting 

Initiative. 

• Highlight EPA’s own environmental stewardship results in the Performance and 

Accountability Report. 

• Improve EPA’s public website to empower citizens and other groups to practice 

stewardship. 

• Conduct live and virtual tours to show others the green aspects of EPA’s facilities. 

• Use EPA facilities to test latest green products, technologies, services, & conservation 

design. 

• Open a national environmental education center on EPA Research Triangle Park’s (RTP) 

campus. 
34 

• Develop and promote educational resources about stewardship within EPA’s library 

system. 

• Model green meetings principles at every EPA event and work with other federal agencies 

to increase the number of hotel and conference centers that offer green meeting facilities. 

• Collaborate with state and local governments to increase their participation in 

environmental stewardship activities. 

3.4 INSPIRE EPA STAFF TO PRACTICE STEWARDSHIP

3.4.1 Top EPA Team Must “Walk the Talk” 

• Ask that senior leaders visibly demonstrate a personal commitment to practicing 

environmental stewardship. 

• Reinforce consistent environmental stewardship “message” in speeches, conversations and 

meetings. 

• Make a consistent theme at grand events like Earth Day, P2 Week, etc. 

• Re-enforce message in simple ways (ask staff about their stewardship accomplishments). 

• Use the environmental stewardship ethic to promote cross-office planning and multimedia 

action. 

3.4.2 Train All Staff on Environmental Stewardship Principles, Responsibilities and 

Opportunities 

• Consider “mandatory” training (akin to the ethics training) on environmental stewardship. 

• Create new training courses on key environmental problem areas for employees at all 

levels. 

• Promote outreach/advocacy and facilitation/negotiation skill development that enables 

EPA staff to engage the public on environmental stewardship. 

• Improve training on Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), ethics and other factors 

that can complicate collaborative problem solving. 

3.4.3 Incorporate Environmental Stewardship as a Priority in Staff Accountability 

Systems 

• Include in performance standards (like customer service, contract management & 

diversity). 

• Use Individual Development Plans to allow and encourage participation in community 

outreach efforts. 

3.4.4 Challenge and Enable EPA Employees to Improve their Environmental 

Performance at Work 

• Design measurable and reportable challenges. 

• Encourage events via teleconferencing and other virtual meeting technology. This will 

encourage those who would not otherwise be able to attend/participate to do so. 

• Equip all offices with auto light shut offs and all computers with energy saving features. 

• Provide convenient/effective collection for recycling throughout EPA facilities. 
35 

• Make double-sided copying the norm. 

• Pursue further ideas such green roofs, composting of food scraps, etc. 

3.4.5 Reward Outstanding Environmental Stewardship Behavior by EPA Employees 

• Create a new Agency award focused on environmental stewardship excellence at EPA. 

• Create another EPA award for stewardship accomplishments outside the Agency. 

• Ensure that other prestigious awards at EPA and other agencies value environmental 

stewardship. 

3.5 USE INFORMATION AND MARKETS TO FOSTER STEWARDSHIP OF ECOSYSTEMS

Goal: to protect and restore ecosystem functions (the goods and services they provide) through 

• Improved “policy measures” that include broad range of regulatory/voluntary actions. 

• Markets to promote entrepreneurial action, investment, and market innovation. 

Emphasis: 

• Information that supports decisions (at many levels) to protect and restore ecosystem 

functions. 

• All ecosystem goods and services; not limit to currently recognized market values. 

Approach: 

• Priorities based on importance, vulnerability, status of services and restoration/recovery 

potential. 

• Target stewardship that is likely to improve ecosystem integrity, resilience and 

productivity. 

• Ensure alignment with the overall stewardship initiative and EPA priorities. 

• Find multiplier effects to catalyze a sequence of responses (e.g., in investment, research, 

etc.). 

• Focus on a few, mutually reinforcing strategies; plan to adapt based on learning and 

experience. 

3.5.1 Ecosystem Literacy Campaign Targeted to People of All Ages 

• Actively engage elementary, middle and high schools, and universities in understanding of 

ecosystems. 

• Create compelling “public service” announcements for radio, TV. 

• Assist journalists in all media to publicize ecosystem stewardship. 

• Expand interpretive outreach programs in natural areas and parks, and by eco-tourism. 

• Encourage sportsmen, birders, etc. to articulate ecosystem benefits to others. 

• Reach out to key sectors (e.g., building contractors, developers, transportation). 
36 

3.5.2 Recognize Ecosystem Stewardship Leaders in Private Sector & State/Local/Tribal 

Government 

• Build on examples such as the collaboration between Wisconsin farmers and the World 

Wildlife Fund; South Carolina and other southern states that are pursuing sustainability 

and environmental stewardship with active military bases; and Nebraska, which works 

across local, state and federal agencies to combine watershed development and protection 

efforts with small community revitalization. 

3.5.3 Expand Incentives that Foster Ecosystem Stewardship 

• Consider how to use state revolving funds, labeling programs and trading programs. 

• Re-align state and federal funding programs (such as water revolving funds). 

• “Certify” some management activities expected to preserve or restore ecosystem services. 

• Take advantage of unique current opportunities, such as those created by the current 

military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities. 

3.5.4 Invest in Collaborative, Applied R&D Designed to Create New Stewardship 

Approaches 

• Use geospatial and decision-support tools for evaluating “natural infrastructure” vs. 

engineered infrastructure. 

3.5.5 Target Geographic Collaborations with State, Tribal & Federal partners 

• Select specific ecosystem type (e.g., agricultural ecosystems, freshwater systems). 

3.6 ENCOURAGE STEWARDSHIP IN COMMUNITIES

Context: 

• Place-based communities have huge potential to engage in environmental stewardship. 

• Community is simply a localized, organized group of people with shared beliefs, goals, or 

interdependence. 

• Community can be defined by natural geography (such as a watershed, a valley, or a 

coastal area). 

• Community can be organized by political boundaries (such as a neighborhood, city, 

county, reservation or state). 

• EPA has a rich history of supporting community-based approaches to environmental 

protection. 

• There are many EPA community programs (e.g., Brownfields) but few focus on 

stewardship directly. 

• EPA has multiple roles in collaborative problem solving such as 

leading/facilitation/partner/information. 
37 

3.6.1 Demonstrate Stewardship Solutions in Rebuilding a “Sustainable Gulf Coast” 

• Engage community leaders/citizens in planning and rebuilding for sustainability. 

• Showcase the benefits of green infrastructure and smart growth for the rest of the country. 

• Form federal and state partnerships for sustainability. 

• Collaborate with water management experts from the Netherlands and elsewhere. 

• Engage the lending and insurance industries to encourage responsible development. 

3.6.2 Improve EPA’s Capacity to Support Proactive Stewardship 

• Staff a “Communities Clearinghouse” to provide easy public access to EPA resources. 

• Strengthen and tailor EPA’s long-term planning methods/tools to serve needs of local 

communities. 

• Coordinate with states and federal agencies in targeted partnerships (e.g., Great Lakes). 

3.6.3 Information and Tools to Support Community Environmental Stewardship 

• Develop EPA role as wholesaler of stewardship resources to groups with community 

delivery mechanisms. 

• Develop, publicize, and market EPA’s resources for community-level activity (EMSs; 

other tools). 

• Build stewardship criteria in EPA’s community-based grant solicitations (e.g., CARE, 

Brownfields). 

• Make stewardship grants/loans for community activities for technical or administrative 

support (P2/CSO/etc.). 

• Pilot a community-wide “GreenChoice” rewards program. 

3.6.4 Integrate Principles of Community Stewardship into Current Awards and 

Recognition 

• Create an award for communities that achieve outstanding measurable environmental 

results. 

• Recognize outstanding community leaders. 

• Recognize grassroots organizations of many types (e.g., faith congregations, sports clubs, 

Boy/Girl Scouts, etc. 

3.7 PROMOTE PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP 

Goal: Products are designed and managed to be safe for the environment for entire life cycle 

Context: This is a complex issue with many dimensions (toxics, product take-back, 

globalization, etc.). 

• Prosperity has increased consumption of products, with increased environmental impacts. 

• Inaccurate market signals to makers, sellers, consumers and government. 

• Disposal costs are an externality; few incentives for sound management by consumers. 

• EU, Japan, and Canada and others developing product stewardship policies. 
38 

• Lack of leadership in U.S. could place our producers at a competitive disadvantage. 

• Numerous efforts underway at EPA and elsewhere, but no coherent, unified strategy. 

Approach: Announce a bold integrated multi-media focus on products as an innovative way to 

promote environmental stewardship by industry and individuals through making, buying and 

managing products in a more sustainable way. Do this by creating partnerships with groups that 

design, make, sell, use, and manage products at end of life. 

• Industry (raw materials suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, waste 

management). 

• Individuals at the consumer, institutional, governmental level that use products. 

• NGOs (examples: Product Stewardship Institute in Massachusetts) that provide 

leadership. 

• Government (local waste authorities; federal/state/ local P2 & solid waste policymakers). 

3.7.1 Create an EPA-wide, Coordinated Green Product Strategy & Implementation Plan 

• Aim to increase pace of green product design; facilitate greener products in marketplace – 

clarify EPA position on labeling/product certification (e.g., Agency vs. 3rd party). 

• Define criteria for selecting greener products (e.g., single factor vs. multi-media lifecycle). 

• Devise strategy for prioritizing product/technology categories for attention. 

• Determine how various relevant EPA programs (and other Federal agencies) work 

together. 

3.7.2 Collaborative Approaches to Foster Sustainable Design 

• Spur innovation of and publicity on next-generation/sustainable products and services. 

• Sponsor multi-stakeholder collaboration on design of new products and services 

• Increase press opportunities and visibility of environmental implications of everyday 

product choices. 

3.7.3 EPA Product Recognition Program 

• Use Design for the Environment (DFE) to recognize consumer products with more 

positive environmental/health profiles. 

3.7.4 Innovation Challenge Awards 

• Catalyze innovation & fundamental research on safer chemicals, processes and 

engineering. 

• Establish DFE Innovation Challenge Awards and supporting ORD research grants. 

3.7.5 Design Product-Specific Strategies 

• Continue to identify specific products for greener design, better use, and safer end-of-life 

recovery. 

• Work with stakeholders on product-specific life cycle improvement strategy. 
39 

3.7.6 Partner with Other Countries to Share Experiences About Product Stewardship 

• Share Canadian experience with U.S. audiences (especially State/local governments). 

• Convene national meeting to showcase product stewardship programs and identify 

opportunities. 
40 

CHAPTER 4: 

STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 

STEWARDSHIP AT EPA 

The vision described in Chapter 1 and the ideas described in Chapter 3 can only become real if 

EPA undertakes a series of actions to strengthen the foundation for environmental stewardship. 

These actions may not be very visible to the public but they are essential for the success of an 

EPA environmental stewardship strategy. This chapter describes key improvements that are 

needed. 

4.1 STRENGTHEN MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING ON RESULTS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL 

STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES

Measurement is vital to successful environmental stewardship. This section discusses important 

opportunities for strengthening measurement to support better environmental stewardship, 

drawing on two detailed reports which were commissioned by the workgroup and which are 

included in the Appendices: Environmental Stewardship Measurement Report, and 

Benchmarking Report on Performance Measures for Environmental Stewardship and 

Innovation. 

Effective environmental stewardship measurement is needed to: 

• Identify environmental opportunities and problems that need attention and environmental 

opportunities that can be pursued; 

• Evaluate stewardship programs and activities and their environmental results and identify 

those worth replicating; 

• Provide fast feedback to improve day-to-day decisions and longer term feedback to inform 

strategic decisions; 

• Inform strategy and support cooperative stewardship efforts; 

• Assess return on public investments; and 

• Reinforce stewardship attitudes and awareness. 

4.1.1 Build a System of Measures to Support Environmental Stewardship 

EPA’s 2003 Draft Report on the Environment discusses the usefulness of a “hierarchy of 

indicators” that clearly links various types of measures in a manner that enables one to 

understand how programs and actions connect to ambient environmental conditions and 

ultimately to human and ecological health outcomes. The “hierarchy of indicators” is helpful to 

keep in mind as EPA considers how to strengthen measurement related to environmental 

stewardship. There is no single indicator or measure of stewardship. Instead, effective 

stewardship and stewardship program performance assessment requires a clearly defined system 
41 

of measures that connects program outputs to stewardship behavior changes to measures of 

natural resource outcomes and eventually to short and long-term ecological condition and human 

health outcomes. 

Effective environmental stewardship measurement can be challenging. Adherence to the 

following guidelines can help to ensure that EPA’s stewardship measurement activities are 

effective and efficient. 

• Make measurement relevant to compel action. Construct measures that provide real time 

feedback and that illuminate the benefits of stewardship actions, including economic 

benefits. 

• Improve alignment and consistency among measures. Expand current efforts to 

coordinate measurement activities across EPA voluntary programs to aid data 

comparisons and aggregation and to ease measurement and reporting burdens. Common 

measures can ease measurement and reporting burden while enabling comparison and 

even spurring healthy competition for performance improvement. 

• Strike a balance between burden and benefit. Pursue measurement strategies that provide 

useful information in a cost-effective manner. 

• Don’t reinvent the wheel. Build partnerships with other organizations who are working to 

improve measurement of stewardship behaviors and performance to improve and align 

stewardship measurement activities. 

• Support measurement at multiple levels that can be tailored to users and uses. Ensure 

that measurement activity is occurring at all geographic levels and locations that are 

necessary to equip people with the information they need to focus their actions. For each 

intended use of stewardship measures, focus on just a few key metrics that are meaningful 

to the intended audience and relevant to the program's goals. 

A review of how other federal agencies have successfully developed stewardship initiatives 

suggests several models for measuring stewardship program performance. Effective measures 

are directly tied to the program's strategic goals, and focus primarily on short and long term 

program outcomes, as well as program efficiency. Data should be gathered to measure baseline 

conditions and set appropriate targets, and then progress towards those targets can be assessed 

annually or every few years. Federal agencies, where feasible, can partner with states to collect 

baseline and performance data. Data can be collected from program participants in order to track 

quantitative outcomes (e.g., amount of energy conserved), while surveys can be used to track 

changes in attitudes and behaviors. The following are examples of reasonable performance 

measures for stewardship, focusing on natural resource outcomes. 

Outcome Measures 

• Acres of undeveloped land or important habitat conserved. 

• Number of acre-feet or gallons of water conserved. 

• Kilowatt hours of energy conserved. 
42 

• Number of acres of cropland on which erosion is reduced to below a specified level. 

• Consumption of renewable fuel as a percentage of total transportation fuel consumption. 

• Number of comprehensive nutrient management plans applied by owners and operators of 

animal feeding operations. 

• Increase in specific indicators of environmental literacy among program participants, as 

compared to the general population. 

• Percentage of program participants who initiate or implement a positive change in their 

organization or community within five years of their participation, based on knowledge 

gained from their participation. 

Program Efficiency Measures 

• Acres of wetlands established, re-established, rehabilitated, enhanced, or 

protected/maintained per $1 million in total costs.

• Total program cost or expenditure per acre of forest protected from conversion to nonforest uses.

Measures should be placed within a context. For example, measurements of water and energy 

conservation should be compared to the total amount of water and energy used by program 

participants and the target population as a whole. Finally, measures of stewardship should be 

made readily available to key audiences (e.g., program staff, participants, and the public), in 

order to recognize progress and encourage accountability. 

A similar review of the performance measures from Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) 

assessments of EPA offices that have environmental stewardship initiatives yielded a similar list. 

(It is important to note that because of the manner in which programs– including those with 

environmental stewardship initiatives – are organized in the PART, these measures are 

frequently applied to groups of programs, rather than individual initiatives.) 

Outcome Measures 

• Percent change in average nitrogen deposition and mean ambient nitrate concentrations 

(Acid Rain, OAR). 

• Number of waterbodies identified by states (on the 2000 303(d) list) as being primarily 

NPS-impaired partially or fully attaining designated uses (Non-point Source Grants, OW). 

• Percent cumulative reduction of chronic human health risk from environmental releases of 

industrial chemicals in commerce since 2001 (Existing Chemicals, OPPTS). 

• Cumulative conservation of millions of BTUs of energy and gallons of water (New 

Chemicals, OPPTS). 

• Reduction in phosphorus loadings (millions of pounds) (Non-point Source Grants, OW). 
43 

Program Efficiency Measures 

• Section 319 funds ($ million) expended per partially or fully restored waterbody (Nonpoint Source Grants, OW). 

• Reduction of EPA’s per-chemical review costs from expedited reviews as a result of 

training provided to chemical developers (Sustainable Futures, OPPTS). 

• Cleanups Complete (3-year rolling average) per total cleanup dollars (Leaking 

Underground Storage Tanks, OSWER). 

• Ratio of number of students/teachers that have improved environmental knowledge per 

total dollars expended (Environmental Education, AO). 

4.1.2 Learn From and Leverage Partners’ Measurement Activities 

EPA’s partners are engaged in significant stewardship measurement activity. EPA can learn 

from, encourage, and support the expansion of these external stewardship measurement and 

reporting initiatives. Some compelling stewardship measurement initiatives are listed below. 

