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Region 6 Rx Update

10/1/03

The University of Texas, Austin, submitted a proposal to start a regional P2 information network.  Although we received word that the grant committee had selected UT, we have not formerly been selected, and are therefore unfounded for this work.  This restriction limits our activity.   However, the proposal included work to be done in September and October, so the University of Texas is beginning work in cooperation with it’s partners.

  1. Starting the Center

Overview: There are several issues we are dealing with to get the center up and running.  We anticipate having all of these issues resolved by January 04, and anticipate being at full production by March 04.  This will necessitate a lot of catch up towards the end of the year.

    1. Migration  website content – The information kept on the current region 6 Rx website, hosted by UT, El Paso (UTEP) will be reviewed and reformatted.  We wish to pay particularly close attention to navigability of the new site, and conduct user tests.  Another issue is the relevance and reliability of the current content.  We committed (in cooperation with our state partners) to thoroughly review the content for relevance.  The initial website may have less on it, but the information will be more relevant.
    2. Migration of Dynamic Tools – There are three dynamic tools on the UTEP website in theory they should migrate without trouble.  However, getting these to work in a different (though similar) environment may be a challenge.  Greg Geyer of Terrachord has committed some time to advise us on these issues. The three dynamic tools are:

                                                               i.      Topic Hubs 

                                                             ii.      Case studies – The database for case studies has been scrubbed by TCEQ and will be used on the new site.  This “clean” database has more specific topic headings, and should enhance the case study usability. 

                                                            iii.      P2 Planner – UT committed to working with TCEQ to promote the tool in September.  As a result, TCEQ sent a letter to over 1000 pollution prevention planners, and encouraged use of the planner.  They were encouraged to access the site through TCEQ’s P2 portal (P2Plan.org).  This set of customers will access the planner through the P2Plan.org site because the it is recognized by many who do P2 Planning, and promoted actively.  During the transition no information is available about the effectiveness of this method. 

    1. Customer transition – Events are being planned in December to formally announce the center’s opening, and let customers know what it can do for them.  We are also working on putting together an advisory board with State, private and public interest groups as well as environmental professionals.  Several people have volunteered to participate. 
    2. Staffing - The proposal was prepared by Vince Torres, of the University of Texas Center for Energy and Environmental Research (CEER).  Mr. Torres will be handling many of the UT administrative issues and will find a full time Rx administrator.  The center hosts several programs, which have great potential for synergy with the Rx center.  The staff includes Kathey Ferland, who worked at the TCEQ as a manager for the Pollution Prevention Section (Ken Zarkers predecessor).  David Greer, who has worked closely with the TCEQ for the past year and is an expert on databases and measurement of P2.  David is currently the only actual Rx employee, and is funded through in-kind contributions from TCEQ.    A full time administrator for the Region 6 Rx will be recruited after EPA and UT have a signed contract in place.  In the meantime, Thomas Vinson-Peng of TCEQ is working closely with Vince Torres to keep the proposed projects on schedule.
  1. National deliverables

Overview: UT made it very clear in the grant that we were open to modifying the national and regional cooperative deliverables to match the goals of the P2Rx workgroup.  UT Austin did not have a copy of the proposals that the other Rx centers had worked on together. 

At the October Rx meeting we hope to clearly identify and define our commitments.  We will then ask EPA for approval of our final commitments.

In the meantime we are proceeding with some work that we anticipate will align with the Rx centers.  Most notably the topic hub for POTW’s. 

  • Revise the Electric Utility, Oil/Gas and POTW topic hubs to include information that will address critical needs for the target sector.
    • POTW work is beginning.  We have discussed this project with Arkansas DEQ, Texas CEQ, and the Texas Water Utilities Commission.  All want to focus on providing tools for local pretreatment programs.  They believe that providing a boiler plate pretreatment program on the web would encourage local POTW’s to focus some of their efforts on identifying dischargers and encouraging P2.  By doing this they can reduce the needed capacity.  Of particular interest is the prevention of sanitary sewer overflows by educating consumers and businesses on fat’s oil and grease.
  • Create a National Topic Hub on energy conservation
    • The CEER center has several experts who work closely with the Department of Energy on energy conservation.  They will be working with the center to provide support and identify partners for topic hub review.
    • Incorporate rapid response service through the website. 
  • Work with other Rx centers on a survey of our customers.  Our roundtable has two marketing specialist who we are asking to help review the survey.  We will also pull on them as a resource for the marketing strategy. Their assistance will ensure we get the most out of our marketing contract.
  • Provide telephone technical assistance to industries, environmental service providers and others. We commit to a one-business day response.
  • Collect and disseminate P2-related news from around the region, and feed the national network.
  • Create one new innovative technology profile to help assistance providers in making technology recommendations.
  • Work with pollution prevention experts to peer review all material on the current website, update the content as needed, and deploy a new website with an easy to remember domain name. (see migration above).
  1. Regional Deliverables
  • Perform programming to improve the functionality of the Pollution Prevention Planner
  • Develop user interfaces that encourage use of the P2 Planner by users in New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and at the national level.
  • Promote the pollution prevention planner so users will adopt beneficial techniques and technologies
  • Enhance the content of the P2 Planner by incorporating input from state agencies and industrial clients.
  • Coordinate with assistance programs throughout the region on information projects through the Regional P2 Information Dissemination Committee (P2ID)
  • Work with UT Austin R6Rx partners to promote use of the UT Austin R6Rx website by industries, local governments and other customers.
  1. Other projects Center

 Overview:  The PPIN grant is seen as a “seed grant” to fund the opening of a pollution prevention center at the University of Texas.  Other funding and partners are being identified, and also other activities.  Some of these include:

    • Considering a series of workshops, partners in non-profits, state and local governments have verbally committed to sponsor.
    • There is also talk of working with Sandia labs.  on a green chemistry program.
    • A non-profit organization specializing in consumer pollution prevention has committed to working with the center to:
      • Conduct a series of trainings on consumer pollution prevention
      • Develop a website dedicated to encouraging P2 by consumers.
    • Sponsoring a “regional intern” who would travel throughout the 5 state region and spend time with each program.  This would help coordinate the programs while providing them with much needed support.
  1. Regional Buzz
    1. EMS is the biggest “buzz”.  State P2 program reps. plan to meet in Dallas this November for a P2 roundtable which is growing to include industry and NGO’s.  The roundtable will include a 3-day training on the EMS given by Bob Pojasek and Cam Metcalf.
    2. Texas and Louisiana are heavily promoting an EMS program.  Louisiana gives recognition in ceremonies with the governor for EMS facilities; Texas gives state and federal regulatory incentives.
    3. New Mexico and Arkansas are undergoing staffing changes. 
    4. New Mexico has a marketing specialist participating in region 6 roundtable discussions.
    5. The Arkansas pretreatment programs are actively supporting the Region 6 Rx center.
    6. Oklahoma is continuing with it’s program of outreach and education, the program is well established.
    7. The regional roundtable is very interested in NEWMOA’s work on measurement.  They believe implementing measurements to assess the value of P2 programs will be critical to our success. 


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