Lean in Government Starter Kit
Drawing from the experiences of several state and federal agencies, Ross & Associates helped EPA develop the Lean in Government Starter Kit: How to Plan and Implement Successful Lean Initiatives at Environment Agencies, Version 3.0. The Starter Kit is designed to help government agencies plan and implement successful Lean events. The underlying goal of this Starter Kit is to provide information, tools, and downloadable resources that agencies can use to develop or incorporate into a Lean continual improvement system.
Lean Government Initiative Support
Ross & Associates has supported EPA’s Lean Government Initiative since its inception in 2005, facilitating the expanded use of Lean and Six Sigma among environmental agencies to improve diverse processes, ranging from permitting to standard setting. We have developed several practical resources on the application of Lean methods to government, such as The Lean in Government Starter Kit, which has been used by government agencies across the U.S. and in several other countries. Other products have included the Lean Government Primer, Lean Leadership Guide, Lean Government Metrics Guide, Lean in Air Permitting Guide, Lean Government Event Scoping Guide, and numerous case studies and presentations.
EPA Region 1 Stormwater Funding Evaluation
Ross & Associates is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters and EPA Region 1 to evaluate community approaches for addressing stormwater program funding challenges, with a particular focus on the role of multi-party dispute resolution in the establishment of stormwater utilities.
Evaluation of the Drinking Water Clean Water Infrastructure Tribal Set-Aside
Ross & Associates, in conjunction with Industrial Economics, Incorporated, conducted a process and outcome evaluation of two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tribal grant programs, the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant-Tribal Set-Aside, and the Clean Water Infrastructure Set-Aside.
Building Sustainability into Water Sector Utility Long-Range Planning
Ross & Associates has supported EPA’s Offices of Wastewater Management and Groundwater and Drinking Water to develop a handbook to assist water sector utilities incorporate sustainability considerations into long-range utility planning. The handbook supports EPA’s efforts to promote the sustainability of water sector utilities and the communities they serve, and is intended to help utilities pursue sustainability outcomes
Effective Utility Management for Water and Wastewater Utilities
Ross & Associates has supported the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water, in collaboration with six national water sector associations, to define and promote the “Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities.” EPA and the associations’ efforts began with defining a water sector strategy to promote greater adoption of effective management systems and other best practices by water and wastewater utilities.
EPA Exchange Network
Since 1999, Ross & Associates has worked to conceptualize, plan, and implement the Environmental Information Exchange Network, which is a nationwide partnership among states, tribes, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for exchanging environmental information efficiently and securely over the Internet. Partners use the Network to fulfill their regulatory information exchange responsibilities, to support complex multi-media environmental solution, and to provide high quality information to the public.
Flexible Air Permitting Pilot Evaluation Report
In 2000-2003 Ross & Associates provided policy evaluation and analytic support to a partnership between EPA’s Office of Policy Analysis and Review (OPAR), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), and Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation (OPEI) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation experience with innovative flexible air permits.
Climate Ready Water Utilities Working Group
Ross & Associates worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water to develop a program that will enable water and wastewater utilities to develop and implement long-range plans that account for climate change impacts. Specifically, Ross & Associates was responsible for convening a 21 member Working Group composed of a broad range of water sector stakeholders representing water utilities; state, local, and tribal governments; and academic and environmental organizations. Additionally, Federal Partners, from EPA, USACE, NOAA and other federal agencies participated in Working Group meetings and served as technical experts.