• The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Facility Reporting Project have developed 

environmental measurement and reporting frameworks for corporations and facilities that 

are being quickly adopted by companies worldwide. Companies across numerous sectors 

are expanding stewardship measurement and reporting activities, and using metrics to 

inform decision-making through tools such as the balanced scorecard. 

• The Business Roundtable’s SEE Change sustainability initiative has a major measurement 

and reporting component. 

• Numerous communities in the U.S. have developed quality of life and sustainability 

indicators to track environmental stewardship outcomes at the local level. 

• The Canadian and Australian governments and numerous non-governmental 

environmental organizations have developed user-friendly calculators that help 

individuals understand their environmental and greenhouse gas emissions “footprints” and 

enable them to make better stewardship decisions. 

• EPA’s Office of Solid Waste has developed a widely used “WARM” model that helps 

users convert quantities of materials (e.g., office paper, glass, aluminum, newsprint, 

corrugated paper) that is “source reduced” or recycled into greenhouse gas savings. 

• The GRI has developed a measurement and reporting framework for public agencies, to 

help government organizations improve the consistency and effectiveness of sustainability 

and stewardship reporting. 

4.1.3 Opportunities for EPA to Improve Environmental Stewardship Measurement 

In light of these reflections and activities, this section discusses key steps that EPA can take to 

improve measurement to support effective environmental stewardship. 
44 

4.1.3.1 Set clear environmental stewardship goals and objectives 

Clear environmental stewardship goals and objectives lay the foundation for measurement. 

Understanding the status of the environmental resources—air, water, land, ecosystems, energy, 

and materials—provides important information regarding where additional stewardship actions 

are needed. Knowing that EPA cannot encourage stewardship everywhere at once, measurement 

is needed to identify where significant problems and challenges lie. Specific, challenging 

environmental goals can be identified that address priority problems. Measurement can inform 

how specific audiences affect or can contribute to specific environmental goals. Stewardship 

actions from multiple audiences—individuals, companies, communities, and governments—may 

be needed to achieve a particular environmental goal. 

Pick specific, challenging environmental goals and objectives. The target audienceenvironmental sustainability outcome matrix below can be a useful tool for identifying and 

mapping how specific environmental goals and objectives are relevant to key groups and 

outcomes. As an example, the matrix below highlights one potential goal that might fit within 

the Individuals/Energy cell. Multiple objectives could be established for each goal (one is shown 

in the matrix cell). The matrix could also be used to illustrate linkages among goals, objectives, 

and measures. In this example, the Individuals/Air cell is highlighted to denote that the goal and 

the associated objectives and measures in the Individuals/Energy cell have a strong connection to 

individuals’ stewardship activities related to air quality and climate change. 

Identify key outcome measures for each environmental stewardship goal. Under each goal and 

objective, one could identify or develop multiple specific programs and projects designed to 

achieve these goals and objectives, as measured by the common outcome measures. While 

specific programs and projects would have additional measures to help tell a more complete 

story, all of the programs and projects supporting a specific environmental goal could have 

common measures that link them to that goal. 

Government

Organizations

Communities

Companies

Individuals

Air Ecosystems Energy Land Materials Water

Goal 1: Reduce residential energy use 

Objective 1: Increase the energy-efficiency of home 

appliances to lower residential energy use in the U.S. 

Objective 2: Increase the energy-efficiency of lighting 

and HVAC systems in new homes. 

Potential Measures: 

Total annual residential energy use (kWh) 

Total annual residential energy savings (kWh and 

average annual household consumption equivalency) 

Value of energy savings (dollars) 

Associated reductions in air pollutant emissions, 

including greenhouse gas emissions (tons) 
45 

4.1.3.2 Strengthen measurement systems for existing EPA environmental stewardship 

programs and projects 

Clearly map the relationship between EPA programs and projects and environmental 

stewardship goals and objectives. Once specific, measurable environmental goals and objectives 

have been established, EPA can determine which projects and programs address a particular goal 

and objective and which could be adapted to do so. A single environmental stewardship goal, 

such as to improve energy efficiency, could be supported by a portfolio of multiple projects and 

program activities that are designed to accomplish the goal. For example, the ENERGY STAR 

program may have a suite of program activities that address the goal of reducing residential 

energy use, and that focus on the objective of improving the energy-efficiency of home 

appliances. At the same time, the Sector Strategies programs or other EPA programs could also 

support the goal of reducing residential energy consumption through other activities, such as 

working with the construction sector or architects to address energy-efficiency in new homes. 

Clearly map the relationship between program goals, outputs, and outcomes. While measures of 

progress toward the environmental goal may be consistent across programs and projects, 

programs and projects should have input, output, and outcome measures that help link them to 

the larger environmental goal. Input measures for a program or activity can capture Agency 

(e.g., staff, time, resources) and societal costs, when possible, to help measure program 

efficiency. Output measures track products produced or services delivered by a program, and 

can also help inform program performance. A range of short-term and long-term outcome 

measures can complete the picture, illustrating a coherent story that demonstrates how program 

results connect to the environmental goal, even in cases where causality can be difficult to prove. 

By mapping a system of environmental stewardship measures and rigorously tracking project 

and program performance during pilot phases, EPA can use measurement to more tightly 

organize programs and activities around priority stewardship goals. Such a measurement system 

can also help to ensure that investments in programs and projects are efficiently and costeffectively contributing to these broader goals. To bring greater organizational strength to this 

approach to stewardship measurement and management, EPA could establish environmental 

stewardship goal managers to facilitate communication and decision-making across projects. 

Many U.S. companies are pursuing a similar strategy, where they are establishing “value stream 

managers” who are responsible for working across functional and programmatic boundaries to 

ensure that the end goal is met—the customer gets the high-quality product or service they want, 

when they want it, at a reasonable cost. 

Seek measurement alignment and consistency across programs. The mapping of programs and 

projects to specific stewardship goals, as well as the mapping of program output and outcome 

measures, should highlight areas where program measures could be aligned across selected EPA 

programs or aligned with measurement standards being adopted outside of EPA, such as the 

GRI. Current efforts to align EPA voluntary program measurement with the GRI- based 

measures and “data dictionary” used by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable should be 

strongly supported.21 Consistency can reduce measurement and reporting burden, particularly in 

places where a partner may be asked to measure and report on a stewardship activity in multiple 

ways. For example, the measures of water use or hazardous waste generation required by the 

GRI framework and various EPA voluntary programs may differ. In addition, measurement 
46 

consistency can facilitate data aggregation across programs as well as comparability of 

stewardship performance results. 

4.1.3.3 Design new environmental stewardship programs with measurement in mind 

New programs, projects, and challenges can be developed to address environmental stewardship 

goals and objectives needing more attention than existing EPA programs provide. Measurement 

should be an essential component of new EPA programs and challenges designed to encourage 

stewardship behaviors and actions among targeted audiences. 

Measures can be built into new program design. One approach is to select a priority 

environmental problem and goal that requires attention across multiple partners. For example, 

EPA’s 33/50 Program set challenge goals for broad-based reductions in Toxic Release Inventory 

releases for selected substances, and EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge has set a national 

goal of recycling 35% of municipal solid waste in the U.S. Another approach is to select a 

specific target audience or partner, and to reach agreement about specific, challenging 

environmental objectives that contribute to the environmental goal. For example, EPA’s Sector 

Strategies program has worked with the iron and steel sector to identify important stewardship 

objectives, such as increasing the beneficial reuse of slag to minimize waste from the sector and 

reducing emissions of selected hazardous air pollutants. Similarly, EPA could work with 

outdoor groups to identify environmental objectives and associated measures which these groups 

could help to address by encouraging stewardship behaviors among their constituencies, such as 

boating practices that prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. 

Engage partners when defining program measurement systems. While EPA can identify and 

propose tangible goals and targets for potential challenges and partnerships, direct collaboration 

with potential partners to establish measures and realistic targets can increase ownership of the 

goal and help to identify potential obstacles to success. For example, EPA’s EnergyStar program 

has successfully engaged appliance and electronics manufacturers to determine appropriate 

energy use measures and targets for EnergyStar labeling and to select appropriate measures to 

track progress. 

4.1.3.4 Develop stewardship measurement systems that can inform and support people in their 

work 

EPA should do more than just focus on measurement to assess the effectiveness of EPA’s 

environmental stewardship programs. The Agency can also lead efforts to build measurement 

tools that provide feedback to people that can inform and support their daily work. While there 

is no one-size-fits-all approach to stewardship measurement, there are some general 

opportunities for measuring stewardship behavior associated with each of the four target 

audiences identified by EPA—individuals, companies, communities, and government 

organizations. Some of these opportunities are outlined below. 

Individuals 

• Expand and coordinate use of marketing measurement studies to identify barriers and 

benefits associated with specific stewardship behaviors (e.g., recycling, composting, 

implementation of water and energy saving measures), and to test pilot behavior change 
47 

outreach and marketing campaigns. Collect and share marketing measurement results and 

program evaluation measurement results among state and local government agencies. 

• Consider use of prominently featured calculator tools on EPA’s website to raise awareness 

of individuals’ stewardship performance and steps they can take to improve their 

stewardship performance. 

Companies 

• Expand the number of sectors where key measures and targets are identified that address 

the most significant environmental issues for the sector, such as is done in EPA’s Sector 

Strategies program. Information on targets and measures can be used to develop sectorfocused challenges that seek to encourage specific stewardship behaviors. 

• Meet with companies within one or more sectors to identify appropriate performance 

measures for tracking progress with specific challenge programs. 

• Consider expansion of web-based tools that can pool stewardship behavior and 

performance results across voluntary programs and enable efficient roll-up and analysis of 

trends information. The Pollution Prevention Assessment Tool used by the P2 community 

would serve as a model for such an effort. 

Communities 

• Support programs that engage citizens in measurement of local ecosystem health 

(particularly local water quality). These programs can both help to fill the significant 

data/information gaps that exist, while raising local awareness about the status of local 

ecosystems. 

• Facilitate information sharing among communities who are developing sustainability and 

quality of life indicators to track the effectiveness of community-based stewardship 

efforts. 

Government Organizations 

• Measure and report on federal facility stewardship performance, including compliance 

with Executive Orders targeting stewardship behaviors as well as basic measures such as 

water and energy use. Consider the Global Reporting Initiative’s public agency sector 

framework as a guide to stewardship measurement and reporting for federal facilities. 

Such an effort could start with measurement and reporting by EPA facilities, and could be 

expanded for use by other federal agencies, state, and local government agencies. 

• Expand web-based tools to support and communicate federal facility stewardship 

measurement. Such an effort could build on the U.S. Office of the Federal Environmental 

Executive (OFEE) EMS progress measurement and reporting scorecard. The 

Fedcenter.gov website, a joint initiative of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance 

Assurance (OECA), the Army Corps of Engineers' Construction Engineering Research 

Laboratory and OFEE could also be expanded to include stewardship measurement tools 

and information. 
48 

4.1.3.5 Continue to address data and measurement gaps related to natural resource areas 

Measurement efforts undertaken by EPA program offices and EPA’s Environmental Indicators 

Initiative, including the development of the Draft Report on the Environment, are strengthening 

EPA’s ability to identify areas needing improvement. Less attention has focused on stewardship 

measurement related to energy and materials. While significant data on energy and materials are 

collected by other organizations and government agencies, there are significant opportunities to 

collect, aggregate, and enhance this data in ways that would better inform environmental 

stewardship efforts. These opportunities include: 

• Continue programmatic and cross-agency efforts, such as the Environmental Indicators 

Initiative, to improve environmental indicators related to air, water, land, ecological 

condition, and human health and to address key measurement gaps; 

• Improve understanding of material flows and use by developing Material Flow Accounts, 

as recommended by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Organization for 

Economic Cooperation and Development; and 

• Improve use of energy data for identifying areas where increased stewardship attention is 

needed, drawing on energy data from existing EPA voluntary programs and other sources 

such as the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration. 

• Continue and support consultations with international organizations examining 

sustainability and stewardship measurements and indicators, including the Organization 

for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission. 

4.2. IMPROVE EPA-WIDE COMMUNICATION, OUTREACH AND MARKETING

As the federal environmental agency, EPA should be a national leader in promoting 

environmental stewardship. EPA can do this in a variety of ways, such as supporting 

environmental education initiatives that help us understand what motivates individuals to 

practice stewardship, and by creating incentives for sound environmental behaviors through our 

growing set of voluntary programs. But the most important role for EPA is in providing 

information. EPA should help people understand what environmental stewardship is, why it is 

important, and how they can join in a national effort to protect the environment and quality of 

life in the United States for this and future generations through the choices they make. 

To be an effective information provider, EPA must address several challenges. They include: 

• Lack of a unified message at EPA about stewardship, including reconciling what can be 

perceived as seemingly competing and even conflicting messages about regulatory 

requirements and voluntary stewardship; 

• Varying degrees of public understanding of environmental issues; 

• Lack of understanding within EPA about how to manage a valuable asset for promoting 

stewardship - the EPA brand; 
49 

• Need to understand barriers to behavioral change; 

• Insufficient knowledge within EPA of marketing as a science, in particular marketing 

factors that can drive consumer behaviors; 

• Lack of coordination among many different EPA stewardship initiatives that can lead to 

competing and/or conflicting information; and 

• Not enough tailoring of products and information for specific audiences. 

Strategic marketing and outreach are effective means of overcoming these challenges. Indeed, 

they are crucial for connecting EPA with the many people and organizations that must become 

aware of environmental issues and part of the solution for addressing them. 

While “leading by example” will be important for showing the outside world the seriousness of 

our stewardship commitment, so too will the way we reach out and talk with people about what 

we are doing and want to accomplish. If done well, effective marketing and outreach will greatly 

increase the effectiveness of stewardship initiatives. It will connect EPA with people in a way 

that it has not done to a great extent in the past, particularly individuals. By giving people 

practical ways to protect the environment, we can start to build the kind of broad-based 

partnership that is needed to deal with some of our society’s most vexing and diffuse 

environmental problems. 

Key Actions 

Develop a coherent message. EPA needs to explain - internally and externally - what 

stewardship means and how it fits with our mission of protecting public health and the 

environment. This message must be visible through words and actions at every level of the 

Agency and must acknowledge the need for strong regulatory compliance. Once defined, EPA 

should identify strategic opportunities to engage the public and build their support for 

stewardship. Options include: 

• Launch a national dialogue to engage the public on stewardship. Routinely set up public 

dialogues to exchange ideas for encouraging and enabling stewardship and discuss why 

stewardship is important; 

• Publicly roll-out new initiatives that showcase stewardship as a means to solving priority 

problems. Use the power of the Administrator’s office to announce priority initiatives and 

gain public support for them; 

• Highlight EPA’s own stewardship. Increase the visibility of EPA’s annual environmental 

performance report to show people internally and externally that our words are backed up 

by action; and 

• Develop a communications toolkit. Distribute a set of resources that can help headquarters 

and regional offices stay on message and communicate consistently and effectively with 

priority audiences about stewardship. 
50 

Improve environmental literacy. Getting people to do more for the environment is difficult if 

they do not understand its value and act accordingly. Recognizing the importance of an 

environmentally-educated public, EPA should: 

• Undertake an assessment of current environmental education resources. A recent study at 

EPA identified about 50 environmental education programs. EPA should conduct a full 

assessment to determine how the resources associated with those programs are being 

deployed, what they are achieving, and how they might be leveraged more strongly to 

maximize the collective value; and 

• Develop strategic partnerships that increase the value of EPA’s environmental education 

initiatives. Based on the assessment described above, EPA should look for opportunities 

to leverage its environmental education resources by partnering with educational 

institutions and other organizations that share 

similar goals. 

Enlist specialized expertise to improve EPA’s 

marketing and brand management. EPA needs 

marketing expertise to more effectively reach target 

audiences. In particular, EPA needs a better understanding 

of the factors and trends that drive individual (i.e., 

consumer) choices, and of how to manage its brand. 

While EPA has gained considerable expertise with these 

issues through select programs, such as ENERGY STAR 

and the Chesapeake Bay Program, the Agency does not have expertise on these issues across the 

board. To build this capability, EPA should: 

• Develop an EPA-wide marketing plan to guide our many stewardship initiatives. EPA 

should determine how to best reach out to target audiences and engage them in initiatives 

and dialogues that can increase and improve stewardship; and 

• Leverage the work on branding that has already been done for EPA’s voluntary 

programs. The Agency should use the branding guidelines being developed for its 

voluntary programs to increase staff understanding of the branding concept and to help 

shape a more strategic approach to managing the EPA brand. 

Improve internal coordination among stewardship initiatives. EPA needs to become more 

coordinated and sophisticated in how we develop products and services, including information 

components, for end users. In particular, EPA should: 

• Provide comprehensive links for priority audiences on EPA’s highly visible web page. 

