October 7, 2004

Progress on Development of EPA 

Sustainability Breakthrough Objectives

NACEPT Breakthrough Objectives Workgroup

August 3, 2012
August 3, 2012 p. 2

NACEPT First Advice Letter on 

Incorporating Sustainability at EPA

 Supported EPA adopting recommendations in the National 

Academies Report Sustainability and the U.S. EPA

 Recommended four critical steps for EPA:

 Establish a bold, agency-wide vision for sustainability 

 Develop a set of sustainability principles

 Establish several 3 to 5-year breakthrough objectives

 Establish several mid-term goals reaching out to 2020

 Proposed four charge questions for EPA consideration
August 3, 2012 p. 3

Sustainability: The Long View

Source: Cities as Forces for Good in the Environment: Sustainability in the Water Sector, University of Georgia, 2011
August 3, 2012 p. 4

Charge to NACEPT on Development 

of Breakthrough Objectives

 Using EPA's sustainability vision as a starting point, and backcasting

from that vision, what breakthrough objectives does NACEPT 

recommend for the EPA over the next 3 to 5 years drawing upon 

both the National Academies report recommendations and, also, 

approaches to sustainability and recommendations from other 

sources and stakeholders? 

 What measurement systems does NACEPT recommend for assessing 

progress toward these breakthrough objectives and EPA’s sustainability 

vision? 

 What tools are available to help EPA consider the qualitative and 

quantitative environmental, public health, social and economic benefits? 

 What approaches should EPA use to share progress with the public? 

 What other new approaches might be necessary to implement the 

breakthrough goals that NACEPT has identified?
August 3, 2012 p. 5

What is a Breakthrough Objective?

“Commonly referred to in the business community, 

breakthrough objectives are goals that extend far 

beyond the current capabilities and experiences of 

an organization and require new strategies and 

approaches to ensure successful attainment of 

these goals. These objectives are generally 

designed to improve performance throughout an 

organization.”

– Sustainability and the U.S. EPA, The National Academies, 2011
August 3, 2012 p. 6

Workgroup Activities

 Conference Calls

 April 23, 2012 (Overview of EPA strategic planning process)

 April 30, 2012 (Development of approach and assignments)

 May 29, 2012 (SG-Sustainability Gaps: Water, Air, Chemicals)

 June 26, 2012 (SG-Sustainability Gaps: Regulations)

 July 9, 2012 (Draft Presentation for August 2012 meeting)
August 3, 2012 p. 7

Workgroup Activities (2)

 Subgroups assigned to review sustainability gaps based on 

the five goal areas in the FY 2011–2015 EPA Strategic Plan:

 Goal 1: Air Quality and Climate

• Leads – DeWitt John, Erica Bannerman, Yalmaz Siddiqui

 Goal 2: Water

• Leads – Kurt Erichsen, Femi Osidele 

 Goal 3:Communities

• Leads – Mark Mitchell, Judith Mazique

 Goal 4: Chemicals

• Leads – Robert Kerr, Bridgett Luther

 Goal 5: Environmental Regulations

• Leads – Bridgett Luther, Judith Mazique
August 3, 2012 p. 8

Workgroup Activities (3)