Lean and Environment Initiative
As a national expert on the integration of Lean manufacturing and environmental considerations, Ross & Associates has provided research, tool development, and communications support to EPA’s Lean and Environment Initiative since its inception in 2003. Working with EPA’s Lean and environment partners, Ross & Associates has developed a series of “toolkit” publications that provide Lean practitioners with practical strategies for enhancing the environmental results of Lean methods
RCRA 2020 Vision
Ross & Associates supported all aspects of a state/EPA collaboration to develop a new vision for the future of the national waste prevention and management program administered under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The first phase of work culminated in 2002 with issuance of a new 20-year vision that calls for EPA and the states to move beyond traditional end-of-life management approaches to reinvent waste programs using a lifecycle thinking and a sustainable materials-management approach. Ross & Associates supported EPA and the states in all aspects of the Vision project, including workgroup facilitation and documentation…
Lean Government Primer: Working Smart for Environmental Protection
Ross & Associates worked with EPA and state environmental agencies from Iowa, Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota, and Nebraska to develop a primer on government agency use of Lean and Six Sigma called, “Working Smart for Environmental Protection: Improving State Agency Processes with Lean and Six Sigma.” These five state environmental agencies were among the first to implement Lean, seeing results such as significantly reduced permit application backlogs, decreased times for permit reviews by more than 50 percent, simplified permit application forms, improved consistency of permit applications, and increased staff time available for “mission critical” work.
Lean, Energy & Climate Toolkit
Ross & Associates wrote and produced EPA’s Lean, Energy & Climate Toolkit, which offers Lean implementers practical strategies and techniques for improving Lean results—waste elimination, quality enhancement, and delivery of value to customers—while reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, costs, and risk. The toolkit also introduces Lean practitioners to the extensive array of energy management and greenhouse gas reduction resources available from EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and other organizations.
Strategic Support for EPA Office of Environmental Justice
Ross & Associates is supporting the EPA Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) to better address the concerns of low-income and minority communities. This support include the assessment of screening tools to characterize the above communities, development of guidance for EPA Program managers to consider environmental justice concerns in setting Agency priorities, and development of guidance for Program Offices to craft Environmental Justice Action Plans to focus on issues facing potential environmental justice communities.
US Mexico Border Diesel Reduction Strategy
Ross & Associates provided support to EPA’s Office of International Affairs, Office of Air, and Region 9 to develop an inventory of diesel emissions, sources, and potential reduction opportunities along the U.S.-Mexico border. Working with EPA Headquarters and EPA Regions, Mexico’s SEMARNAT and other state, federal, and local agencies on both sides of the border, Ross & Associates also supported development of recommendations for diesel emissions reduction strategies and the conceptual design of a particularly promising diesel emissions reduction strategy.
National Air Program Vision and Goals
Ross & Associates provided comprehensive facilitation, analytic, and communications support to the U.S. EPA’s Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) in its development of the February 2009 Vision and Guiding Principles for the National Air Program Report. Ross facilitated a multi-stakeholder group of national experts from government, academia, industry, and NGOs to develop a consensus vision, set of guiding principles, and priority action areas for improving air quality management programs implemented by federal, state, local, and tribal government partners.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiatives
Ross & Associates provides strategic facilitation, process management, and analytic support to major collaborative initiatives to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Beginning in 2005, Ross supported the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO), along with numerous government, NGO, and industry partners, to implement the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration and develop a comprehensive strategy for restoring the Great Lakes. Ross supported issue teams addressing topics including invasive species, protection and restoration of native fish and wildlife species and habitats, performance indicators, and information management.
OTAQ Guide
As part of its ongoing support with the Transportation and Climate Division within EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Ross & Associates developed several chapters for EPA’s “best practices” guide for local governments to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The chapters focused on strategies for implementing Transportation Control Measures, promoting clean fuels, and introducing high efficiency vehicles.
EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality Strategic Planning
For several years, Ross & Associates has provided strategic planning services for EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality. For example, Ross & Associates conducted a strategic assessment of OTAQ’s activities and emerging new priorities following a period in which the office had completed many of the required regulations mandated under the Clean Air Act of 1990.
Lifecycle Building Challenge
Lifecycle building is the design of building materials, information systems, and management practices to create buildings that anticipate future changes to and eventual adaptation or dismantling for recovery of all systems, components, and materials. To support this concept the U.S. EPA and its partners are engaging green building professionals and students to submit lifecycle designs in an annual Lifecycle Building Challenge.