Create sites that consolidate information for individuals, communities, companies and, 

over time, subsets of these constituencies, e.g., schools, hospitals, service industries; and 

• Simplify information about stewardship opportunities. EPA should start by packaging its 

voluntary programs in a way that simplifies participation for priority audiences. Using 

results from the critical assessment of existing programs, this packaging should reflect an 

“A good brand reflects the 

promise of your program....it will 

determine - perhaps more than 

anything else - decision-makers’ 

receptivity to the actions you are 

asking them to take.” 

EPA Voluntary Program Guidelines

on Branding (Draft) 
51 

understanding of which programs are likely to net both participants and the society at 

large the greatest environmental return. 

4.3 UNIFY EPA ACTIVITIES TO MAKE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL 

AUDIENCES

It is important that both Agency employees and those outside the Agency have access to 

materials and information that will help them practice better environmental stewardship. It is 

clear that we need to organize our environmental stewardship programs as “portfolios of 

opportunities” so that they can be easily used by all interested parties. It is also clear that we 

need to market these materials more effectively to align with the needs and thinking of our target 

audiences. We have initiated an effort to inventory all of these programs and to make the 

information about them more accessible. (See Appendix J.) 

4.4 REFLECT STEWARDSHIP IN EPA PLANNING, BUDGETING AND ACCOUNTABILITY 

SYSTEMS

4.4.1 Introduction 

The Agency’s strategic and annual planning and budget processes are key mechanisms for 

integrating environmental stewardship approaches into EPA’s work. These long-term and shortterm planning processes establish priorities for our environmental protection efforts, and identify 

the strategies for accomplishing our environmental results. To ensure a high degree of 

accountability and visibility, the Agency should continue efforts to incorporate quantifiable 

measurement of environmental stewardship results into the Agency’s long-term and annual 

performance commitments and integrate environmental stewardship into existing implementation 

strategies. Potential ways to accomplish this include incorporation of environmental 

stewardship strategies and results in strategic and regional plans; annual plans and budgets; 

national program priorities, guidance, and corresponding regional performance commitments; 

and annual performance measures. 

The following set of recommendations provides suggestions for potential ways to more clearly 

establish priorities and demonstrate outcomes for environmental stewardship. 

4.4.2 Recommendation 1: Increase Attention to Regional Environmental Stewardship 

Activities in National Program Manager (NPM) Guidance Documents 

Environmental stewardship program activities can contribute to the accomplishment of long-term 

national program priorities and annual regional performance commitments. As national program 

managers update their NPM guidance documents each year, opportunities exist for including 

consideration of environmental stewardship approaches. In setting national program targets, 

NPMs should consider the contribution that environmental stewardship programs and activities 

can make in achieving the targets. For example, if a region works with a company through a 

voluntary environmental stewardship program to reduce energy use, water use, or air and water 

pollution, the environmental results of these activities could potentially contribute to more 

ambitious performance targets. These commitments could then be captured in the Agency’s 
52 

Annual Commitment System, which tracks Regional activities and contributions to achieving 

national program priorities. The experience that Performance Track is getting in incorporating 

directions into NPM guidance should be useful to other stewardship programs. 

Regional managers should also include consideration of on-going state environmental 

stewardship efforts when developing annual state workplans, performance partnership 

agreements, and performance partnership grants. Appropriate recognition of multi-media 

projects and the positive role of collaboration should be accounted for in these annual work plans 

and to the extent possible, funding flexibility. 

4.4.3 Recommendation 2: Integrate Environmental Stewardship into National & 

Regional Planning 

4.4.3.1 Strategic Planning 

The current revision of the Agency’s Strategic Plan presents a timely opportunity for 

incorporating environmental stewardship as an integral approach for achieving environmental 

results. The means and strategies section under each goal describes how the Agency intends to 

achieve the long-term measurable environmental commitments contained in the strategic 

planning architecture (e.g., objectives, sub-objectives). Representatives of the Agency’s 

stewardship programs could work with the Goal Teams to develop, for inclusion in the means 

and strategies narratives that support each goal, a description of how environmental stewardship 

specifically contributes to achievement of the outcomes under the goal. In this way, the Agency 

can highlight the essential role that environmental stewardship plays in each of our programs to 

achieve environmental results. The Agency has begun revising its Strategic Plan in the fall of 

2005. In this connection, futures planning goes hand-in-hand with environmental stewardship. 

4.4.3.2 Regional Planning 

Regional planning establishes priorities for accomplishing regional environmental protection 

work, based on joint planning and priority setting with states and tribes. Regional Plans could 

present an opportunity for articulating the use of environmental stewardship approaches to 

achieve ongoing programmatic outcomes. Regional plans also offer potential opportunities for 

describing how environmental stewardship can help address unique regional priorities or 

environmental problems. For example, voluntary approaches may enhance the results that can 

be achieved through a more traditional regulatory approach. 

EPA and the State Partnership and Performance Group recently formed a workgroup comprising 

headquarters, regional, and state program and planning contacts to develop options on an 

approach and format for the next round of Regional Plans. Guiding principles for these 

recommendations include developing plans that will (1) inform key decision-making processes, 

(2) reflect measurable environmental outcomes, (3) streamline plans, and (4) be beneficial to 

headquarters and regional senior managers. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) 

intends to issue guidance for the next round of Regional Plans in late 2005. 
53 

4.4.4 Recommendation 3: Develop Outcome Based Measures of Environmental 

Stewardship 

The Agency’s Annual Plan and Budget includes annual performance goals and measures that are 

expected to be accomplished with the requested resources. The Agency tracks progress toward 

these annual performance targets and, at the end of the year, reports on whether they were 

achieved in the annual Performance and Accountability Report. These annual performance goals 

and measures should be outcome-based to the degree possible and linked directly to the longerterm outcomes contained in the Agency’s strategic planning architecture of goals, objectives, and 

sub-objectives in the most recently developed five-year Strategic Plan. 

Incorporating environmental stewardship measures in Agency performance measurement 

systems would provide critical information about the relative contribution that voluntary 

environmental stewardship programs can make toward accomplishing environmental results. 

Development of new environmental stewardship annual performance goals and measures for 

inclusion in Agency management systems (which may be tracked and reported either externally 

or internally) would require development of the measure itself, a baseline, and an annual target. 

To the degree possible, annual performance goals and measures should be stated as an 

environmental or health outcome, rather than an output. Programs may begin developing new 

external performance goals and measures at this time for inclusion in the FY 2008 annual 

planning and budget process next summer. 

4.4.5 Recommendation 4: Submit Budget Proposals to Advance Environmental 

Stewardship 

Each year, EPA submits a budget request to the Office of Management and Budget in September 

that includes both the resources and the expected performance results associated with those 

resources (i.e., externally reported annual performance goals and measures). The annual 

planning and budget process provides an opportunity to advance the use of environmental 

stewardship in Agency programs. 

In a budget climate of level or declining resources, environmental stewardship approaches may 

offer opportunities to accomplish our work in new ways, for example, through voluntary 

initiatives aimed at changing the behavior of individuals. To enhance the likelihood of success 

in the annual budget process, budget proposals should be supported by strong outcome-based 

performance results information and describe how resources would be redirected from other 

areas to accomplish the work. 

The next opportunity to submit a budget proposal to advance environmental stewardship in the 

Agency would be as part of the FY 2008 annual planning and budget process in Summer 2006. 

4.5 ALIGN EPA EFFORTS WITH STATE AND TRIBAL ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES

As described in Chapter 2 and Appendix C of this report, State and Tribal officials generally 

express strong support for the ideals embodied in EPA’s draft vision and definition of 

environmental stewardship and a willingness and interest in working with EPA to further these 

ideals. 
54 

All of the States interviewed for this report have ongoing environmental stewardship-related 

activities and many States are actively expanding these types of efforts. Although they often are 

articulated under the umbrella of “environmental sustainability” or are related to traditional core 

environmental programs rather than promoted as “environmental stewardship,” States 

characterized many of their efforts as consistent with EPA’s vision and definition of 

environmental stewardship. They emphasized that it is important that EPA environmental 

stewardship efforts reinforce ongoing State investments in environmental stewardship and learn 

from State experiences. Whenever possible, correspondence between State and Federal efforts 

should be established, so efforts are structured to be mutually complementary and supportive. 

Many State efforts are focused on two related areas: working to encourage businesses to reach 

for environmental outcomes that are beyond those that would be required by existing regulatory 

programs (so-called “beyond compliance” efforts) and working to integrate or reduce barriers 

between environmental programs. Increasingly, State stewardship-related efforts are not limited 

to areas where there are traditional environmental regulatory programs or mandates. Often, State 

environmental agencies are considering land conservation goals in their stewardship-related 

efforts and partnering with sister natural resource agencies to jointly further environmental and 

land conservation goals. States also are investing in efforts to give businesses and consumers 

information and encouragement to support more environmentally-sound behaviors and choices. 

Some of these efforts provide direct financial support for environmentally beneficial choices. 

Tribal leaders emphasized that environmental stewardship is central to their culture and that their 

Nations have a long history of environmental stewardship and considering the impacts of 

decisions on future generations. Many of the general approaches that have been suggested for 

aligning EPA and State environmental stewardship programs and activities also apply to aligning 

EPA and Tribal environmental stewardship programs and activities. 

State and Tribal officials offered a number of specific suggestions for how EPA might better 

work with them to further environmental stewardship goals. Many of these suggestions, such as 

creating a national dialogue on environmental stewardship, leading by example, applying 

environmental stewardship approaches to ecosystems, communities and products, creating a 

robust measurement program for stewardship and nesting stewardship activities within existing 

environmental programs and planning mechanisms, are key parts of the options and 

recommendations presented elsewhere in this report. Other suggestions include the following 

options: 

Create sufficient flexibility at the regional office level for State and Tribal programs to explore 

stewardship approaches. The officials stressed that States and Tribes are laboratories of 

innovation for environmental protection and are responsible for most direct delivery of 

environmental programs. They need flexibility to experiment with stewardship-related ideas, 

particularly those that focus on environmental outcomes that cut across traditional program areas 

or that reach beyond compliance with existing requirements. Part of this will be addressed by 

incorporating stewardship activities into NPM guidance document and other national and 

regional planning efforts as described earlier in this report. Flexibility also may be needed in the 

types of activities for which State grant funds may be spent, the numbers of specific types of 

activities (e.g., certain types of inspections) that States must carry out, and the ways in which 

environmental regulatory targets are defined (e.g., to provide alternative targets in situations 
55 

where overall superior environmental outcomes can be achieved, such as in an Environmental 

Management System context). EPA needs to work with States and Tribes to integrate 

stewardship as a legitimate environmental management tool and work to reconcile any potential 

conflicts with regulatory responsibilities. 

Provide support for stewardship efforts. The officials also stressed that EPA grant programs 

must recognize and reward State and Tribal investments in stewardship efforts. Because of the 

budget situation in which many States and Tribes find themselves, grants must recognize that 

investment in stewardship may come at the expense of investments in other activities. 

Stewardship needs to be connected to EPA’s vision and funding priorities. EPA should also give 

credit for stewardship activities during program performance reviews. 

Build on existing EPA environmental stewardship programs and priorities and collaborate to 

achieve common goals. Stewardship efforts are an opportunity to frame and coordinate many 

current activities and to guide future thinking about investments and strategy. Specific 

suggestions include: 

• Target investments that explore actual implementation of stewardship behaviors, 

particularly those in which outcomes can be measured. 

• Increase the understanding of how economics can work harmoniously with ecosystems, 

reducing the false sense of choice between a healthy economy and a healthy environment.

• Continue to create the floor, the baseline, of environmental protection through regulatory 

and enforcement programs and through support of State and Tribal environmental 

programs, while at the same time offering incentives to move beyond minimum standards. 

• Create capacity, toolkits, or other resources that States and Tribes could use or customize 

to support their programs, in particular, information and capacity on marketing to focus 

efforts to educate consumers and change consumer behavior and ensure that educational 

efforts at the local, State, Tribal and Federal level are as effective and efficient as possible 

for the investment made.

• Encourage market mechanisms that provide competitive advantages to for stewardship 

practices, including preferences in insurance, lending, and capital markets.

4.6 REFINE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES TO REALIZE FULL 

VALUE

4.6.1 Environmental Stewardship and Environmental Education (EE): An Integral 

Partnership 

Environmental stewardship efforts may be greatly enhanced through effective utilization and 

improvement of existing Environmental Education (EE) resources. EE is a process that: 1) 

increases public awareness and knowledge of environmental issues and challenges; 2) teaches 

people how individual and collective actions affect the environment; 3) develops skills people 

can use to weigh various sides of complex environmental issues, and make informed decisions; 
56 

and 4) inspires personal responsibility for environmental preservation, restoration, and/or 

conservation. The path from education, to increased knowledge and awareness, to behavior 

change and action is one that EPA must utilize if it hopes to effectively persuade individuals, 

communities, businesses, agencies and organizations to become better environmental stewards. 

4.6.2 The Current Status of EPA’s Environmental Education Programs 

As with environmental stewardship programs, programs focusing on EE are scattered throughout 

the EPA. EPA’s formal EE programs may be grouped into voluntary programs, training 

programs, community education and outreach, internships, fellowships, and K-12 programs. 

Individual programs are housed in different offices, making communication and coordination 

difficult. In an effort to connect these various programs to one another, the Office of 

Environmental Education’s (OEE) website acts as a centralized location for internal staff to find 

out what other education efforts are occurring throughout the Agency. OEE also provide 

resources to teachers and educators and offer grant opportunities to those involved in 

environmental education. 

4.6.3 Opportunities to Strengthen Environmental Stewardship through Environmental 

Education 

Education provides a forum to prevent human health risks and pollution by teaching choices and 

encouraging good environmental stewardship. The stronger the education programs are, the 

clearer and louder the stewardship message will be. For EPA’s Environmental Education to 

succeed, education and communication must occur both internally and externally. The Office of 

Environmental Education (OEE) is already working on ways to increase communication and 

awareness about EE within EPA, with other government agencies, and with the public at large. 

Current efforts include: 

• Facilitating communication among EE programs and staff, in part through the 

development of an EPA program database containing information on materials produced, 

methodologies used, and audiences targeted, to be available within and to the public; 

• Enhancing evaluation and strategic planning for EE programs; and 

• Working to include education approaches in EPA’s future strategic plans. 

In addition to present OEE efforts, the visibility and accountability of environmental education 

may be increased through the following recommendations: 

• Active management support for EE programs: In order for the EE approach to succeed at 

the EPA, there must be more active support at all management levels in the form of 

necessary resources, recognition, and encouragement; 

• Provide professional development opportunities for EE staff with an emphasis on 

education, evaluation, communication, and other key topics; and 

• Improve the product review system to enhance the effectiveness of the products and 

coordination between programs. 
57 

The environmental stewardship effort can be greatly enhanced by tying into already existing EE 

programs and helping the OEE reach a wider audience and better communicate with its present 

audience. Education provides the underpinnings for EPA’s overall mission and is inextricably 

linked to environmental stewardship. The enhancement of one implies the growth of the other. 

Through proper support and planning, EPA can grow both its environmental education and 

stewardship programs, thereby moving substantially closer to achieving its overall goals and 

mission. 

4.7 IMPROVE OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE – PERFORM CRITICAL RESEARCH

Successfully implementing a stewardship approach to environmental protection and improving 

over time will require us to build a knowledge foundation through research. In general, there are 

several important aspects to capture in a research portfolio that will inform stewardship. First, 

we should both understand and improve the infrastructure (physical, informational, economic, 

social) that makes stewardship choices comfortable and convenient, and also develop new and 

innovative choices for stewards. Second, we should learn from the successes and failures of the 

past with respect to stewardship, as well as inform decisions that will enable us to shape the 

future. Third, to develop lasting solutions to complex problems, we should draw on an 

understanding of how societal and ecological systems interact. Fourth, we should learn how to 

better provide the information required by government, communities, businesses, and individuals 

to make better choices. Finally, we must understand under what conditions the collection of 

stewardship behaviors and regulatory outcomes work together on a local, regional, and national 

scale to help us achieve the sustainability outcomes we are aiming for. 

Stewardship requires a multi-disciplinary research approach in engineering, chemistry, ecology, 

public health, economics, social sciences, etc. Research that can potentially inform the plans and 

decisions of four types of stewardship groups is described below: (1) community and regional 

decisionmakers, (2) industry and business, (3) individuals and households (4) ecosystem 

managers. Stewardship also requires full communication between researchers and users inside 

and outside of EPA, so that useful research questions are asked and knowledge gained from 

research is effectively transferred and applied. 

4.7.1 Community and Regional Decisionmakers 

Local governments and communities would benefit from a better understanding of future 

implications of their planning decisions. The location, design, and materials selected for new 

development within a community or region can affect the level of impact it has on the 

environment. Different residential, commercial, and transportation densities (dictated by building 

codes) and designs (driven by architectural and civil engineering practice) are associated with 

altered consumption and land use patterns. These in turn lead to environmental implications. For 

example, the characteristics and patterns of land development in a region can affect energy 

consumption, as well as air quality through mobile and stationary source emissions. Similarly, 

the water demands of development can be in balance or at odds with ecological health. Land use 

can also affect materials use patterns and subsequent environmental impacts. Research can help 

to illuminate the linkages among demographic changes, economic trends, and 

technology/infrastructure transformations influencing future development; resource (water, 
58 

energy, materials) flow and consumption patterns; alternative build-out scenarios for 

metropolitan areas; and the associated projected environmental outcomes. Factors that motivate 

or discourage community members to choose to become better stewards are also important to 

understand. Then, tools and approaches can be developed that enable communities and 

local/regional governments to be better environmental stewards and over the long run prevent 

environmental pollution, promote wise use of resources, and enhance environmental quality and 

public health. 

