Office of Water recognizes Agencies for Successfully Implementing EMS

In January, Assistant Administrator Benjamin Grumbles, James Connaughton, chairman of the President's Council on Environmental Quality, and others participated in a ceremony honoring nine local governments that have implemented environmental management systems (EMS) for their operations. This is the third group of agencies that have participated in Office of Water's EMS training program for local governments since 1997. Environmental management systems provide organizations with a powerful and flexible way to assess the environmental impacts of their operations and set measurable goals for reducing these impacts over time.

Each participating agency has identified significant benefits from implementing their EMS, including cost savings, improved relations with communities and regulatory agencies, and better environmental performance. A final report on the results of this project, including more information on the benefits, costs, and challenges faced by each participating agency will be available this summer.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency