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Meeting of P2Rx administratorsAndy Bray (NEWMOA), John Calcagni and Gary Hunt (WRPPN), Deb Jacobson (GLRPPR), Thomas Vinson (Region 6 center), Rick Yoder (P2RIC), Mike Vogel and Laura Estes (Peaks to Prairies), Chris Wiley (PPRC), Beth Anderson (EPA), Nedra Weinreich (Weinreich Communications) and Jean Waters (P2Rx) met in Jackson, Wyoming, October 1-3, 2003. Nedra was present Wednesday afternoon and Thursday only. Center updates.PPRCReport is attached. Additionally, PPRC is working on · Environmental measurement topic hub for FY03 · “Performance Spec” database which is a business tool that compiles all specifications from several major manufacturers. Beth suggested the green suppliers network may be able to use this product. · Compilation on environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) consisting of interviews with over 30 organizations. It will help develop more EPP strategies. The product matrix is sorted by product and shows organizations that address the product and how the organization addresses it. Region 9 is doing training on EPP. Gary has full-time person working on EPP. · “Innovative incentive programs to promote P2” topic hub, may be able to get help from Massachusetts OTA and Terry Frecke, who have both done work in this area. · Innovative technologies – will identify technology as a result of workgroup discussions P2RICReport is attached. The regional buzz · ethanol plants · CAFOs · water (drought, center pivot irrigation, water management on Missouri and Mississippi rivers) · wind source energy. P2Rx news group is defining data elements we want for news. The committee is very close to being able to draft a standard to present to the admin group. WRCCReport is attached. In addition WRRC put EPA’s regional P2 grant guidance on WRRC’s web site because EPA couldn’t get it posted on their own site. They also provided a link to the PPRC RFP database on this page, so visitors would have potential additional resources for funding. The regional buzz is survival and EMS. Some federal facilities are required to have EMS in place by 2005. NEWMOAReport is attached. In addition, NEWMOA has three topic hubs (FY03 deliverables) in final draft, wood furniture finishing, dioxin, and auto recycling. They are working on innovative tech profiles for vacuum vapor degreasing, closed loop aqueous cleaning, and tri-chrome plating (replacement for hex chrome). They were having some trouble deciding which technologies to focus on. They may want to look at upcoming MACT standards. Regional feedback on innovative technologies has been all over the board. In FY04, they’ll do a lead hub. This will be a sector specific hub, on the same model as mercury, beginning with lead in electrical equipment manufacturing. Deb, Andy, and Scott may want to do a presentation on the auto recycling topic hub at the Summit 2004 meeting. They can highlight the partnership among the centers and the clearinghouse. GLRPPRReport is attached. In addition, WMRC (Illinois Waste Management Resource Center) will be working with businesses to develop EMS for Ford suppliers. Region 5 is doing a lot of enforcement on CAFOs, and looking at all animal facilities. There is a good possibility of money from congress to address Great Lakes water issues. In an agreement with Region 5 to pursue more SEPs, GLRPPR will do training with the states. Peaks to PrairiesThe National Parks Service (NPS) needs P2 training, videos and resources for their employees. NPS needs to know how to manage staff and visitors. They have some showcase facilities/operations but still need help. There’s potential for connection with other centers. Several topic hubs could be useful to NPS, EPP, fleets, hospitality, etc. NPS sharing common ground conference planned for May. Yellowstone National Park may host next Region 8 roundtable, next August/September. Peaks is currently creating a database of “P2 in Agriculture” regional P2 projects. They will make a proof of concept product and look for funding. Peaks is interested in having a link to the RFP database on center’s sites, especially if the database could display the regional RFPs first. Mike reported he’s continued to participate in tribal FOSTTA activities, following the meeting in June in Connecticut. They have only had one call since that meeting. They say they want a topic hub. Gayle Harms with Turtle Mountain in North Dakota has been given some funds from EPA to pull together some P2 info for tribes but its not clear exactly what he will deliver. Fred Covey with the Micmac tribe in Maine is in charge of tribal issues for FOSTTA and he’s interested in having a P2 tribal conference. Peaks has done one of these in the past and will pursue doing another one. Region 6Report is attached. Tomas reported additionally that the new center will model itself after NEWMOA. They want the new center to be a seed and a base for a bigger picture of total assistance. They expect to have the start