4.7.2 Industry & Business 

Companies would benefit from a broader array of options to meet their sustainability objectives. 

Research can contribute to the knowledge foundation to increase available options over time to: 

(a) design greener products, (b) build and operate greener facilities, and (c) manage materials and 

products from “cradle to cradle.” Research can lead to new approaches to designing molecules, 

products, processes, and systems that use safe chemicals; use energy, materials, and water 

efficiently; and effectively eliminate or reduce waste at the source. Broader issues can inform 

strategic industrial and business stewardship. Understanding the environmentally beneficial 

applications as well as harmful implications of emerging technologies, such as Nanotechnology 

and Biotechnology, can help to guide the development of these new technologies. A materials 

flow systems understanding can illuminate leverage points in product lifecycles that may reap 

the greatest return. Finally, understanding the dynamics of organizations, including conditions 

and factors that motivate green choices and behavior can inform future policies. 

4.7.3 Individual and Households 

Individuals and households would benefit from more information, more incentives, and more 

choices for stewardship behavior. Research can contribute to individual and household 

stewardship in several areas. First, an understanding of what types stewardship choices and 

behavior (from composting to carpooling) on the part of individuals makes the biggest difference 

for long-term environmental results would help to prioritize policy relating to individual 

stewardship. Second, understanding how stewardship innovation behavior diffuses from lead 

environmental stewards to others in the general population can help to target stewardship 

programs for individuals. Third, research can contribute to understanding the incentives and 

disincentives for stewardship behavior, such as relating to economics, convenience, or comfort. 

Finally, an understanding of the role of information in guiding stewardship can inform the 

presentation of environmental information, such as in eco-labels or environmental indicators. 

4.7.4 Ecosystem Managers 

Ecosystem managers can benefit from decisionmaking tools drawing on an improved 

understanding of ecosystem structure and function and effects on ecosystem services. Priority 

research needs relate to (a) development of forecasting methods, (b) elucidation of how stressors 

affect ecosystem services, and (c) decision tools to compare trade-offs among alternative 

resource uses and flow patterns. The outputs of this research will include a variety of tools to 

transfer this knowledge from scientific research to application by stewards at all levels of 

society. 
59 

APPENDIX A: 

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP & EPA: 

CHARGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR TO THE INNOVATION ACTION COUNCIL

Background: EPA’s current strategic plan has a new emphasis on environmental stewardship to 

accomplish the Agency’s mission – reflecting an ongoing evolution of policy goals from 

pollution control to prevention and sustainability. The changing nature of the environmental 

challenges we face and the different types of solutions that are needed to get results require us to 

engage all parts of society – individuals, companies, environmental and other non-profit groups, 

communities and government – to improve public health and the environment. 

Today, a growing number of organizations and individuals are embracing stewardship values by 

taking responsibility for the environmental consequences of their actions. Environmental 

stewardship behavior can be harnessed in strategies for addressing “new” environmental 

problems and in strategies for continued progress on “old” problems. Stewardship strategies can 

help push beyond compliance-oriented outcomes, mobilize new players in environmental 

problem solving and ensure that solutions consider long term impacts. 

This vision of environmental protection is emerging throughout EPA programs and in all five 

goals of EPA’s strategic plan. Thus, in addition to operating effective regulatory and 

enforcement programs, EPA is gaining substantial experience with stewardship approaches – 

including voluntary programs, market incentives, recognition and leadership programs, pollution 

prevention, environmental education, information and collaborative problem solving. Although 

these stewardship efforts are designed to produce environmental results, EPA can improve their 

effectiveness with a more unified strategy and with clear goals and priorities. 

Charge: To realize the full benefits of stewardship and use EPA resources efficiently, we need 

to critique our progress and define strategic priorities. The Innovation Action Council should: 

1. Explore and better define EPA’s vision of environmental stewardship and the role of 

stewardship in the future of environmental protection; 

2. Assess EPA’s current environmental stewardship activities to determine effectiveness 

and opportunities for improvement; and 

3. Recommend options and priorities for how EPA, in partnership with States and tribes, 

can encourage stewardship that addresses environmental priorities and achieves results. 

Schedule and process: The IAC should organize an inclusive process to gather information and 

ideas from program and regional offices, states and tribes. A draft report should be completed in 

six months – to inform the next EPA Strategic Plan, and strengthen how EPA’s management and 

accountability systems support stewardship approaches. 

Together with strong regulatory programs, stewardship approaches have significant potential to 

improve environmental quality. Fostering environmental stewardship as a societal ethic requires 
60 

new roles for EPA, and I look forward to a continuing IAC leadership role in charting this course 

for the Agency. 

Stephen L. Johnson 

 

Administrator 

Date: May 9, 2005 
61 

APPENDIX B: 

ROSTER OF PROJECT PARTICIPANTS 

Office Steering Committee Staff Committee 

OPEI Jay Benforado, Chair 

Louise Wise 

Derry Allen, Chair Richard Kashmanian 

Bob Benson Shannon Kenny 

Lynn Desautels Greg Ondich 

Sandy Germann Betsy Shaw 

Sharquita Goldring Stephan Sylvan 

Lynda Goodgame Rob Wolcott 

Shari Grossarth Gwen Yoshimura 

Bill Hanson 

OSWER Barry Breen Brigid Lowery Clare Lindsay 

OPPTS Margaret Schneider Karen Chu Tom Murray 

OECA Mike Stahl Kate Perry 

OCFO Kathy Sedlak O’Brien Elizabeth Walsh 

OAR Rob Brenner Larry Weinstock 

OW Mike Shapiro Kitty Miller Gary Hudiburgh 

ORD Diana Bauer Peter Fargo 

Iris Goodman 

OARM Bucky Green 

OEE Drew Burnett 

Region 2 Walter Schoepf 

Region 3 Nick DiNardo 

Region 4 Stan Meiburg Linda Rimer Melissa Heath 

Region 5 Marilou Martin 

Region 8 Whitney Trulove-Cranor David Schaller 

Region 9 Scott Stollman 

Region 10 Rick Albright Carolyn Gangmark Bob Drake 

ECOS/NC* Bill Ross Beth Graves 

*Participants from North Carolina representing the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) 

The project participants also acknowledge with thanks the contributions of consultants from the 

firms of ICF Consulting, Ross and Associates and Eastern Research Group. 
62 

APPENDIX C: 

DETAILED SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS WITH STATE 

OFFICIALS, EXPERTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 

C.1 STATE OFFICIALS

Eight state environment and natural-resource agency commissioners were interviewed 

individually by telephone and eight states participated in a group conference call on 

environmental stewardship. 

State commissioners were asked to provide their perspectives in three areas: (1) the term 

“environmental stewardship” and EPA’s working definition; (2) environmental stewardship 

activities planned or ongoing in their state; and (3) how EPA might work with states and tribes to 

support and foster environmental stewardship activities and behaviors. 

This summary presents key themes and ideas that emerged from the interviews. Interviews were 

carried out over a period of approximately five weeks in August and September 2005. Each 

individual interview was approximately 30 minutes in length. The list of interviewees and 

participants in conferences calls is attached. 

C.1.1 Defining Environmental Stewardship 

State commissioners were asked to react to EPA’s draft vision and definition of environmental 

stewardship and to the concepts embedded in the draft vision and definition. 

State commissioners expressed support for the ideals embodied in EPA’s draft definition of 

environmental stewardship and the importance of these types of efforts both to achieving 

environmental quality goals and to the long-term health and sustainability of environment and 

natural resource agencies. Commissioners talked about environmental stewardship activities as 

representing the “next phase” in environmental protection efforts and about the importance of 

efforts that move to create a shared national vision for how individuals, businesses, and 

communities can—through their actions—contribute to enhanced public health and 

environmental protection. In particular, state commissioners emphasized the need to look 

holistically across environmental programs to identify strategies that can solve multiple problems 

at the same time. 

There was not unanimity about the usefulness of the term “environmental stewardship” as 

opposed to other terms. Some state commissioners were supportive of the term “environmental 

stewardship” because that term was already in use in their states. For example, the Wisconsin 

Department of Environment and Natural Resources has a strategic plan and vision statement that 

includes the idea of “shared responsibility of natural resource stewards.” The North Carolina 

Department of Environmental Quality has an “Environmental Stewardship Initiative” aimed at 

teaching businesses and other organizations about Environmental Management System (EMS) 

approaches and recognizing exceptional EMS commitments and results. At the same time, other 

state commissioners expressed concern that the term “environmental stewardship” is not in 
63 

general use in their state agencies or among the individuals, businesses, or communities they 

serve. In addition, some state commissioners expressed concern that the term “environmental 

stewardship” had the potential to be interpreted as focused exclusively on natural resource issues 

such as land-use and land conservation, or confused with long-term land use control initiatives 

(often called “long-term stewardship” initiatives) in place in many state clean up programs. 

State commissioners who were concerned with the term “environmental stewardship” expressed 

a preference (sometimes a strong preference) for terms that are in more general use, such as 

“environmental sustainability.” 

Incorporating the concept of economic prosperity into the thinking about “environmental 

stewardship” is important. A number of state commissioners mentioned the need to link 

environmental achievement with economic vitality and to move beyond the false thinking that 

those two goals are at odds. State commissioners who were more comfortable with terms such 

as “environmental sustainability” than “environmental stewardship” emphasized that 

sustainability concepts already tend to connote the pairing of abundance in the environment and 

the economy. 

State commissioners echoed a number of the critiques of EPA’s draft definition of environmental 

stewardship that were identified during the expert and stakeholder interviews. In particular, it is 

important to name accountability and responsibility—if everyone is responsible collectively, 

then no one will feel responsible individually, and nothing will get done. The goal, end state, or 

environmental outcomes that are the aspiration of stewardship activities should be clearly 

identified. In other words, how do we know when we are making progress? 

C.1.2 Environmental Stewardship Efforts in States 

State commissioners were asked about environmental stewardship efforts that they are investing 

in or leading. 

All states interviewed have ongoing efforts that they characterized as consistent with EPA’s draft 

vision and definition of environmental stewardship. Most state commissioners described their 

level of attention to and investment in stewardship-like efforts as increasing and becoming 

increasingly important within their agencies. 

Many state stewardship efforts are focused in two related areas: working to encourage 

businesses to reach for environmental outcomes that are beyond those that would be required by 

existing regulatory programs (so-called “beyond compliance” efforts) and working to integrate 

or reduce barriers between environmental programs. Often, these efforts are not called by the 

name “environmental stewardship.” Frequently they are part of state environmental 

sustainability programs or agendas, although in some cases, stewardship-like efforts are under 

the umbrella of more general programmatic improvement or efficiency. Examples of state 

stewardship-like efforts include: 

• Nebraska works across local, state, and federal agencies to combine watershed 

development and protection efforts with small community revitalization. 

• Colorado has an Environmental Management System permit program that focuses on 

superior environmental outcomes and regulating businesses in a more holistic way. 
64 

• Wisconsin has the AGreen Tier@ program that recognizes beyond compliance efforts. 

• North Carolina has an “Environmental Stewardship Initiative” to promote and encourage 

superior environmental performance in the regulated community. 

• Maine is working with other New England states on an initiative to establish connections 

and joint priority setting between environment and public health agencies. One of the 

outcomes of this effort will be materials to support individuals assessing the “health” of 

their homes. 

• California is supporting efforts to develop best practices for sustainability in the wine 

grape and other agricultural sectors. 

• The Texas environmental excellence awards celebrate efforts of citizens, communities, 

businesses, and organizations to preserve and enhance the environment by honoring the 

most outstanding waste reduction and pollution prevention efforts in the State. 

• Minnesota has a program to foster product exchanges for lead tackle, mercury-containing 

products, lawn equipment and wood stoves. 

State stewardship-related efforts increasingly consider land conservation, particularly, but not 

exclusively, in Agencies that have responsibility for both natural resources and environmental 

protection. For example, Wisconsin has a $60 million land conservation fund. More traditional 

environmental protection agencies also are looking at conservation. South Carolina is working 

with other southern states to explore sustainability and stewardship at active military bases, in 

part motivated by land conservation goals. California EPA, which does not have responsibility 

for natural resource management, is working with its sister state agencies to support the work of 

state land conservancies. This collaboration gives CALEPA the opportunity to work with the 

conservancies to marry environmental efforts (such as the work of local water regulatory boards) 

with the unique tools that conservancies have (such as the ability to purchase land and control 

easements). In addition, many state cleanup programs have long incorporated considerations 

about long-term stewardship, land use, and conservation, and a number of states environmental 

agencies are initiating efforts to support sustainable agricultural practices that also are motivated, 

in part, by land conservation goals. Opportunities for environmental agencies to team and 

collaborate with land management and natural resource agencies and organizations, particularly 

in the agriculture area, are an important part of the overall package of stewardship approaches. 

There are important opportunities for stewardship-related activities in areas where there are not 

currently as many programmatic drivers for compliance. State commissioners mentioned work 

in areas such as energy usage, water conservation, and air pollution reduction. A number of 

states also have efforts focused on agriculture and maintaining the health and viability of 

agricultural operations. 

In part to take advantage of these opportunities, states increasingly have efforts oriented towards 

giving businesses and consumers information and encouragement to support more 

environmentally sound consumptive behaviors and choices. These efforts are often mediafocused, particularly around waste reduction, water quantity and quality, and air quality efforts. 
65 

For example, the Drive Clean Across Texas Program is a public outreach and education 

campaign designed to raise awareness, change attitudes, and ultimately changes citizens’ 

behavior to reduce air pollution from cars and trucks. Some state programs extend to providing 

financial support. In Texas, for example, the State provides financial assistance to qualified 

owners of vehicles that fail emissions testing through the AirCheck Texas Repair and 

Replacement Assistance Program. 

States have an important role to play as conveners for environmental stewardship efforts, 

particularly voluntary or beyond compliance efforts. States are facilitating and supporting 

efforts by businesses, communities, or other organizations and helping these organizations 

connect to and learn from one another. Often these efforts may have as their primary motivating 

factor some economic or social value, but they also can be optimized to create environmental 

improvement. For example: 

• Maine inspectors are working to identify opportunities to pair businesses that have 

complementary “waste” streams and production processes. For example, a potato 

processor with high volumes of excess waste water was teamed with a paper manufacture 

that could use the “waste” water in the paper production process. 

• Maine convenes twice-yearly meetings of “Step Up” program participants—businesses 

that have made commitments to superior environmental performance—so these businesses 

can learn from one another’s efforts. 

• South Carolina has invested in full-time environmental liaison staff to serve as 

ombudspersons and help people understand the complexities of health and environmental 

issues and programs. These staff can work with communities who have identified 

particular environmental concerns to cut across programmatic boundaries to develop 

solutions. 

State efforts also involve improving program delivery and services to improve efficiency and 

overall outcomes. For example: 

• South Carolina is investing in plain language and streamlining efforts around 

environmental permitting. 

• Maine is working to better combine and integrate pollution prevention efforts with 

hazardous waste compliance inspections and efforts. 

C.1.3 EPA and Environmental Stewardship 

It is important for EPA to define its environmental stewardship efforts in the context of existing 

Agency programs and priorities. State commissioners agreed with EPA’s thinking that 

stewardship efforts are not so much a new program or initiative, but rather an opportunity to 

frame and—state commissioners emphasize—coordinate many current activities and to guide 

future thinking about investments and strategy. At the same time, state commissioners advised 

EPA to avoid creating the perception that environmental stewardship is just another “flavor-ofthe-month.” 
66 

EPA should identify and capitalize on stewardship efforts that are already occurring 

independently, outside of government. There are opportunities to do this domestically by 

working with sectors such as agriculture and forest products and forward thinking companies and 

municipalities or other local governments and internationally by working with efforts in the 

European Union, Japan, and other nations. 

Measurement of stewardship efforts and nesting these efforts into existing measurement and 

performance tracking systems is important to success and may be difficult. A number of state 

commissioners described the importance of measures in driving state priorities and emphasized 

the need to develop measures of stewardship activities that could be used to monitor 

achievements and focus investments on environmental outcomes. Some state commissioners 

mentioned that some current EPA measurement approaches may constrain state innovation and 

stewardship-related activities. For example, particularly in times when state budgets and staffing 

levels tend to be shrinking, measurement approaches that tie state grant levels to the numbers of 

regulated facilities or the numbers of inspections or enforcement actions carried out force state 

investment in directions that may not allow much room for innovation. In these situations, states 

might rather invest in areas or programs that they believe would achieve superior environmental 

outcomes, but are constrained from doing so by the need to fulfill (“get credit for”) specified 

program-related activities. These sorts of disconnects perpetuate the feeling that stewardship, or 

innovative approaches that cut across programs to reach to environmental outcomes more 

generally, are not really part of the core work of environmental programs and are somehow 

separate from most of the day-to-day implementation work of environmental laws. 

