EPA: A Culture of Innovations

Current Innovations

Transparency

• EPA Releases Searchable Website for Drinking Water Violations / Agency to host webinar to show how to use the public health data  
• Chemical Data Access Tool - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a new web-based tool that will enable the public to search for and have easy access to health and safety studies on industrial chemicals. 
• EPA Region 7 Launches Facebook Page  
• EPA Updates Database on Health and Environmental Impacts of Electricity Generation - User friendly web tool allows Americans to search for power providers by zip code
• EPA Removes Confidentiality Claims on Studies of Chemicals Submitted under TSCA
• EPA Hosts Conference on Advancing the Next Generation of Risk Assessment
• EPA Grants Continue to Protect Beachgoers
• EPA Releases Reports on Dioxin Emitted During Deepwater Horizon BP Spill
• EPA Finalizes Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements for Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry
• Toll-free Spanish hotline for pesticide questions - Hotline number is 1-888-919-4372
• MyPropertyInfo - a single reporting tool for printing from multiple EPA databases
• Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) - IRIS has recently revamped their process to make the review of EPA's chemical assessments more transparent. The new 7-step process includes releasing the comments with the draft versions and has even helped to move the reports out to the database more efficiently.
• EPA's Risk Assessment Portal (RISK) - Looking for that one place to find everything? Well everything on Risk and Risk Assessment can be found on this one site. It includes a description of both human health and ecological steps to risk assessment and has the complete list of EPA risk guidelines, handbooks and regulations.
• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory - Free access for the first time on EPA's web site; also available at Data.gov as a dataset and as an extraction tool, making the data easier to manipulate.
• Laws and Regulations - Extensive information about EPA's laws, regulations, significant guidance documents, and dockets. Includes information on how to search for rules and comment on them.
• EPA's Rulemaking Gateway - The Rulemaking Gateway provides information to the public on the status of EPA's priority rulemakings.
• America's Children and the Environment - America’s Children and the Environment brings together, in one place, quantitative information from a variety of sources to show trends in levels of environmental contaminants in air, water, food, and soil; concentrations of contaminants measured in the bodies of mothers and children; and childhood diseases that may be influenced by environmental factors.
• Map of 2009 Enforcement Actions |  View raw data in XML or HTML format - The new mapping tool shows facilities in the United States where the EPA concluded formal environmental enforcement actions between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009 (FY2009).
• EPA's Data Finder - Data Finder is a single place to find EPA's data sources so people can access and understand environmental information.
• Senior Manager Schedules - EPA senior managers' calendars display all meetings attended by advocates, stakeholders, elected officials and others outside the Agency.
• Information Access Strategy (PDF) (23pp, 813K, About PDF) - The National Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information was about understanding what kind of environmental information you need and how you want to get it. We have analyzed what we've heard and developed EPA's Information Access Strategy.
• MyEnvironment - Environmental Information for your area.
• AIRNow - Get up-to-the-minute information about air pollution in your community. Includes maps, forecasts, and information about the health effects of air pollution.
• AirNow International Launched - Real-time air quality data information in China
  2010 Shanghai EXPO Air Quality Website | Press Release

