Virginias Regional Environmental Management System

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Virginias Regional EnvironmentalManagement
System

• Jimmy Parrish
• Defense Supply Center Richmond
• 1st Annual Virginia EMS Conference
• October 11 13, 2006

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What Is The Virginia Regional EnvironmentalManage
ment System (V-REMS)?

• A Regional Partnership Of Public, Private, And
  Community Organizations In The Greater Richmond,
  Virginia Area
• The V-REMS Partnership Focuses On
• Addressing Local And Regional Environmental
  Priorities
• Improving Communication And Trust Between
  Partners
• Sharing Environmental Best Practices
• Sponsored By The Defense Supply Center Richmond
  (DoD/DLA Facility) To Promote Sustainability

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V-REMS Phases
Ongoing - Collective Targeting Of Regional
Environmental Priorities
Initial Formation, Communication, And EMS Best
Practices Sharing
Partnership Has Grown From 4 To Over 40
Organizations
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Why Was V-REMS Developed?

• Promote Trust, Support, And Partnering To Solve
  Individual And Regional Environmental Issues
• Improve Information Exchange And Cost Effect
  Sharing Of Environmental Best Business Practices
• Provide Stakeholders With Needed Tools To Address
  Individual And Regional Environmental, Social,
  And Economic Issues
• Tools Designed To Anticipate Community Challenges
  And Promote Proactive Programs

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REPRESENTATIVE V-REMS PARTICIPANTS
DoD and Federal Facilities
Cities and Counties
Private Companies
Regulatory Agencies
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External Support For V-REMS

• V-REMS Supports Commonwealth And EPA Region III
  Priorities
• Active Participation In V-REMS By Both
  Organizations
• Compliance Role Remains Separate And Distinct
• V-REMS Paves The Avenues For Cooperation Between
  Partners, DEQ, And EPA
• ECOS-DoD Compatible Use And Sustainability Task
  Group Recognizes V-REMS As Successful And
  Replicable Model

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How Does The V-REMS Partnership Work?

• Regular Communication Between Partners
• Monthly Phone Calls
• 2-3 Meetings Annually
• Sub-Group Calls And Meetings Focus On Specific
  Initiatives
• Intranet Site To Share Data
• Neutral Facilitator Sponsored By DSCR
• Level Of Effort 4-5 Hrs/Month

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Examples of Action Items From Recent
V-REMS Meeting

• Finalize Grant Application To Study NOx-Eating
  Concrete
• Hold Sub-Group Meeting To Discuss Innovative
  Energy Efficiency Approaches
• Finalize Plans And Support For E85 Fueling
  Station Options In Richmond Area
• Discuss Future V-REMS Challenges And Solutions

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Examples of V-REMS Accomplishments

• Environmental Improvement
• Partnership Won EPA Clean School Bus USA Grant
• City Of Richmond, Army National Guard, And DSCR
  Reduced Ozone Emissions By Switching To Low VOC
  Paint
• Enhanced Cooperation Among V-REMS Participants
• Better Trust Between DSCR And Community Helped
  DSCR Address Stakeholder Concerns
• Partnership Facilitated Trusting Between DEQ And
  Partners
• Cost Savings
• Hopewell Wastewater Increased Revenue By 500,000
  And Reduced Stormwater Pollution
• DSCR Saves 150,000 Annually In Lighting
  Efficiencies
• Improved Community Recognition
• DSCR Wins 2005 White House Closing the Circle
  Award And Chesapeake Businesses For The Bay Award
• Commonwealth Recognition Of EMS Programs For Many
  Partners

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Goal -- To improve air quality for children in
Richmond Hopewell
Issue - Exposure to diesel emissions pose
serious health threats particularly to
children.
Quick Facts Diesel Engine Retrofit

• Installing a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC)
  transforms pollutants like CO and
• hydrocarbon particles to less harmful
  pollutants
• DOC installation costs 1000-2000 per vehicle
  requires 1-3 labor hours

The Challenge
Developing a Clean School Bus Proposal
Identifying a Cost Share
A Solution
Leveraging the V-REMS Leadership and Resources
to Apply for the EPAs CSB
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Projected Metrics of Success
Accomplishments
Received 274K CSB grant (2/06) to

• 20,000 students breathe cleaner air
• 197 buses retrofit in Richmond
• Hopewell school districts
• Raised 288,000 to fund retrofit
• (274K, EPA and 14K, VA DEQ)
• 50 reduction, hydrocarbon emissions
• and 40 reduction, CO annually
• Anti-idling policies reduce idling by over
• gt 6000 hrs annually 18,000 in fuel cost
• savings