Creating true flexibility at the regional-office level for state programs to explore stewardshiprelated ideas is important. States are the laboratories of innovation for environmental protection; 

they also are responsible for most direct delivery of environmental programs. States need 

flexibility to experiment with stewardship-related ideas, particularly those that focus on 

environmental outcomes that cut across traditional program areas or that reach beyond 

compliance with existing requirements. Commissioners described that too often EPA’s 

overarching ideas or goals about flexibility to further shared environmental priorities expressed 

at the political level, by senior career officials, or in the innovation-focused offices do not seem 

to “stick” with staff in enforcement-oriented offices or with line staff and managers in the 

regional offices who have the most influence over day-to-day state/EPA interactions. A 

commissioner observed, “if half of EPA is counting success by the number of enforcement 

actions and half is worried about stewardship, then that’s a tough discrepancy for states to 

manage.” Flexibility may be needed in the types of activities for which state grant funds may be 

spent, the numbers of specific types of activities (e.g., certain types of inspections) that states 

must carry out, and the ways in which environmental regulatory targets are defined (e.g., to 

provide alternative targets in situations where overall superior environmental outcomes can be 

achieved, such as in an Environmental Management System context). 

Financial support for state stewardship efforts is critical. EPA grant programs must recognize 

and reward state investments in stewardship efforts. Because of the budget situation that many 

states find themselves in, grants must recognize that investment in stewardship will often come 

at the expense of investments in other activities. Stewardship needs to be connected to EPA’s 

vision and funding priorities. 
67 

Shifting to a stewardship-related way of thinking is primarily about culture change—creating a 

culture that is more about individual and corporate responsibility and accountability and relies 

on shared goals, partnership, and collaboration, rather than strict command and control 

strategies. Many of the state efforts described above take this approach and could be supported 

by EPA efforts to bring additional flexibility to state implementation of environmental programs.

EPA can make investments that will support or encourage state stewardship-like efforts. Many 

of the suggestions for EPA investment made by state commissioners echoed some of the 

suggestions made by experts and stakeholders. Specific suggestions from state commissioners 

include: 

• Creating a clear definition of environmental stewardship and how stewardship behaviors 

might differ from current ways of acting. 

• Targeting investments in exploring actual implementation of stewardship behaviors, 

particularly those in which outcomes can be measured. 

• Acting as a convener of public dialogue on stewardship issues and actions that companies, 

individuals, and governments can take and using the “bully pulpit’ to publicize and call 

for successful stewardship approaches. 

• Increasing the understanding of how economics can work harmoniously with ecosystems, 

reducing the false sense of choice between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. 

• Continuing to create the floor, the baseline, of environmental protection through 

regulatory and enforcement programs and through support of state environmental 

programs, while at the same time offering incentives to move beyond minimum standards. 

Some interviewees discussed this as creating an appropriate balance of “carrots” and 

“sticks;” at the same time, the majority of interviewees in the expert category emphasized 

that government’s role in setting and enforcing minimum standards and expectations is a 

critical part of establishing the conditions for stewardship behaviors. 

• Creating capacity, toolkits, or other resources that states could use or customize to support 

their programs, in particular, information and capacity on social marketing to focus efforts 

to educate consumers and change consumer behavior and ensure that educational efforts at 

the local, state, and federal level are as effective and efficient as possible for the 

investment made. 

• Encouraging market mechanisms that provide competitive advantages to stewards, 

including preferences in insurance, lending, and capital markets. 

It is critical for states and EPA to “walk the talk.” One of the most important ways that 

government can support stewardship efforts is leading by example. This not only strengthens 

government’s call to others to act as environmental stewards, it also pilots and tests stewardship 

concepts and expands stewardship tools and infrastructure. 

State Commissioner Interview List 

1. Jim Branham, California 
68 

2. Dawn Gallagher, Maine 

3. Scott Hassett, Wisconsin 

4. Bob King, South Carolina 

5. Mike Linder, Nebraska 

6. Bill Ross, North Carolina 

7. Howard Roitman, Colorado 

8. Larry Soward, Texas 

States that participated in the conference call (September 29, 2005) 

1. Arizona 

2. Massachusetts 

3. Minnesota 

4. New Hampshire 

5. North Carolina 

6. Texas 

7. Utah 

8. Virginia 

9. Wisconsin 

C.2 EXPERTS AND STAKEHOLDERS

In the expert category, interviewees included representatives of academia, policy advocacy and 

research organizations, and the sustainability and conservation movements. In the stakeholder 

category interviewees included representatives of corporations and business, non-profit 

environmental organizations, states, local government, and Tribal nations. 

Experts were asked questions about the definition and concept of environmental stewardship, the 

prospective role of government and EPA in fostering stewardship, and examples of stewardship 

behaviors among business, individuals, government, and communities. Stakeholders were asked 

about the definition of environmental stewardship, their stewardship efforts and experiences, 

barriers that prevent them from becoming better environmental stewards, and steps that EPA 

could take to help their organizations and/or constituencies to be better environmental stewards. 

This summary presents key themes and ideas that emerged from the interviews. Although the 

questions differed for the expert and stakeholder groups, consistent themes emerged from the 

interviews across the two groups. As a result, this summary covers important themes from both 

the expert and stakeholder interviews. Summary points and themes that pertain primarily to 

either the expert or stakeholder interviews are noted as such. 

Interviews were carried out over a period of approximately five weeks in July and early August 

2005. Each interview was approximately one-hour in length. The list of interviewees is 

attached. 

To collect further feedback from Tribal environmental leaders, representatives from EPA’s 

Stewardship Workgroup met with Tribal representatives during a meeting of EPA’s National 

Tribal Operations Committee on September 29, 2005. Observations from this session are 

incorporated into the summary below. 
69 

C.2.1 Defining Environmental Stewardship 

On balance interviewees expressed confidence in the term “environmental stewardship” as 

having positive connotations as well as the potential to be a useful concept for advancing EPA’s 

goals. In particular, interviewees were positive about the potential of the term “environmental 

stewardship” to capture public imagination and to motivate people and to create a touchstone that 

could be used to bring decision makers and individuals back to a set of underlying purposes and 

goals. Interviewees emphasized two important attributes of the term “environmental 

stewardship.” First, it conveys a sense of responsibility to something or someone beyond oneself 

for protecting and enhancing the environment. Second, it implies the need and ability to 

shoulder that responsibility by taking individual action. 

Interviewees also noted a number of features that the term “environmental stewardship” typically 

connotes, although these points are not necessarily articulated in EPA’s current working 

definition of environmental stewardship. The term “environmental stewardship” connotes: 

• Being aware of and understanding the full spectrum of impacts on the natural 

environment. 

• Using the precautionary principle to guide actions that have potential to affect the 

environment. 

• Living on the interest of what is produced, without altering the substance of the principal. 

• Adopting a holistic, integrated perspective on the consequences of decisions. 

• Taking into account both the short-term and long-term implications of decisions and 

actions. 

• Connecting natural systems to people. 

A definition of “environmental stewardship” should clearly articulate who is responsible for 

what to whom. Interviewees, particularly in the expert category, offered a number of critiques of 

EPA’s draft definition of environmental stewardship. First, several interviewees identified the 

need to more clearly allocate responsibility for stewardship behavior. Key observations include: 

• Experts emphasized the need to name accountability and responsibility – if everyone is 

responsible collectively no one will feel responsible individually, and then nothing will 

get done. 

It was noted that clarity and certainty of understanding related to the allocation of responsibility 

are more important for institutions, such as businesses and government agencies. Institutions 

operate in a context that is highly structured by property rights, laws, regulations, liability, etc. 

Therefore, assuming ambiguous responsibility for stewardship can result in very few stepping up 

to assume responsibility, unless doing so is aligned with other benefits to the organization (e.g., 

enhanced profit). 
70 

Second, interviewees identified the need to more clearly identify the goal or end state that we 

should collectively seek to achieve as environmental stewards. In other word, how do we know 

when we are effective stewards? Specific reflections from the interviews include: 

• “Avoiding environmental impacts” is not enough, environmental stewardship is also about 

making positive contributions to environmental restoration and improvement. 

• While many interviewees noted that environmental stewardship should focus on proactive 

steps to protect and enhance environmental quality, some strongly believe that restoration 

and recovery of degraded ecosystems must be included in EPA’s definition and focus on 

stewardship. Restoration is of particular interest to tribes, and collaborative efforts to 

restore ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, and the Everglades were 

noted as examples of restorative stewardship in action. 

• There is a need to address first order issues associated with moving from an extractive 

economy (with predominant reliance on non-renewable sources of energy and materials) 

to a renewable economy that lives off the interest of what is produced rather than tapping 

into the principal. 

• Some experts identified that the “sustainable use of ecosystem services” could be an 

appropriate target for stewardship behaviors. 

Third, interviewees identified the need to more clearly define “to whom” stewards are 

responsible. They noted that much of the power of the term stewardship stems from its 

implication of responsibility to someone (or someones) who is held in great esteem, such as God, 

future generations, children and grandchildren, or oneself. Specific reflections include: 

• Tribal wisdom often references the importance of considering the impacts of decisions on 

the next seven generations. 

• References of responsibility to God or a higher being or beings can be powerful to some, 

but such references may not resonate with others and would be difficult for government 

agencies to proffer or embrace. 

• Focus on responsibility to children and grandchildren can be useful, as it speaks to a 

human connection that most people can embrace and it has stronger immediacy and 

connection to mainstream audiences than a more abstract reference to future generations. 

It is important to recognize that the term “environmental stewardship” fails to fully capture the 

broader context of decision-making faced by many organizations and the term may be less useful 

in the context of business. A number of interviewees, particularly in the stakeholder category, 

noted that the term “environmental stewardship” does not address two important dimensions of 

decision-making: the economic and social dimensions. While supportive of the idea of 

environmental stewardship, several stakeholders noted that the term is not in widely used among 

businesses or state and local government agencies. They encouraged EPA to consider 

positioning “environmental stewardship” in the context of other terms or trends that may be in 

more widespread use. Other terms encompass many of the same ideas as “environmental 
71 

stewardship,” but they recognize other factors that compel and constrain behaviors. For 

example: 

• Most large companies are not thinking about “environmental stewardship” but instead are 

thinking more broadly about corporate citizenship, sustainable development, and 

corporate social responsibility. 

• Some interviewees emphasized the need to consider environmental stewardship in light of 

the “triple bottom line” of environmental, economic, and social viability. 

• Some tribes think about environmental stewardship in the broader context of “cultural 

sustainability,” since many tribal traditions and cultural practices depend upon access to 

various species and natural resources. 

Interviewees raised another drawback of using the term “environmental stewardship” to frame 

communications around EPA interactions with business. They noted that the term implies that 

business may need to take actions for altruistic reasons, rather than because the actions make 

good business sense. Talking about environmental stewardship to business could undermine a 

growing trend and expanding efforts to mainstream the concept that superior environmental 

performance is good business. Over reliance on altruistic arguments for business environmental 

performance improvement runs the risk of marginalizing environment as a nice to have, but not 

fundamental, business success factor. For example: 

• Work by Innovest and others is demonstrating how business risk exposure related to 

climate change and other environmental performance dimensions are critical factors to 

consider in mainstream investment analysis and decision-making. This is represents an 

important shift from conventional Socially Responsible Investment funds that appeal to 

niche investors and only capture about 2% of current investment market share. 

• Recent efforts by companies such as General Electric and Procter & Gamble illustrate that 

there are powerful market drivers, such as shifting customer and shareholder expectations 

and competitive pressures for waste reduction, that are causing companies to more 

proactively embrace environmental performance improvement opportunities. 

EPA should be aware of the heritage of the term “stewardship” and understand that the term 

will mean different things to different groups based on its heritage. The term “stewardship” has 

strong religious roots. Within religious circles, Genesis 1:26-28 is often used to support an ethic 

of stewardship: “and let them rule over all the earth, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the 

fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature.” In this context, 

stewardship is often used to describe humans’ responsibility to “God the Creator” for “taking 

care of creation.” As a result, the term can carry connotations of humans’ dominion over nature, 

which differs markedly from a conception that views humans as an integral part of ecosystems 

on which humans depend for survival. Modern religious uses of the term “stewardship” vary in 

their focus and emphasis: 

• The Interfaith Council for Environmental Stewardship (ICES) has taken a conservative 

viewpoint. The group’s Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship focuses on 

mankind’s benevolent dominion over nature. 
72 

• The National Religious Partnership for the Environment, the World Council of Churches, 

the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), and others take a more 

centrist view of environmental stewardship that emphasizes humans as having a unique 

role in caring for the earth’s ecosystems and creatures (humans as “the Creator’s special 

stewards”) while acknowledging that humans are embedded in and rely upon the same 

natural systems as other life. 

The term stewardship also has important legal heritage, as it is sometime associated with the 

concept of usufruct. Usufruct means “use of the fruit” or “the right of enjoying a thing, the 

property of which is vested in another, and to draw from the same all the profit, utility, and 

advantage which it may produce, provided it be without altering the substance of the thing.” 

Usufruct has influenced legal conceptions of property rights, and it has bearing on legal 

interpretations of the concept of environmental stewardship. 

C.3 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS OF STAKEHOLDERS

Interviewees in the stakeholder category were asked about their own stewardship efforts, factors 

that motivate their investment in stewardship behaviors, and barriers to assuming greater 

stewardship responsibility. 

While they often do not call them environmental stewardship activities, many EPA stakeholders 

are increasing implementation of steward-like behaviors or are working to encourage others to 

do so. While no interviewees identified any particular corporations and businesses as “model 

stewards,” interviewees gave examples of how the incidence of steward-like behavior is growing 

in their company or in other businesses. For example: 

• General Electric’s ecomagination initiative illustrates how leader companies see 

environmental stewardship as a core element of future business success. Those companies 

that can find creative, resource-efficient, non-polluting ways to meet basic human needs 

for power, water, shelter, food, health, and transportation will capture significant 

economic opportunity in decades to come. 

• Companies such as Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola are pursuing initiatives that can 

have significant environmental improvement outcomes, although environmental 

stewardship is not necessarily the main driver. 

• Companies such as Interface Carpets, Shaw Carpets, Herman Miller, Nike, and SC 

Johnson are increasingly taking a cradle-to-cradle perspective in product and process 

design. 

• Business organizations such as the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) 

have numerous initiatives underway to support companies’ efforts to be better stewards. 

Greenbiz.com and other corporate environmental news sources report increasing examples 

of steward-like behaviors among business. 

Tribal leaders indicated that Tribal Nations throughout the U.S. have a long history of effective 

environmental stewardship. They would like to work with EPA on environmental stewardship. 
73 

Interviewees identified ways in which some government agencies increasing their stewardship 

activities or encouraging others to do so. For example: 

• Government agencies such as Seattle Public Utilities are using robust triple-bottom line 

analysis to improve the efficacy of decision making and public sector investments. 

• Governments are supporting and investing in conservation easements and other efforts to 

preserve natural places and habitat while accommodating low-impact human activity. 

• Government partnerships such as Coastal America are working to leverage public and 

private resources for effective environmental stewardship. 

• Governments are engaging citizens in stewardship activities through community-based 

environmental education initiatives, public service announcements, and citizen water 

quality monitoring programs. 

• Governments are providing more information about environmental quality in the hands of 

citizens and consumers, helping them make informed decisions. Watershed-based water 

quality information informs people about the state of local resources, while efforts such as 

Energy Star enable people to more easily consider energy and environmental issues when 

making purchasing decisions. 

Interviewees identified ways in which non-governmental organizations are helping others to 

adopt effective stewardship practices. For example: 

• Organizations are empowering individuals and institutions to become effective stewards 

through education, training, assistance, and encouragement. The National Wildlife 

Federation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program has been highly successful in helping 

people become better stewards of their own yards. Ceres is working with institutional 

investors to increase their understanding of the connection between environmental 

stewardship and business performance. 

• Organizations are facilitating information sharing among individuals, organizations, and 

governments, spreading creative solutions and practices that further stewardship efforts. 

Smart Growth America has played a key role in expanding communities’ interest and 

capacity in stewardship. 

Stakeholders identified a number of drivers that motivate stewardship behaviors. Many of these 

drivers are resulting from key trends. Important factors compelling stewardship behaviors 

among business and corporate entities include: 

• The existence and enforcement of basic environmental laws, regulations, and standards 

that set expectations for minimum performance. Increasingly, businesses are 

implementing management systems to reduce the risk of non-compliance or making 

changes to reduce the overall cost of environmental risk and compliance management. 

Increasingly, the potential negative impact on corporate or brand image is of greater 

concern to companies (particularly in visible sectors, such as consumer products) than the 

potential costs associated with non-compliance. 
74 

• Increasing awareness of the risks and opportunities posed by businesses’ supply chains is 

driving more and more companies to pay attention to and to work to improve 

environmental performance among their suppliers, and to a lesser degree, among their 

customers. 