up done by January and fully functional by March 2004. They want to involve more electric utilities with the current topic hub and get them to adopt innovative technologies. They may approach regional utilities with a method of how to decommission their transformers. Energy efficiency will be a focus of the center. Gary says there’s a lot of information out there but someone needs to go through which documents are really beneficial. On-line SurveyAdd “NGOs” as a choice on the first question, “Please choose the category that best suits you.” Also add “extension” as a choice under “technical assistance provider.” Under question 10, “How often has using [name of regional center] resulted in any savings to you (in time, dollars, or waste reduced)?” Add the choice, “Reduced use of toxic/hazardous materials.” Add P2Tech to the list of choices of P2Rx tools. Also add the choice, “online bulletin boards.” Corrected survey is attached. EPA ReportBeth Anderson gave an update from OPPT. The green chemistry initiative is getting a lot of attention at OPPT. Beth provided a handout for us to distribute in our regions. Beth presented “The P2 Vision,” attached. This presentation was designed to bring Allan Abramson up to speed on what OPPT does. One of the points made was OPPT needs to focus efforts and decide where to invest and where to disinvest. OPPT is starting with their own office, and will adopt an EMS. They will then expand their experience to include other EPA offices. Allan wants to get more P2 into EPA policies and regulations. Allan is interested in leveraging and partnering with others such as seen in the GSN (green suppliers network) and H2E (Healthy Hospitals for the Environment challenge). The level of activity will depend on budget and staff availability. Some people are committed to elevating NPPR to a higher level. Beth pushes the link to the national roundtables via P2Rx. Beth encouraged us to invite HQ people to roundtables. It’s hard to measure empowerment of the public. EPA Managers want outcomes. In summary, Allan is interested in scaling up success. We currently have 10,000 flowers and we need 10 flowers. Allan will take an approach of identifying regional successful projects, focusing on those and trying to repeat them in other regions or expand them regionally or nationally. He wants to build on successful collaborations and doesn’t want to pay for marketing. His aim is for programs to be self-sustaining; their revenue has to come from outside of OPPT. There’s a question about whether or not grantees can sell stuff, to generate income. Grantees are supposed to be able to reclaim direct costs. Allan is especially interested in GSN, PPT, and H2E. These are attractive because of good salesmanship on the part of the programs, good partnership, and large constituency. Scott says P2Rx needs a political constituency. DOE was building programs around industrial partners. EPA has gone from 10 goals to 5. EPA needs outcome measures to report to OMB: · Pounds · Gallons · BTU equivalents · Money saved Beth has a contractor preparing an evaluation of the PPIN grant program. The contractor will set up a logic model. The contractor will start in the next week or two. There will be a conference call that all centers will participate in. Beth is interested in converting from activity measures to outcomes. EPA doesn’t care about data quality. Bottom line is you have nothing to fear but no answers. Representing a fraction of what you do is better than nothing. Region 8 is reporting actual pounds saved. Region 4 projected outcomes, didn’t measure actual numbers. Region 10’s database captures data from P2 planning process. Rick thinks we can accurately and legitimately claim money saved for the amount of research we do. P2Rx currently only reports on our activities but we need to report money saved. The NPPR P2 Results report needs to be generated every couple of years. 2003 is baseline year. P2Rx can be the body that NPPR works with to gather data for the next NPPR report. P2Rx doesn’t have to produce outcome measures right now. Currently reporting varies by region. Beth hopes that the logic model developed by the contractor for the PPIN evaluation will help us identify reporting measures for P2Rx. PartneringIt would be good to get back on the NPPR board agenda to give P2Rx updates. We need to pursue an MOU with NPPR. We should follow up with NPPR about their P2Results report, and see how we can help gather data for the next report. Andy Pravee would be a good person to contact at EPA on this measurement. We have an MOU with P2WIN, although no action has happened yet. Other potential partnering opportunities include offices within EPA, such as OPEI, OAQPS, the Compliance Assistance Centers, and climate connections. We should consider having a P2Rx advisory group comprised of partners that could supply content we need. We need to look at the existing partnering document and revise it. We need to address how to share individual topic