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• Located in central Virginia• Established as a town in 1762;

independent City since 1888• 10.4 square miles• 40,000 inhabitants

(excluding UVA student population)

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Charlottesville’s Reasons for Charlottesville’s Reasons for Adopting an EMSAdopting an EMS

•Complex regulatory environment and a need for compliance Complex regulatory environment and a need for compliance assurance (regional examples opened eyes of local officials)assurance (regional examples opened eyes of local officials)•Credibility and accountability with both community and Credibility and accountability with both community and regulators (EMS approach is promoted by both EPA and regulators (EMS approach is promoted by both EPA and Virginia DEQ)Virginia DEQ)•Need to capture institutional knowledge to deal with Need to capture institutional knowledge to deal with turnover of staff turnover of staff •Need to quickly adjust to changing operationsNeed to quickly adjust to changing operations•Desire for the City to be an innovator and leader in Desire for the City to be an innovator and leader in environmental stewardshipenvironmental stewardship•Minimize environmental impacts and maximize Minimize environmental impacts and maximize improvementsimprovements

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Goal: Compliance, Pollution Prevention and Goal: Compliance, Pollution Prevention and Continual Improvement through Sustainable Continual Improvement through Sustainable

OperationsOperations

Charlottesville’s Reasons for Charlottesville’s Reasons for Adopting an EMSAdopting an EMS

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Our EMS is a program, not a project Our EMS is a program, not a project ……

a cycle aimed at continual a cycle aimed at continual improvementimprovement

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• Wastewater generation from vehicle and equipment washing

• Potential spills from bulk fuel storage and use

• Potential releases and reactions from chemical storage and use

• Thermal reactions from vegetative debris management

• Runoff from pesticide/herbicide/insecticide application

• Water consumption from various activities

First Cycle:First Cycle:Significant AspectsSignificant Aspects

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• Guidelines and restrictions on vehicle and equipment washing to minimize stormwater impacts

• Bulk Fuel Storage Management(Tanks and drums)

• Chemical Management Program (City-wide)

• Water Consumption Management• Vegetative Debris Management

First Cycle:First Cycle: Objectives and Targets Objectives and Targets

& Management& Management

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Second Cycle: Second Cycle: More environmental More environmental

improvements improvements & leadership projects& leadership projects

First Cycle: First Cycle: Compliance and pollution Compliance and pollution

prevention oriented prevention oriented improvementsimprovements

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• The EMS has served as a forum for raising other workplace and management issues. The effectiveness of an EMS as a management tool beyond an environmental tool has been seen. It has been a vehicle for dialogue.

• Employees “feel good” that management wants to improve their work environment and protect the natural environment

• Employees have internalized EMS to a surprising degree

• Visibility to the City’s environmental commitment

• Tremendous citizen support

Unexpected SuccessesUnexpected Successes

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• Enhanced compliance posture

• Improved recordkeeping

• Citywide chemical management program being implemented

• Citywide storage tanks management program

• Parks and Recreation water consumption baseline…water conservation opportunities are clearer and will be measurable

What have we gained from our EMS What have we gained from our EMS efforts?efforts?

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• Enhanced internal communication, training, and documentation of institutional (“tribal”) knowledge

• Environmental awareness at a level not previously seen

Current and future projects are being linked to EMS (e.g., electric golf carts, integrated pest management, demonstration rain gardens, stream buffer enhancement, chemical constituent review.)

• Environmental Excellence (E2) designation from Virginia DEQ and other public recognition

What have we gained from our EMS What have we gained from our EMS efforts?efforts?

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““Under the Umbrella”Under the Umbrella”