• Increasing availability of and access to information and scientific evidence about the 

status of ecosystems and their ability to support human life, health, and economy. 

Primarily spurred by the Internet, the public also has better access to information on the 

environmental performance and compliance history of companies and facilities. 

Information can shift public and customer expectations, increasing pressures for behavior 

change. Increasing pressures for corporate transparency are also creating incentives for 

companies to become better stewards. 

• Shifting public expectations affect purchasing and investment decisions. Interviewees 

indicated that the power of the marketplace can be significant in driving stewardship 

behaviors, particularly when environmental externalities and risk are incorporated into 

prices and valuation. 

Important factors are compelling stewardship behaviors among individuals and communities: 

• As mentioned above, the public has greater access to information and scientific evidence 

about the status of ecosystems globally and in their local community. 

• People are increasingly making the connection between environmental quality and quality 

of life. There has been a significant increase in community-based organizations that are 

working to protect and restore local water bodies, parks, and other natural resources. 

Other community based organizations are working to reduce sprawl and traffic 

congestion. 

• For some individuals, altruism or their belief system may inspire them to assume 

additional stewardship responsibility. 

• Environmental education has played a key role in raising awareness of environmental 

stewardship among young people, although there has been a recent trend away from 

environmental education due to the increasing focus on core curriculum among most 

schools as a result of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. Interviewees reported 

that many environmental education centers have not effectively linked environmental 

education curriculum to core curriculum used for test preparation. 

Stakeholders identified a number of barriers to stewardship behaviors. Important factors 

constraining corporate environmental stewardship include: 

• While there is growing pressure for corporations to become better corporate citizens and 

to improve environmental performance, most consumers make specific purchasing 

decisions on price and performance, not environmental criteria. Most “green” products 

have failed to capture consumer imagination or market share in a way that allows 

companies to realize marketing advantage. Mainstream product marketers often actively 
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steer away from selling environmental benefits of products, since most consumers still 

perceive “green” products as more expensive and of inferior quality. 

• Investors and financial institutions are only beginning to value environmental 

performance and stewardship behaviors, and what’s measured and valued by capital 

market institutions drives shapes corporate direction and priorities. 

• Measuring stewardship behavior and performance can be difficult. Accepted 

methodologies for valuing social and environmental impacts and costs, and the value and 

outcomes of stewardship behaviors are only beginning to emerge. 

• Many government programs designed to assist companies to become better environmental 

stewards are not customer-focused. The shear number of EPA programs and initiatives, 

and the difficulty of navigating these programs to find relevant technical assistance. 

Interviewees also noted that there are important factors constraining individuals’ environmental 

stewardship behaviors, which need to be understood and addressed. 

• Some interviewees noted that the challenge is not lack of awareness or caring, but rather a 

perception that small actions do not make a difference. Most individuals are not willing to 

make major shifts in lifestyle, or to accept significant cost or quality penalties when 

making purchasing decisions, to be better environmental stewards. 

• Other interviewees noted that it is not possible or wise to talk about universal barriers to 

behavior change, as the specific barriers that are most salient vary. Research is needed to 

better understand the barriers to specific stewardship behaviors, since our assumptions 

about barriers are often wrong. For example, what are the biggest barriers which prevent 

people from properly disposing of hazardous household waste? What are the biggest 

barriers that cause people to buy more paint than they need? 

• Other interviewees noted that people do not always see how environmental quality 

information and environmental issues connect to them, their families, their health, their 

quality of life. They indicate that efforts to make the people-environment connection 

more transparent are needed. Increasing recognition of the value of ecosystem services 

and the ability of ecosystems to provide these services would be useful. 

C.4 EPA AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

The approach that EPA takes to defining and pursuing “environmental stewardship” should 

reflect what the agency is interested to accomplish with the term. Interviewees made several 

suggestions of ways that EPA might want to think about defining and pursuing environmental 

stewardship, including: - 

• Stakeholders advised EPA to avoid creating the perception that environmental 

stewardship is just another “flavor-of-the-month.” EPA should think hard about the 

potential value of using the concept of environmental stewardship to organize or guide 

agency activities. In particular, what does the concept of environmental stewardship 
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enable the agency to accomplish that it cannot address through current initiatives, 

language, and organizing concepts? 

• Some interviewees noted that a definition that was allowed to be “all things to all people” 

doesn’t really set a direction. 

• Some stakeholder interviewees also emphasized that, to the extent stewardship is used to 

address business activity, there is a need to put appropriate boundaries on any 

environmental stewardship initiative such as “consistent with sound science and risk 

management and sound fiscal responsibility” so that stewardship would not become a 

standardless ideal that, therefore, no company could achieve. 

• If EPA is interested to use the concept of environmental stewardship to influence 

behaviors of the mainstream public, several interviewees indicated that a simpler, more 

compelling version of the definition is needed. For example, “We all need to accept the 

responsibility to be good environmental stewards, safeguarding nature’s ability to support 

our health and livelihoods and ensuring that the air, water, land, and natural systems can 

sustain the health and prosperity of our children and grandchildren while enabling them to 

experience the majesty and beauty of nature.” Some interviewees suggested that EPA 

might want to consider developing a compelling example or analogy to clearly articulate 

the concept of environmental stewardship. 

• Some interviewees were interested in the aspirational nature of a stewardship 

conversation, and the ways that the concept of stewardship might permeate both 

organizational and individual decision making. 

• Some interviewees noted that current public perceptions of EPA and the federal 

government’s commitment to improving environmental quality may lead many 

stakeholders and segments of the public to be skeptical of the concept of environmental 

stewardship if it is interpreted as government abdicating its responsibility for 

environmental protection or its role as a guardian of the public interest and the 

“commons.” 

Stakeholder and expert interviewees both indicated that many of EPA’s current activities and 

programs support and encourage environmental stewardship. EPA plays a vital and critical role 

in establishing minimum performance expectations through regulations and enforcement. EPA 

also plays a critical role in conducting and supporting research and disseminating information of 

the status of environmental quality and performance. Experts noted that these functions provide 

a foundation for stewardship behavior, and the focus attention of areas needing additional 

stewardship attention. At the same time, many of EPA’s voluntary and educational programs are 

providing tools, resources, and incentives to support stewardship behaviors that are not possible, 

at least at this time, to require through regulatory means. EPA increasing role in convening 

collaborative processes to restore and protect ecosystems was identified as critically important to 

fostering a broad-based stewardship agenda and ethic. EPA is also helping to raise the visibility 

of important stewardship issues and opportunities, such as smart growth and environmental 

awareness among financial markets. 
77 

Stakeholders also had suggestions about how their stewardship efforts might be more effectively 

supported or encouraged by EPA. These include: 

• Clarifying where the statutory authority to focus on stewardship comes from, in 

anticipation of questions from potential critics. 

• Creating a clear definition of environmental stewardship, and how stewardship behaviors 

might differ from current ways of acting. 

• Focusing more of the Agency’s voluntary initiatives on small and mid-sized businesses, 

where technical assistance often is most needed. 

• Improving integration and coordination of the Agency’s voluntary programs and creating 

a more “customer-focused” orientation. (Note: a similar suggestion was made by experts 

interviewed.) 

• Avoiding the perception or appearance of a disconnect between the aspirations of 

stewardship and agency actions, particularly in the program offices. Any such disconnect 

would undermine the agency’s stewardship efforts and inhibit its ability to inspire 

stewardship in others, especially the public. EPA’s work to establish an environmental 

stewardship agenda should demonstrate that the agency is serious, and should avoid 

disconnects between the agency’s public stance on stewardship and the individual actions 

of the media programs. 

• Target investments in exploring actual implementation of stewardship behaviors, 

particularly those where outcomes can be measured. 

Interviewees in the expert category offered a number of views about actions EPA might take to 

foster environmental stewardship. These include: 

• Helping to understand the true barriers and benefits associated with specific stewardship 

behaviors. Through the increased use of social marketing research and expertise, EPA can 

greatly improve state and local efforts to encouraging specific stewardship behaviors 

among the general public or targeted populations. 

• Acting as a convener of public dialogue on stewardship issues and actions that companies, 

individuals, and governments can take, and using the “bully pulpit’ to publicize and call 

for successful stewardship approaches. 

• Increasing the understanding of how economics can work harmoniously with ecosystems 

– reducing the false sense of choice between a healthy economy and a healthy 

environment. 

• Increasing the understanding of the natural environment and the dependence that all 

people have on the natural environment. This will help increase the understanding of how 

to accurately value ecosystems both in a monetary sense and in the sense of public mores. 

In related comments, interviewees also emphasized the important role EPA might play in 
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supporting efforts to develop methods for incorporating full environmental costs into 

product pricing. 

• Continuing to create the floor, the baseline, of environmental protection through 

regulatory and enforcement programs and through support of state environmental 

programs, while at the same time offering incentives to move beyond minimum standards. 

Some interviewees discussed this as creating an appropriate balance of “carrots” and 

“sticks;” at the same time, the majority of interviewees in the expert category emphasized 

that government’s role in setting and enforcing minimum standards and expectations is a 

critical part of establishing the conditions for stewardship behaviors. 

• Taking up the potential difficulties associated with the underlying economic assumption 

that “all growth is good.” Some growth may not be good from an environmental 

standpoint and government may, over time, need to consider approaches that set an upper 

limit on overall consumption but then let markets allocate the constrained resources, 

similar to cap and trade approaches. 

• Considering approaches to reduce in a fundamental way the amount of material 

throughput in the economy – that is, to limit the amount of extraction, depletion, and 

pollution inherent in particular material flows. 

• Developing policies that encourage people to farm and that increase the number of small 

farms that operate in harmony with nature – protecting land from erosion, nutrient 

depletion, and contamination. 

• Reaching out to the education community to incorporate environmental and stewardship 

based curriculum elements into ongoing efforts to define minimum educational 

expectation and to help educators understand how environmental and stewardship based 

curriculum might contribute to student success and testing program requirements. 

• Packaging voluntary programs and agency resources so that they are conveniently 

accessible to users rather than, as is currently the case, organized according to EPA’s 

internal programmatic structure. Some suggested a quick, easy to complete profile that 

businesses (or individuals) could fill out, that would result in them receiving a tailored 

menu of EPA programs that might be of interest. 

• Leading by example with respect to federal government purchasing and infrastructure. 

C.5 EXPERT INTERVIEW LIST

1. Ray Anderson, Interface Carpets 

2. Herman Daly, University of Maryland 

3. Don Hudson, Chewonki Foundation 

4. Wes Jackson, Land Institute 

5. Matthew Kiernan, Innovest Strategic Value Advisors 

6. Reid Lifset, Yale University 

7. Mindy Lubber, CERES 
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8. Joel Makower, Greenbiz.com 

9. Doug McKenzie-Mohr, Community Based Social Marketing 

C.6 STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW LIST

1. Marcia Aranoff, Environmental Defense 

2. Bill Becker, STAPPA/ALAPCO 

3. George Carpenter, Procter & Gamble 

4. Don Chen, Smart Growth America 

5. Chuck Clarke, Seattle Public Utilities 

6. Steve Hellem, GEMI 

7. David Paylor, State of Virginia 

8. Mark Van Putten, ConservationStrategy LLC (formerly President, National Wildlife 

Federation) 

9. Terry Williams, Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources Department 
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APPENDIX D: 

STEWARDSHIP RESOURCE OUTCOME STATEMENTS 

Effective environmental stewardship requires all of us to manage resources in ways that protect 

and enhance – rather than compromise – the ability of future generations to meet their own 

needs. Resources directly relate to the multi-media environment we protect, the underlying 

causes of the environmental problems we address, and the solutions we develop. EPA will 

encourage stewardship activities contributing to sustainable outcomes in six resource areas: air, 

ecosystems, energy, land, materials, and water. Proactively supporting innovations to protect, 

conserve, and enhance these resources will enable us to contribute to the well being of both 

people and the natural environment over the long run. 

• Air: Sustain clean and healthy air 

• Ecosystems: Protect and restore ecosystem functions, goods, and services 

• Energy: Generate clean energy and use it efficiently 

• Land: Support ecologically sensitive land management and development 

• Materials: Use materials carefully and shift to environmentally preferable materials 

• Water: Sustain water resources of quality and availability for desired uses 

Because these six resources are each part of a larger, life-sustaining system, the stewardship of 

any single resource inevitably influences the quality or availability of others. A closer look at 

“materials stewardship” illustrates this interdependence: Through green design, lifecycle 

management, conservation, and recycling of materials and products, environmental stewardship 

can (1) protect ecosystems affected by resource extraction and waste disposal; (2) avoid 

pollution of water, land, and air associated with materials production, transportation, or use; and 

(3) conserve water and energy consumed in production, transportation, or use. In order to 

maximize “compounded returns” such as these, EPA’s strategy explicitly encourages 

stewardship activities among the six resource areas that are mutually enhancing. 

Our goal is to support infrastructure and encourage activities that inspire commitment to 

environmental stewardship at all levels of public and private society. We aim to stimulate a wide 

variety of stewardship activities that will not only yield immediate, localized benefits but will 

also confer large-scale regional and national benefits that will leave a lasting legacy for future 

generations. 

D.1 AIR: SUSTAIN CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR

Clean air is an essential resource for healthy people and ecosystems. Clean and healthy air 

necessarily encompasses indoor and outdoor breathing environments for people, animals, and 

plants. Energy production and use has a major influence on the breathing environment in the 
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form of emissions from cars, trucks, and power plants. Additionally, emissions from other 

sources such as manufacturing, agriculture, and waste incineration can also affect our air quality. 

The air and atmosphere provide many services besides healthy breathing. For example, the 

hydrologic cycle is intimately connected with atmospheric circulation patterns, and 

consequently, acid rain links air pollution to negative affects on forests, soils, water bodies, and 

urban structures. In the upper atmosphere, air also plays various protective roles. Stratospheric 

ozone provides an irreplaceable service to human and ecosystem health by filtering the sun’s 

harmful rays. Meanwhile, appropriate concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere 

help to regulate the climate system upon which our society depends. 

D.2 ECOSYSTEMS: PROTECT AND RESTORE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS, GOODS, AND 

SERVICES

Ecosystems are self-organized, geographic mosaics of interacting living and non-living 

components. Ecosystem goods & services are derived from the structure and function of these 

interacting components. As noted by the National Academy of Sciences, “Human society is 

dependent on the ‘goods and services’ provided by ecosystems, including clean air, clean water, 

productive soils, and generation of food and fiber.” This list could be expanded to include flood 

mitigation, nutrient recycling in wetlands and streams, climate regulation, and the provision of 

valuable genetic resources. In addition to providing goods and services for human society, 

ecosystems provide animal habitat and aesthetic beauty. 

Conserving and enhancing ecosystems for current and future generations requires adaptive 

management approaches. We can work to protect ecosystems in their entirety by further 

integrating our expertise in specific media areas such as air, land, and water and incorporating an 

understanding of biodiversity and native flora and fauna. We can play an important supporting 

role in developing methods for people at all levels of society and governance to help them 

understand and protect ecosystem function over the long term. 

D.3 ENERGY: GENERATE CLEAN ENERGY AND USE IT EFFICIENTLY

Our modern American society needs energy for transportation, manufacturing, commercial, and 

residential purposes. Energy production and use impacts our environment at every stage of its 

lifecycle – from extraction of fuels and generation of power to the use of electricity and gasoline. 

From a life-cycle standpoint, Americans also consume energy in the form of imported products, 

since other countries must use energy to manufacture and transport their exports. 

Of the numerous types of energy resources, each has unique environmental risks and benefits; 

some are cleaner and more renewable than others. Clean generation minimizes waste, pollution, 

and ecosystem damage on local, regional, and global scales. Greenhouse gas emissions and 

climate change have further crystallized the need to move toward abundant energy resources that 

are renewable, clean, and ecosystem friendly. As we undergo this transition, it is important that 

we continually improve energy conservation, efficiency, and effective use so that we increase 

societal benefits per unit of energy consumed. 
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D.4 LAND: SUPPORT ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE LAND MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT 

Abundant and high-quality land has long been one of our nation’s most valuable natural 

resources. Therefore, encouraging stewardship ethics and behaviors among landowners is 

important for long-term environmental protection. Long-term stewardship of land – in the form 

of preservation, conservation, restoration, and responsible economic development – will help 

protect ecosystem function and enable beneficial human use. Continuous improvement of land 

management practices should protect watersheds, conserve critical habitats, restore contaminated 

lands to ecological and economic use, encourage prudent waste management practices, and 

incorporate the principles of “smart growth.” 

The way we manage our land influences every other resource. For example, developing 

suburban and “exurban” land without provision of mixed land uses and transportation 

alternatives can compound traffic congestion (an energy implication) and air pollution. 

Additionally, most substances that we use on urban lands and rooftops eventually find their way 

into our waterways, where they join rural pollutants such as eroded soils, fertilizers, manures, 

and pesticides. Greater use of “buffer zones” and permeable surfaces reduces erosion and runoff 

and also allows more pollutants to filter naturally through vegetation and soil. 