hubs with partners. Tomas, Scott, and Andy spent part of last year trying to pull together proposal for National Environmental Information Exchange Network. Putting together a grant application for this cycle is very opportune. Have to have a team put together. Key is that we need a state partner to lead it. State tech and info offices are backlogged. Texas won’t do it. Kevin thinks Nevada would do it, possibly Oklahoma. Jeff Fiagle might do this. If we’re going to do use data, Massachusetts or New Jersey may want to do it. Scott will send out the strawman he created last year. Immediate work is to make the contacts with the state technical folks. Tomas, Andy, and Gary will be on a committee to pursue partnering. Action Item to web group:Address how to make the hubs more easily shared. Provide a couple of scenarios to tell the web group what we want. John, Kevin, Chris, and Laura will be on that committee. MarketingNedra presented information on developing a marketing plan and led the group in discussion. The presentation is attached; summary of the discussion is below. Primary target audience · Environmental assistance providers o State programs o Local programs o MEP o SBDC o SBAP o Energy o Extension · EPA Secondary target audience · Industry · Environmental professionals · Trade associations · Other stake holders Marketing Goals
Objectives · Increase awareness/use of P2Rx as a network · Increase awareness/use of topic hubs as a collection and individual hubs · Increase awareness/use of rapid response · Increase awareness/use of news · Increase awareness/use of P2 library · Increase awareness/use of P2 Tech · Increase awareness/use of Programs Directory Products · Regional centers – market as part of the P2Rx national network · P2Rx nationally – market as a network · Communication services, ability of technical expertise, availability of technical materials – as centers, we need to make sure this is happening. We want to convey that people can go to one center and get everything from P2Rx. Internet searches Google needs to index the topic hubs. Is there something about our structure that prohibits them from being indexed? Scott is looking at how we get some of our content (deeper in our sites) indexed on Google and the EPA search engine. If you get enough stakeholders, they will link to your site, which will increase your return on Google. Action Items · Increase links from other websites to individual topic hubs · Get onto search engines · Hard copy/CDs of topic hub content · Make content customizable · Make announcements on P2Tech updates · Press releases for new topic hubs/other info · Create checklist for what to do when releasing a new product o Announce release of new products to region o Have all centers listed in footnote · Press releases (announcement) list serve · Need to have insert for every topic hub (put this on the checklist) · Need to have insert for specific center · What are the best six inserts for the brochure · Develop standard footer that shows all eight centers · Put together articles in journals o Pollution engineering o Environmental protection o Industrial ecology o Wastewater news o 507 program newsletters o state newsletters o filler ads o AWMA, environmental associations · Freebies – aperture of opportunity o Mouse pads o Magnets o Magnet clips o Luggage tags o Letter openers · P2Rx booth · Link Homes Across America on P2Rx · Send search engine triage reports to admin folks Program directory collection policyVoted 100% in favor of acceptance of the current policy. Work items · Establish a couple of questions on user satisfaction – just put on a comment box · Daeho will circulate a list of all the key words currently used in the program directory Future of the (P2Rx) WebScott presented the “Future of the (P2Rx) Web.” The presentation is attached. The discussion was: · Do we want to start planning for use of wireless devices? Programs directory is good example. Checklists or fact sheets also good choices. · Bulletin boards may become more important than e-mail because of spam. · Centers need to upgrade version of cold fusion. · Pursue improving P2Tech on committee basis. Gary, Deb, and Scott will be the committee Marketing action items agreed to by centers· Change e-mail signatures to include a reference to being part of the P2Rx network. · Get p2rx branded on P2Tech, WRRC library, Sector Resources. · Strive for greater brand awareness of P2Rx that promotes all the centers. · Create new inserts for P2Rx “brochure” folders. Summit 2004Jean is serving on the planning committee. The Summit includes NPPR and OECA compliance assistance folks. The national coordinating committee includes several others, also. An attempt is being made to actively include representatives from OPEI, especially the small business assistance programs (507 programs). The Summit will be held April 19-21 in Baltimore, MD. P2Rx will exhibit at the Summit, sponsor a “fun walk” like last year, and offer regional baskets as prizes. |