• retrofit 170 buses in Richmond
• 27 buses in Hopewell school districts
• train members of districts to
• inspect install DOC
• implement anti-idling policies

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Goal -- Advance U.S. energy independence reduce
the environmental impact of petroleum by
increasing E-85 fuel use in VA by federal, state,
and public vehicles.
Quick Facts E-85 Fuel

• Produced from 85 ethanol, 15 gasoline
• Reduced CO2 emissions

The Challenge
Lack of E-85 Stations in Virginia (only four)
A Solution
Leveraging the V-REMS Buying Power and
Environmental Commitment
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Projected Metrics of Success
Accomplishments Projections

• Installation of 20 E-85 fueling stations along
  the I-95 / I-64 Virginia crescent
• gt3,700 vehicles will have access to E-85 fueling
  stations annually.
• Conserve 33,400 barrels of crude oil annually
• Reduce 1,100,000 lbs of CO2 emissions annually
• 240,000 in annual savings through lower fuel
  costs

• Partnered with VA DGS to secure 450,000 for
  seven E-85 stations

• Working with EPA to leverage a Supplemental
  Environmental Project (SEP) agreement

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Goal Reduce energy expenditures, air pollution,
greenhouse gas emissions through energy
efficiency improvements
Quick Facts Energy Efficiency

• Involves implementing technology or processes
  that use less
• energy and achieve the same output
• 1 decrease in U.S. industrial energy use would
  save 55 million
• barrels of oil, worth 4 billion
  annually
• Calculate cost savings over the life span
• of the technology or process

The Challenge
Understanding Options Making the Business
Case for Change
A Solution
Leveraging V-REMS Partners Collective Knowledge
Experience
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Projected Metrics of Success
Accomplishments

• Major lighting initiatives were implemented at
  Fort Lee, DSCR, Fort AP Hill, Virginia National
  Guard
• DuPont hosts plant-wide energy fair where at
  DSCR presented its Global Electric Motors car

• 7,880 MWh of electricity saved
• 472,701 saved in annual energy
• expenditures
• Emission reductions
• 1,970,134,242 lbs. CO2 emissions
• 28,996 lbs. VOCs
• 4,093,304 lbs. NOx
• 9,389,953 lbs. SOx
• 186,865 lbs. carbon monoxide
• 151,425 lbs. particulates
• 13,204 grams mercury
• Over 11 partners involved in workgroup

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Goal --Reduce stormwater pollution from V-REMS
partners operations, improving
water quality in Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay.
Quick Facts Stormwater

• Polluted stormwater runoff destroys animal/plant
• habitat threatens public health
• Primary approach to controlling stormwater
  using
• Best Management Practices (BMPs)

The Challenge
Reducing point non-point source stormwater
pollution
A Solution
Leveraging the V-REMS Collective Knowledge
Experience with BMPs
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Projected Metrics of Success
Accomplishments

• Eight V-REMS partners received
• Businesses for the Bay Excellence Awards
• Several successful stormwater BMPs
• were implemented by V-REMS partners
• including bio-retention areas

• 50 voluntary BMPs implemented.
• 10 bio-filtration areas built.
• 600,000 saved due to stormwater improvements.
• 25,000 people educated about the importance of
  stormwater management
• Over 15 V-REMS partners involved in stormwater
  efforts

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Keys To V-REMS Success

• Partners Focus On Individual and Regional Goals
• Emphasizes Building Trust Across Partners
• Includes State And Federal Regulatory Agency
  Participation And Endorsement
• Relies On An Informal Participation Process
• Promotes Creative And Innovative Voluntary
  Approaches To Environmental Challenges

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Keys To V-REMS Success

• Builds A Solid Business Case For Partners
  Regarding Their Own Environmental Initiatives
• Allows Participants To Take Various Leadership
  Roles
• Acknowledges Environmental Work Of Partners
• Measures And Tracks The Partnerships Progress
• Benefits From The Support Of Facilitator

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V-REMS - A Successful Model

• Replicable
• Can Be Championed By Public And Private
  Organizations
• Has Shown Quantifiable Performance Improvement
• Operationalizes Sustainability
• Always Looking For New Members
• Contact With Questions
• Jimmy Parrish (DSCR) Jimmy.Parrish_at_dla.mil