D.5 MATERIALS: USE MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND SHIFT TO ENVIRONMENTALLY 

PREFERABLE MATERIALS

Enhancing materials stewardship has three main aspects: (1) careful use of non-renewable 

materials throughout product lifecycles (extraction, processing, product manufacture, product 

use, product reuse/ recycling/ disposal); (2) sustainable use of renewable materials throughout 

product lifecycles; and (3) moving from toxic towards safer chemicals and environmentally 

preferable materials. 

Products can be designed, manufactured, used, and returned to the industrial or natural cycle for 

reuse and recovery, with safer chemicals and environmentally preferable materials chosen 

everywhere feasible along the way. A systems understanding of the flow of materials through 

product lifecycle and associated toxicological effects, as well as water and energy consumption, 

informs continuous improvement including the next generation chemical synthesis, materials 

development, and product design. Materials cycling enables materials to be carefully used 

through several product lifecycles. Some materials (particularly non-renewable materials) are 

best recycled by industry. Others (particularly renewable materials) are appropriately designed 

to biodegrade and return nutrients to improve the land without causing contamination or 

compromise. 

D.6 WATER: SUSTAIN WATER RESOURCES OF QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY FOR DESIRED 

USES

Sustaining long-term quality and availability of water resources will directly enhance human and 

ecosystem health. Effective stewardship of water at all levels of society requires an integrated 

approach to continuously (1) increase informed use, (2) improve our water efficiency, (3) 

minimize impacts on hydrologic systems, and (4) ensure clean water. 
83 

First, informed use of water resources is founded on a realistic understanding of the geographic 

constraints on water availability and quality; these constraints should shape our conservation 

strategies and practices. Second, innovative products, processes, and systems can dramatically 

improve the efficiency with which we use water in all aspects of our lives – whether in 

residential, industrial, or agricultural settings. For example, since we consume about 40% of our 

fresh water in producing energy, improved energy efficiency would confer dramatic benefits for 

water as well. (And conversely, conservation of water leads to benefits for energy through 

reductions in requirements, such as for pumping and water treatment.) Third, minimizing 

alterations to our hydrologic environment means that, wherever possible, we choose to use water 

in ways that protect and restore ecosystem functions and replenish the quality and availability of 

long-term water supplies. Finally, and we must ensure clean water that supports healthy 

drinking, recreation, and a productive and diverse natural environment. 
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APPENDIX E: 

SOME DEFINITIONS OF STEWARDS AND STEWARDSHIP 

Webster’s New World Dictionary 

“steward [ME. stiward < OE. stiweard < stig, enclosure, hall, sty + weard, a keeper, ward] 1. A 

person put in charge of the affairs of a large household or estate....” 

President George W. Bush, Earth Day, 2002

“Good stewardship is a personal responsibility of all of us. And it’s a public value. And that’s 

what’s important for Americans to understand, that each of us have the responsibility, and it’s a 

part of our value system in our country to assume that responsibility.” 

White House Office of the Federal Environmental Executive 

“We define sustainable environmental stewardship to include those concepts, strategies, tools, 

practices, and approaches that lead to environmental improvement in a manner that is sustainable 

over time, considers the long term effects as well as the shorter term, more immediate effects, 

and that contributes positively, even if indirectly, to the social and economic condition.” 

EPA Strategic Plan - Goal 5 

“EPA uses the term “environmental stewardship” to describe behavior that includes, but also 

exceeds, required compliance. Stewards of the environment recycle wastes to the greatest extent 

possible, minimize or eliminate pollution at its sources, and use energy and natural resources 

efficiently to reduce impacts on the environment.” 

EPA Annual Report (FY2004) - Goal 5 

“Strong environmental stewardship protects the environment and conserves natural resources. 

EPA works directly with the regulated community to recognize and encourage outstanding 

environmental leadership and performance through innovative programs....” 

EPA: “Beyond RCRA - Waste and Materials Management in the Year 2020” 

“What kind of world will we actually inhabit in 2020? Some predict that it will be better than the 

present - where products and materials will be less toxic and reusable, and where resources will 

be used more efficiently so that far less waste is produced. Others predict we will experience a 

bleaker future - where harmful chemicals will be more prevalent throughout our environment 

and may seriously affect groundwater, drinking water, and food supplies. While we can’t know 

which of these scenarios - or others - will exist in 20 years, considering the future now makes 

sense if we want a chance to shape it positively.” 

EPA National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) Retreat Session: Corporate 

Stewardship and Responsibility 

“Corporate stewards are generally expected to provide environmental and public health 

protections beyond what is required by the law and to integrate environmental considerations 

into their business decision-making.... ‘Stewardship’ generally refers to taking responsibility for 

the long run well-being of an organization or resource, such as the environment.” 
85 

E4E: The Environmental Protection System in Transition - Toward a More Desirable 

Future 

“Corporate environmental stewardship is an approach to managing a company that reflects an 

internal set of values and priorities that takes into account society’s concern for the environment. 

It is a way of identifying and pursuing good business strategies that are consistent with 

protection of the environment, from raw materials selection to manufacturing processes to 

product composition to disposal. It entails the more efficient use of materials through increased 

knowledge and information concerning inputs, and focuses attention on the life cycle of a 

product and the services that product provides in addition to (or in lieu of) the more traditional 

focus on producing and selling a product. Stewardship holds the potential for decreasing a 

company’s environmental impact, increasing operational and economic efficiencies, and 

improving financial performance. In effect, stewardship allows firms to derive business value 

from environmental excellence.” 

PCSD: Sustainable America - A New Consensus 

“Goal 5: Stewardship - Create a widely held ethic of stewardship that strongly encourages 

individuals, institutions, and corporations to take full responsibility for the economic, 

environmental, and social consequences of their actions.” 

Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac 

“In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community 

to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for 

the community as such.” 

The Massachusetts Environmental Stewardship Program 

The Massachusetts Environmental Stewardship Program encourages “environmental 

improvement through pollution prevention and resource conservation. The purpose of the 

Program is to encourage Massachusetts manufacturers and other regulated entities to become 

superior environmental performers by going beyond the requirements of environmental 

regulation as they strive toward sustainability” 

University of Michigan 

“Everyone is a steward of the environment around us. We do not own the environment–no one 

can. We are simply caretakers of the resources that we use in our daily lives, and it is our 

responsibility to administer those resources to the best of our abilities so they are available for 

the use and enjoyment of others, including future generations. Stewardship is what we do.... 

Simply put, stewardship is the concept of responsibly managing all of our resources for the 

benefit of present and future generations of people, plants, and animals.” 

3M Corporation 

“3M’s commitment is to actively contribute to sustainable development through environmental 

protection, social responsibility and economic progress. To us that means meeting the needs of 

society today, while respecting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” 

“A few of 3M’s key objectives around sustainable development include: 

• Reducing our environmental footprint. 
86 

• Assuring our products are safe for their intended use through their entire life cycle. 

• Assuring the appropriate management of any 3M health and safety issues that may touch 

customers, neighbors and the public. 

• Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. 

• Satisfying our customers with superior quality and value. 

• Providing a supportive, flexible work environment. 

• Supporting local needs and education in communities where 3M employees live and work.” 

 

Baxter International 

“Baxter takes seriously its commitment and responsibility to produce life-enhancing products 

while limiting their impact on the environment and society. This responsibility continues 

throughout a product’s lifecycle, from research, development and design, through selection and 

use of raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, distribution and product use and disposal. 

Baxter is continually seeking opportunities for improvement and innovation in this area. 

• Non-hazardous Waste: For the second year in a row, Baxter generated less non-hazardous 

waste than it did the year before. Baxter has achieved a 27 percent reduction on a per-unit-ofproduction-value basis since 1996. 

• Regulated Waste Performance: On a per-unit-of-production-value basis, Baxter reduced 

hazardous waste generation by 9 percent and achieved an 8 percent reduction since 1996. 

• Packaging Performance: Baxter is on-target to meet or exceed its goal to reduce packaging 

material by 20 percent by year-end 2005, compared to the 1995 baseline. 

• Water: Baxter has not formally adopted a companywide water use reduction goal. In the face 

of a nearly 8 percent increase in production, water usage remained constant in 2003 

compared to 2002. Baxter has reduced its water usage by 18 percent per unit of production 

value since 1996. 

• Air: Baxter has achieved its air goal, an 80 percent reduction on a per-unit-of-productionvalue basis in toxic emissions in 2001. Since 2001 Baxter has further reduced air emissions 

by an additional 10 percent 

• Reducing Energy Use and Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions: In 2003 Baxter achieved a 

savings and cost-avoidance of approximately $3.9 million. On a per-unit-of-production-value 

basis, the company improved overall company energy efficiency an additional 3 percent from 

2002 to 2003.” 

Johnson & Johnson 

“Johnson & Johnson has established a leadership role among multinational corporations in terms 

of ethical behavior and stewardship of the environment. We take a beyond compliance approach 

to environmental responsibility striving for performance that does not merely comply with 

regulations but reduces our environmental footprint.” 

“Johnson & Johnson is committed to: 

• Operating beyond compliance with all applicable laws and regulations by uniformly meeting 

Johnson & Johnson global environmental policies and standards, ISO 14001 environmental 

management system standards, and other voluntary principles to which we subscribe. 

• Maintaining structure at the corporate and operating companies that assures proper oversight, 

using environmental accountability as a measure for management performance. 
87 

• Integrating environmental goals into our business strategies and plans while publicly 

reporting on our progress. 

• Striving for zero waste, 100% resource efficiency, and enhancement of the environment. 

• Utilizing innovative technologies and leveraging best practices globally for the greatest 

environmental gain and continuous improvement. 

• Fostering an environmental ethic among our management, employees, stockholders, 

customers, suppliers and communities worldwide. 

• Building relationships with regulatory agencies, interest groups, thought leaders, and 

communities to engender collaboration, cooperation, and mutual understanding. 

• Enhancing corporate social responsibility by supporting environmental health and education, 

conservation and community-based programs worldwide.” 

Rockwell Collins 

“Rockwell Collins is committed to responsible environmental, safety and health management 

wherever it does business around the world. We have established goals to provide a safe and 

healthful workplace for all employees and to prevent pollution in the communities in which we 

operate. Environment, safety and health is an integral part of managing our business and serves 

the enterprise as a competitive business advantage. Through continual improvement programs, 

we strive to exceed environmental, safety and health regulatory requirements, enhance our 

environmental, safety and health management processes, and establish voluntary environmental, 

safety and health programs at our facilities worldwide.”
88 

APPENDIX F: 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FOR THE CRITICAL 

ASSESSMENT 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Adopt your Watershed VP OW Water Individuals

AgStar VP OAR Air Business

Air Challenge for Performance Track 

Facilities-Region 2

VP Region 2 Air Business

Air Challenge for Performance Track 

Facilities-Region 3

VP Region 3 Air Business

Air Challenge for Performance Track 

Facilities-Region 6

VP Region 6 Air Business

America's Marketplace Recycles VP OSWER Materials Business

Anacostia Watershed Toxics Alliance VP Region 3 Water Communities

Atlantic Station XL Project VP Region 4 Land Uses Communities

Atmospheric Protection Branch VP ORD Air Business

Bartow County EMS VP Region 4 Multiple Resource Areas Communities

Best Workplaces for Commuters VP OAR Air Individuals

Brownfields Federal Partnership VP OSWER Land Uses Government

Buncombe County XL Project VP Region 4 Land Uses Government

Businesses for the Bay (B4B) VP Region 3 Water Business

Carpet America Recovery Effort VP OSWER Materials Business

Charlotte Harbor, Mobile Bay, Tampa 

Bay, Indian River Lagoon, 

Albemarle/Pamlico, and Sarasota Bay 

National Estuary Programs

VP Region 4 Water Communities

Chesapeake Bay Program: Builders for 

the Bay

VP Region 3 Water Business

Children's Environmental Health 

Awards

VP OCHP Multiple Resource Areas Communities

Citizen-Based Water Quality 

Monitoring

VP Region 9 Water Communities

Clean Marine Engine Initiative VP Region 1 Water Business

Clean Water Act Recognition Awards VP OW Water Communities

Climate Leaders VP OAR Air Business

Coal Combustion Products Partnership 

(C2P2)

VP OSWER Land Uses Business

Coalbed Methane Outreach Program 

(CMOP)

VP OAR Air Business

Coastal America VP OW Water Government

Collaborative Cleanups for Land 

Revitalization

VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

Combined Heat and Power Partnership VP OAR Air Business

Community Involvement in Drinking 

Water Assessment (The Clean Water 

Coalition)

VP OW Water Communities

Corporate Wetlands Restoration 

Partnership (CWRP)

VP Region 1 Ecosystems Government

Stakeholder groups are identified for all partnership (indicated here as “voluntary”) programs, but not for all 

grant and information/education programs. Unlike partnership programs, which are expressly designed to 

address specific stakeholders, grant and information/education programs can interact with and provide benefits 

to a range of parties. As a result, we decided to terminate further attempts to assign these programs to specific 

stakeholder groups. 
89 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Louisville MSD XL Project VP Region 4 Ecosystems Communities

Mercury Program- Dental Amalgam VP OSWER Land Uses Business

Mercury Program- Products VP OSWER Materials Business

Mid-Atlantic Federal Partners for the 

Environment

VP Region 3 Ecosystems Government

Mine Scarred Lands Initiative VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

Mobile Air Conditioning Climate 

Protection

VP OAR Air Business

National Award for Smart Growth 

Achievement

VP OPEI Land Uses Government

National Environmental Performance 

Track

VP OPEI Multiple Resource Areas Business

National Partnership for Environmental 

Priorities

VP OSWER Land Uses Business

Natural Gas Star VP OAR Air Business

Natural Landscaping Workgroup VP Region 5 Land Uses Communities

Nitrogen Management Challenge for 

Golf Courses

VP Region 2 Water Business

Orphan Sources Initiative VP OAR Materials Government

Partnership for Safe Water VP OW Water Business

PFC Emission Reduction Partnerships VP OAR Air Business

Plug-In To eCycling VP OSWER Materials Business

Portfields Initiative VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

President's Environmental Youth 

Awards

VP OPA Multiple Resource Areas Individuals

Public Private Partnership for Land 

Revitalization

VP OSWER Land Uses Business

RCRA Reuse and Brownfields 

Prevention Initiative

VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

Region 4 Environmental Education 

Speakers Bureau

VP Region 4 Multiple Resource Areas Individuals

Region 5 PCB Phasedown VP Region 5 Materials Business

Regional Clean Air Inventives Market 

(RECLAIM)

VP Region 9 Air Business

Regional Pesticides Stewardship 

Collaborative Committee

VP Region 4 Materials Business

Regional Vulnerability Assessment 

(ReVA) Program

VP ORD Multiple Resource Areas Government

Regional/CDC University Outreach on 

Environmental Health

VP Region 4 Multiple Resource Areas Business

Resource Conservation Challenge VP OSWER Land Uses Business

Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign VP OSWER Materials Communities

Schuylkill Action Network VP Region 3 Water Communities

Sector Strategies VP OPEI Multiple Resource Areas Business

SEQL VP Region 4 Land Uses Communities

SF-6 Emission Reduction Partnership 

for Electric Power Systems

VP OAR Air Business

SF-6 Emission Reduction Partnership 

for the Magnesium Industry

VP OAR Air Business

Smart Growth Program VP OPEI Land Uses Communities

Smart Way Transport VP OAR Air Business
90 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Southeast Diesel Collaborative VP Region 4 Air Business

Southeast Ecological Framework VP Region 4 Ecosystems Government

Southern Appalachian Man and the 

Biosphere

VP Region 4 Ecosystems Communities

State Transportation and Air Quality VP Region 4 Air Business

SunWise School Program VP OAR Air Individuals

Superfund Redevelopment Program VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

Sustainable Ag Partnership VP Region 9 Materials Business

Sustainable Environmental Systems VP ORD Multiple Resource Areas Government

Sustainable Futures VP OPPTS Materials Business

Technical Outreach Services for 

Communities

VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

Tribal Center for Excellence VP Region 4 Multiple Resource Areas Government

Tribal Pesticide Project VP Region 4 Materials Government

Trust for Public Land VP OW Land Uses Communities

Vernal Pools Stewardship Program VP Region 9 Ecosystems Government

Voluntary Aluminum Industrial 

Partnership

VP OAR Air Business

Voluntary Children’s Chemical 

Evaluation Program

VP OPPTS Materials Business

Voluntary Chlor-alkali Industry Mercury 

Program

VP Region 5 Air Business

Voluntary Mercury Air Emission 

Reduction Program with Nevada Gold 

Mines

VP Region 9 Air Business

WasteWise VP OSWER Land Uses Communities

Water Source Book education program VP Region 4 Water Individuals

Water Use Efficiency Program VP OW Water Individuals

Watershed Academy Web-Based 

Training

VP OW Ecosystems Government

Watershed/Water Drop Patch Project VP OW Ecosystems Individuals

Air Pollution Training Institute I OAR Air

AirData Web Site I OAR Air

American Indian Air Quality Training 

Program

I OAR Air

An Introduction to Drinking Water 

Source Assessment & Education, 

Guide and Participant Materials

I OW Water

Annotated Bibliography of Source 

Water Materials

I OW Water

Asbestos Outreach I OPPTS Materials

Backyard Burning Web Site I OSWER Air

Battery Recycling web site -consumers I OSWER Materials

Biodiversity Education Network I OPA Ecosystems Individuals

Building for Environmental and 

Economic Sustainability

I OPPTS Materials

Capacity Building in the Columbia 

River Basin

I OPA Water Government
91 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Chemical Management Services for 

Schools

I OSWER Materials

Chemical Safety Network Materials I OSWER Land Uses

Chemicals in My Community I OSWER Land Uses

ChemSTEER: Software Tool for 

Screening Level of Estimates of 

Environmental Releases and Worker 

Exposure

I OPPTS Materials

Children's Health Protection: What You 

Can Do

I OCHP Multiple Resource Areas

Citizens Guide to Community Water 

Conservation

i OW Water

Citizens Guide to Pest Control and 

Pesticide Safety

I OPPTS Materials

Cleanups In My Community i OSWER Materials

Community Air Screening How To 

Guide

i OPPTS Air

Community-based childhood asthma 

programs

i OAR Air

Community-based radon reduction i OAR Air

Composting/Organics web site and 

publications

I OSWER Land Uses

Concerned Citizen Web Page i Collection of 

agency-wide info

Multiple Resource Areas

Consider the Source: Pocket Guide to 

Protecting Drinking Water

i OW Water

Consumer Handbook for Recycling 

Solid Waste

I OSWER Land Uses

Contaminated Sediments in Our 

Waterways: Impacts and Solutions

I OSWER Land Uses

Customer Incentives for Water 

Conservation - A Guide

i OW Water

Deconstruction and Reuse web site 

and publications

I OSWER Land Uses

Drinking Water Academy i OW Water Government

Drinking Water for Kids i OW Water

Earthcare Program i OPA Multiple Resource Areas Individuals

eGrid i ? Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Education and Training 

Partnership

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Education Video 

Program

I OSWER Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental education website i OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Kids Club i OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Tobacco Smoke/SmokeFree Homes

I OAR Air

EPA Student Center i OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Evaluation Exposures to Toxic Air 

Pollutants: A Citizen's Guide

i OAR Air

Exposure Assessment Tools and 

Models

i OPPTS Air

Extrended Product 

Responsibility/Product Stewardship 

web site

I OSWER Land Uses

Federal Task Force on Environmental 

Education

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Fundamentals of Superfund: A Public 

Awareness Workshop

I OSWER Land Uses
92 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Getting In Step: Guide for Conducting 

Watershed Outreach

I OW Ecosystems

Global Warming Education 

Program/Visitor Center

I OAR Air

Global Warming Visitor Center for 

Concerned Citizens

I OAR Air

Green Power Locator I OAR Energy

Green Vehicle Guide I OAR Air

Healthy Environments and Living 

Places for Kids

I Region 6 Air Individuals

Healthy School Environments Web 

Site

I OCHP Multiple Resource Areas

High School Environmental Center I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Household Hazardous Wastes Web 

Site

I OSWER Materials

How Can I Help Protect Drinking Water I OW Water

Human Health Pesticides Issues 

Website

I OPPTS? Materials

Improving Air Quality through Land 

Use Activities

I OAR Air

Improving Education Programs and 

U.S. Nature and Environmental 

Centers

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas Communities

Jobs Through Recycling web site I OSWER Land Uses

Lake Michigan Watershed Academy - 

R5

I Region 5 Ecosystems

LCAccess I ORD Materials

Learning and the Environment I OPA Multiple Resource Areas Communities

Make a Difference Campaign I OSWER Multiple Resource Areas

Managing and Collecting Used Oil I OSWER Land Uses

National Environmental Education 

Advisory Council

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

National Environmental Education and 

Training Foundation

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

National Network for Environmental 

Management Studies (NNEMS) 

Fellowships

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

National Waste Minimization Web site, 

tools and publications

I OSWER Land Uses

Non-formal Environmental Education 

Evaluation

I OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Non-point Source Pollution Outreach I OW Water

Notebook on Local Urban Air Toxics 

Assessment and Reduction Strategies

I OAR Air

OAQPS Education and Outreach 

Program

I OAR Multiple Resource Areas

OEE Environmental Education 

Program

i OPA Multiple Resource Areas

OnSite OnLine Tools for Site 

Assessment

I ? Land Uses

OSWER Superfund Teachers and 

Student Web site

i OSWER Materials

Ozone and Your Patients' Health I OAWPS Air

P3 Student Competition - ORD I ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Partners in Resource Education - 

Hands on the Land

i OPA Multiple Resource Areas Individuals
93 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Pay As You Throw website I OSWER Land Uses

Pesticide Safety Program I OPPTS Materials

Planet Protectors Club I OSWER Multiple Resource Areas

Planning Environmentally Aware 

Meetings

I OSWER Land Uses

Pollution Prevention Citizen Tips I ? Materials

Power of Change: Protecting the 

Environment for the Next Generation 

Campaign

I OSWER Multiple Resource Areas

Power Profiler I OAR? Energy

Product Stewardship - Where you live I OSWER Materials

Protect Your Children from Lead 

Poisoning

I OPPT? Materials

Protecting Drinking Water Workbook 

for Tribes

I OW Water

Reducing Pesticide Risks Web Site I OPPT? Materials

Reuse of Abandoned Gas Station Sites I OSWER Land Uses

Reuse Reports/Planners I OSWER Land Uses

SAGE - Solvent Alternatives Guide I ORD Materials

Source Water Protection Local 

Government Resources

I OW Water

Source Water Stewardship: Guide to 

Protecting and Restoring Drinking 

Water

I OW Water

TRACI - Tool for Reduction and 

Assessment of Chemical and Other 

Environmental Impacts

I ORD Materials

Tribal Integrated Waste Management 

Training

I OSWER Materials

USTfields I OSWER Land Uses

Waste Reduction Record Setters 

Program

I OSWER Land Uses

Wastes: What You Can Do Around 

Your Community web site

I OSWER Land Uses

Water Alliance for Voluntary Efficiency 

(WAVE) Software

I OW Water

Water on Tap: Consumer's Guide to 

Drinking Water

I OW Water

Watershed Ecological Risk 

Assessment Training Module

I OW? Ecosystems

Wetlands Education I OW Ecosystems

What You Can Do Around Your Home 

and Community Web Site

I OPA? Multiple Resource Areas

What You Can Do to Clean the Air 

Web Site

I OAR Air

What You Can Do: Office of 

Transportation and Air Quality 

Consumer Guide

I OAR Air

Worker Protection Standard Training I OPPTS Materials

ALTERNATIVE OR INNOVATIVE 

TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY 

RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATION, 

TRAINING, AND HAZARDOUS 

SUBSTANCE RESEARCH GRANTS

G OSWER Materials
94 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

American Farmland Trust Cooperative 

Agreement

G OPPTS Materials Communities

Assessment and Watershed Protection 

Program Grants

G OW Water

Beach Monitoring and Notification 

Program Implementation Grants

G OW Water

Biopesticide Demonstration Projects G OPPTS Materials Business

Brownfields State and Tribal Response 

Program Grants

G OSWER Land Uses

CARE program G multiple Aas Multiple Resource Areas Communities

Center for Agricultural Partnerships G OPPTS Materials Business

Chesapeake Bay Program G OW Water

Childhood Blood-Lead Screening and 

Lead Awareness (Educational) 

Outreach for Indian Tribes

G OPPTS Materials

Clean School Bus USA G OAR Air Communities

Decentralized Waste Water System 

Grants

G OW Water Government

Environmental Education and Training 

Program

G OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Education Grants and 

Interagency Agreements Program

G OPA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Information Exchange 

Network Grant Program

G OEI Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Justice Collaborative 

Problem-Solving Cooperative 

Agreement Program

G OECA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Justice Small Grant 

Program

G OECA Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Policy and Innovation 

Grants

G OA/OPEI Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Policy and State 

Innovation Grants

G OA/OPEI Multiple Resource Areas

Environmental Protection Consolidated 

Grants - Program Support

G Region 9/2 Multiple Resource Areas

Great Lakes Program G OW Water

Greater Opportunities Research 

Program

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Greater Research Opportunities 

Fellowship Program

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Gulf of Mexico Program Grants G OW Water

Healthy Communities Grant Program G Region 1 Multiple Resource Areas

Indian Environmental General 

Assistance Program

G OW Multiple Resource Areas

International Financial Assistance 

Projects Sponsored by the Office of 

International Affairs

G OIA Multiple Resource Areas

Lake Champlain Basin Program G Region 1/2 Water

Long Island Sound Program G OW Water

National Estuary Program G OW Water

National Nonpoint Source 

Management Program

G OW Water Business

National Wetland Program 

Development Grants

G OW Ecosystems
95 

Program Name

Program 

Type EPA AAship Sustainability Outcome

Primary Stakeholder 

Target

Office of Research and Development 

Consolidated Research/Training

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

OSWER Innovation Pilots G OSWER Multiple Resource Areas

P3 Award: National Student Design 

Competition for Sustainability

G ORD Materials

Pesticide Environmental Stewardship 

Program

G OPPTS Materials Communities

Pesticide Environmental Stewardship 

Regional Grants

G OPPTS Materials

Pollution Prevention Grants Program G OPPTS Materials

Protection of Children and Older Adults 

(Elderly) from Environmental Health 

Risks

G OA/OCHP Multiple Resource Areas

Regional Environmental Monitoring 

and Assessment Program (REMAP) 

Research Projects

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Regional Wetland Program 

Development Grants

G OW Ecosystems

Science to Achieve Results (STAR) 

Fellowship Program

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Science to Achieve Results (STAR) 

Research Program

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Small Business Innovation Research G ORD Multiple Resource Areas Business

Source Reduction Assistance G OPPTS Multiple Resource Areas

State Indoor Radon Grants G OAR Air

Strategic Agricultural Initiative G OPPTS Materials Business

Strategic Agriculture Initiative-Region 4 G Region 4 Land Uses

SUPERFUND TECHNICAL 

ASSISTANCE GRANTS (TAG) FOR 

COMMUNITY GROUPS AT 

NATIONAL PRIORITY LIST (NPL) 

SITES

G OSWER Materials

SURVEYS, STUDIES, 

INVESTIGATIONS AND SPECIAL 

PURPOSE GRANTS WITHIN THE 

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND 

DEVELOPMENT

G ORD Multiple Resource Areas

Surveys, Studies, Investigations and 

Special Purpose Grants Within the 

Office of the Administrator

G OA Multiple Resource Areas

Surveys, Studies, Investigations, 

Demonstrations, and Training Grants 

and Cooperative Agreements - Section 

104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act

G OW Water

SURVEYS, STUDIES, 

INVESTIGATIONS, TRAINING 

DEMONSTRATIONS AND 

EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH

G OPPTS Materials

Targeted Watershed Grants G OW Water

Water Quality Cooperative Agreements G OW Water

Water Quality Management Planning G OW Water

Wetland Program Grants - State/Tribal 

Environmental Outcome Wetland 

Demonstration Program

G OW Water
96 

Supplementary information for Figure 4. 

EPA Agency-Wide Budget and Voluntary Programs Budget

Voluntary Programs Budget $125,405,270 1.6%

Overall EPA Budget $7,874,594,730 98.4%

Total $8,000,000,000.00

Supplementary information for Figure 5. 

Distribution of Headquarters Voluntary Programs by Sustainability Outcome

Sustainability Outcome Number of Headquarters Voluntary Programs

Air 31

Ecosystems 9

Land Uses 24

Materials 29

Multiple Resource Areas 18

Water 22

Energy 0

Total 133

Sustainability Outcome Total Headquarters Funding

Air $89,719,370.00

Ecosystems $612,000.00

Land Uses $3,438,000.00

Materials $17,336,700.00

Multiple Resource Areas $10,659,700.00

Water $3,639,500.00

Energy - $ 

Total $125,405,270.00

Distribution of Headquarters Voluntary Program Investments by Sustainability 

Outcome
97 

Supplementary information for Figure 6. 

Distribution of Voluntary Programs by Stakeholder Type

Stakeholder Type Number of Voluntary Programs

Business 66

Communities 32

Government 23

Individuals 12

Total 133

Distribution of Headquarters Voluntary Program Investments by Stakeholder Type

Stakeholder Type Headquarters Funding

Business $70,093,770.00

Communities $15,335,000.00

Government $9,415,500.00

Individuals $30,561,000.00

Total $125,405,270.00

Supplemental information for Figure 7. 

Distribution of Voluntary Programs by Intervention Point

Lifecycle Intervention Point Number of Headquarters Voluntary Programs

Sustainability 72

Source Reduction 12

End of Pipe 34

Total 118

Supplemental information for Figure 8. 

Sustainability Outcome Grants Budget

Air 9,312,984 $ 

Ecosystems 14,092,806 $ 

Land Uses - $ 

Materials 12,039,250 $ 

Multiple Resource Areas 174,621,801 $ 

Water 122,941,016 $ 

Energy - $ 

Total 333,007,857 $ 

Distribution of Grant Program Investments by 

Sustainability Outcome
98 

Supplemental information for Figure 8 (cont). 

Sustainability Outcome

Number of Grants 

Programs

Air 2

Ecosystems 2

Land Uses 2

Materials 12

Multiple Resource Areas 24

Water 15

Energy 0

Total 57

Distribution of Grant Programs by 

Sustainability Outcome

Supplemental information for Figure 9. 

Sustainability Outcome

Number of Environmental Education, 

Awareness, and Training Programs

Air 19

Ecosystems 5

Land Uses 19

Materials 20

Multiple Resource Areas 26

Water 15

Energy 2

Total 106

Distribution of Environmental Education, Awareness, and 

Training Programs by Sustainability Outcome
99 

END NOTES 

 

1

 BNA, Inc., Daily Environment Report, “General Electric Commits to Cut Emissions, Increase 

Investment in Cleaner Technologies,” May 10, 2005, page A-8. 

2 http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0506/01/A01-197580.htm 

3

 BNA, Inc., Daily Environment Report, “U.N. Environmental Accords Signed By Mayors From 

50 Cities Worldwide,” June 7, 2005, page A-9. 

4

 U.S. Army, “Strategy for the Environment: Sustain the Mission, Secure the Future,” 

Washington, DC, October 1, 2004 

5

 See Jared Diamond, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, Viking, New York, 

2005. 

6

 World Resources Institute (WRI), The Weight of Nations (Washington, 2000), p. v., available 

at http://materials.wri.org/pubs_description.cfm?PubID=3023 

7 Webster’s New World Dictionary, 2nd Edition. David B. Guralnik, ed. World Publishing Co, 

New York, 1970. 

8

 Merriam-Webster’s Online Collegiate Dictionary at http://www.mw.com/dictionary/stewardship. 

9

 Adapted from speech by Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute, June 2005. 

10 See the EPA Strategic Plan at http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm 

11 http://www.ofee.gov 

12 http://www.epa.state.il.us/small-business/environmental-steward/ 

13 http://www.umich.edu/~urel/stewardship/whatis/ 

14 http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/vision.htm 

15 http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/indians/preface.htm 

16 Paraphrase of statement by Joel Makower, as recorded and confirmed by Carolyn Gangmark, 

EPA 

17 Hannover Principles: http://repont.tcc.virginia.edu/classes/tcc315/Resources/ALM/Environment/hannover.html 

CERES Principles: http://www.ceres.org/coalitionandcompanies/principles.php 

Equator Principles: http://www.equator-principles.com/principles.shtml 

Enlibra Principles: http://www.epa.gov/adminweb/administrator/enlibra.htm 

Ecoefficiency by theWorld Business Council for Sustainable Development: Livio D. DeSimone, 

Frank Popoff with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Eco-efficiency: 

The Business Link to Sustainable Development, The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1997. 

Natural Step: http://www.naturalstep.org/learn/principles.php 
100 

 18 North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, “Principles of 

Enforcement,” http://www.p2pays.org/esi/ 

19 An Access database was constructed for this assessment, and remains available for further 

updating and development. It is likely that additional EPA activities should have been included 

in this assessment, but were not discovered in the course of our research. 

20 Unlike the voluntary program list, the grant program list was developed in a top-down fashion. 

ICF started with a list of all EPA grant programs, and eliminated those supporting State, local or 

Tribal regulatory or enforcement programs; infrastructure grant programs; and, Congressional 

earmark programs. It is important to note that the alignment of the remaining grant programs 

with the environmental stewardship objective was often less clear than was the case for the 

typical voluntary program; it likely, even probable, that some fraction of grant funds was used to 

support activities that did not foster or enable environmental stewardship. 

21 The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) and P2RX have developed a set of 

standard outcome, behavior, and activity measures for pollution prevention, as part of its vision 

for a National P2 Results Data System. See http://www.p2.org/workgroup/Background.cfm for 

more information.