 Interviews and Consultations

 Kathy O’Brien and Vivian Daub (OCFO), April 2012

 Viccy Salazar (Region 10), May 2012

 Ira Leighton (Region 1), TBD

 Stanley Meiburg (Region 4), TBD 

 Matt Bogoshian (OPPT HQ), July 2012

 John Katz, A. McGill, Tom Heutteman (OPPT, Region 9), July 2012

 Emily Pimentel (Border Program, Region 9), July 2012 

 Willard Chin (Tribal Program, Region 9), July 2012
August 3, 2012 p. 9

Observations

 National Academies report indicates lack of (U.S.) national strategy and 

(EPA) agency-wide principles for advancing toward sustainability 

 EPA has already begun implementing many of the National Academies 

recommendations for incorporating sustainability

 Sustainability is not addressed explicitly in the FY 2011–2015 EPA 

Strategic Plan

 Some current regional sustainability activities do not fit neatly within the 

five Strategic Goal areas

 National Academies recommendations emphasize integration of the 

three sustainability pillars—social, economic and environmental

 National Academies also urges the Agency to create a new culture 

among its staff and hire professionals with a cross-cutting mindset

 EPA regions have expressed interest in contributing to development of 

breakthrough objectives for the Agency
August 3, 2012 p. 10

Perspectives on Developing 

Sustainability Breakthrough Objectives 

 Incorporate sustainability in the next Strategic Plan as a cross-cutting 

fundamental strategy 

 Identify gaps or inconsistencies among the National Academies 

report, the EPA Strategic Plan, and other EPA planning documents

 Design objectives to harmonize environmental, economic, and social 

goals to fulfill Strategic Plan goals

 Focus first on programs and outreach, then on chemicals of concern 

 Identify successful public-private partnerships within EPA where 

sustainability could be incorporated using OECA 2011–2013 goals 

 Identify local enforcement programs where sustainability goals can be 

incorporated (e.g. Border Program, West Coast Carbon collaborative)
August 3, 2012 p. 11

Perspectives (2) 

 What are the best ways to develop and frame specific breakthrough 

goals? 

 What assets can EPA bring to the table and where are the most 

promising leverage points for EPA in setting breakthrough goals and 

tracking progress towards sustainability? 

 This is an important nexus point with the Strengths Workgroup 

 How should EPA regional and headquarters offices manage their 

work to frame and achieve breakthrough goals on sustainability?

 For what specific issues or topics should EPA set breakthrough 

objectives for sustainability?
August 3, 2012 p. 12

Criteria for Developing

Sustainability Breakthrough Objectives

 In keeping with the adopted definition of “breakthrough objectives”, 

NACEPT recommendations must highlight new and/or more effective 

directions the Agency should take toward sustainability

 Breakthrough objectives should offer sustainable approaches to key 

environmental issues, using EPA’s Strategic Goals and Cross-Cutting 

Fundamental Strategies

 Breakthrough objectives should fully harmonize the three pillars of 

sustainability—social (including human health), environmental, and 

economic
August 3, 2012 p. 13

Draft Sustainability Vision

 NACEPT proposes the following statement for EPA to consider in 

establishing an agency-wide vision for sustainability :

EPA’s sustainability vision is to build from its strengths as a 

compliance and regulatory agency to become the world leader as an 

innovation-oriented, collaborative organization that accelerates 

America’s journey toward meeting the needs of the present without 

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
August 3, 2012 p. 14

Additional Information Needs

 Documents or statements expressing EPA’s sustainability vision

 Insights into feedback from recent stakeholder listening sessions

 Consultations

 EPA HQ offices, regional offices, national laboratories

 State environmental agencies

 Private sector businesses and industry

 Coordination with NACEPT Strengths Workgroup
August 3, 2012 p. 15

Reference Documents

 Sustainability and the U.S. EPA, National Academy of Sciences, 2011

 First NACEPT Advice Letter on Incorporating Sustainability at EPA, April 2012

 FY 2011-2015 EPA Strategic Plan

 NACEPT Comment Letter on the Draft FY 2011-2015 EPA Strategic Plan, July 2010

 Sustainability Nears a Tipping Point, MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston 

Consulting Group, Winter 2011

 Cities as Forces for Good in the Environment: Sustainability in the Water Sector, 

Beck, M.B., University of Georgia, August 2011

 Sustainable Materials—With Both Eyes Open, Allwood, J. and Cullen, J., UIT 

Cambridge, November 2011
August 3, 2012 p. 16

Acknowledgments

 Workgroup

 Erica Bannerman

 Kurt Erichsen

 DeWitt John

 Robert Kerr

 Bridgett Luther (Co-Chair)

 Judith Mazique

 Mark Mitchell

 Bob Olson

 Olufemi Osidele (Co-Chair)

 Yalmaz Siddiqui

 Interviews & Consultations

 Vivian Daub (OCFO)

 Kathy O’Brien (OCFO)

 Viccy Salazar (Region 10)

 EPA/OFACMO Support

 Derry Allen

 Eugene Green

 Cynthia Jones-Jackson

 Mark Joyce

 Megan Moreau

 Lisa Tomlinson