Participation

• EPA Proposes Safeguards for Hazardous Waste Recycling - Action aims to promote economic, environmental and public health benefits of waste recycling
• Public meeting on cleanup plan for Minnesota's Cass Lake Superfund Site   
• Read and submit a comment on the draft of the "Waters of the United States" guidance  
• EPA Establishes National Tribal Toxics Committee to Address Risks from Toxic Chemicals   
• EPA Helps Build Awareness Around Asthma - Asthma affects nearly 25 million people in the U.S.
• EPA Seeks Small Entity Participation on Two Upcoming Air Rules  
• EPA Seeks Public Comments to Help Develop Management Practices for Recreational Vessels
• Retrospective Review of Existing Regulations
• Healthy Waters for EPA's Mid-Atlantic Region
• EPA Offers Proven Solutions to Support Sustainable Community Goals - Press Release
• EPA Seeks Small Businesses Input on Exterior Lead Paint for Public and Commercial Buildings - Press Release
• National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Electronic Reporting Rule Discussion Forum - Help shape requirements for e-data reporting for our national pollution discharge permit program
• Enable the Label - Blog: This discussion forum opens up a dialogue with the public to comment on pesticide labeling issues in the Label Review Manual (LRM).
• EPA Releases Draft Strategy for Clean Water - Press Release | Blog
• EPA Proposes Rules on Clean Air Act Permitting for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Electronic Reporting Rule Discussion Forum - This forum, will not only improve the transparency of the rule development process, but also allow for open dialog and information exchange.
• We're for Water: Join us and your friends and neighbors in taking simple actions to save water
• EPA Proposes Updating Drinking Water Rule to Better Protect Public Health - EPA is seeking public comment on this proposed rule for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. Total Coliform Rule (TCR) | Press Release 
• Schedule of Public Meetings on Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study – Stakeholders should register at least 72 hours before meeting.
• Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO) - Contains the key studies EPA uses to develop environmental risk assessments for the public.
• EPA Expands Public Participation on Hazardous Waste Cleanup - Press Release
• Copley Square Plaza Superfund Site Facebook Page 
• EPA Launches Web Forum on How to Best Protect America’s Waters - Join the discussion - Comment on how we can better manage some of the most significant water pollution problems facing our nation.
• It's My Environment - new video project - Shoot a 10-15 second clip showing some simple environmental action and pass along a sign that says "It's my environment." We've decided to keep accepting entries and produce more than one compilation, so entries are due by 11:59 pm EST December 1, 2010. Instructions
• MyEnvironment - New "Shout Out" feature (located under MyCollaboration) - Applaud the environmental efforts of local communities and let neighbors know of all the good that is being done for the environment right in their own backyards!
• Faces of the Grassroots: Environmental Justice Video Contest
• EPA Administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, is now on Twitter.
• Gowanus Canal Facebook Group Page - A new outreach pathway for EPA to communicate with a community affected by a Superfund site.
• Dupont Pompton Lakes Facebook Group - A new outreach pathway for EPA to communicate with a community affected by a RCRA site.
• Public Involvement Policy: Documents | Basic Information on Public Involvement - The Policy provides guidance to EPA staff on effective and reasonable means to involve the public in EPA's regulatory and program implementation decisions.
• Greenversations blog - Comment on any of the entries in our Greenversations blog
• Pick 5 for the Environment - Do more to protect the environment by choosing at least five actions you'll commit to.
• Question of the Week - Subscribe to receive the Question of the Week by email
• Solid Waste and Emergency Response Discussion Forum | Town Hall Discussions - Online forum provides an opportunity for private citizens, environmental groups, businesses, community groups, and local and tribal governments to discuss topics relating to EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) and has organized a series of Video Town Hall discussions.
• Get involved in our regulations - Your participation can lead to better regulations.
• Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice video competition - We're no longer accepting entries, but we'll be announcing winners in April.
• We have decided to keep OpenEPA going since that was one of your top ten suggestions. We'll periodically update our plan to incorporate new ideas.

Collaboration

• EPA Recognizes Port Arthur ISD and Veolia Technical Solutions, L.L.C., for Creating Safer Schools
• Southeast Diesel Collaborative Sixth Annual Partners Meeting in Atlanta on June 13-15, 2011  
• Land, Waste and Emergency Management Innovations - The Innovations Program in EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) uses funding to support promising new policies, approaches, and/or technologies with the hope of turning promising ideas into practical realities. In the past, we have used grants as a tool to fund opportunities.
• EPA Awards Grant to Help Reduce E-waste - Furthers agency commitment to responsible electronic stewardship  
• Administrator Jackson, SBA Administrator Mills Announce Launch of Water Technology Innovation Cluster
• EPA Launches Green Power Community Challenge Nationwide
• EPA Launches Web Forum on How to Best Protect America’s Drinking Water - Join the discussion
• EPA Launches a Collaborative Web Site for Integrated Environmental Modeling
• SunWise - an informational tool to help the public safely manage sun exposure. 
• EPA's Report on the Environment (ROE) - EPA's Report on the Environment (ROE) presents the best available indicators of national conditions and trends for air, water, land, human health, and ecological systems to address EPA's top critical questions to its mission and the protection of our environment.
• EPA's Casual Analysis Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS) - CADDIS is an on-line application that helps scientists and engineers in the Regions, States and Tribes to find, access, organize, use and share information to conduct and determine what is causing damage (called impairments) to rivers, streams, etc.
• PestWise - An EPA partnership program that works collaboratively with companies, non-profit organizations, communities, and individuals, addressing a wide variety of pest management issues and risks to human health and the environment.
• Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program - Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) is a competitive grant program that offers an innovative way for a community to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in its local environment. 
• Environmental Justice Showcase Communities - The Environmental Justice Showcase Communities effort brings together governmental and non-governmental organizations and pools their collective resources and expertise on the best ways to achieve real results in communities.
• State Energy Efficiency Action Network - The SEE Action Network will help the nation achieve all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2020 by focusing on the assistance states need in their critical role in advancing policies and practices that bring energy efficiency to scale.

Accomplishments

• Clean Water Enforcement Action Plan Discussion Forum (August-September 2009)
• National Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Priorities Discussion Forum (August-December 2009)
• Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information (January 2008-January 2009)