Grantee Research Project Results
Environmental Regulatory Compliance: The California Approach
EPA Grant Number: U915438Title: Environmental Regulatory Compliance: The California Approach
Investigators: Staudinger, Jeff
Institution: University of Vermont
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 1, 1998 through January 1, 2001
Project Amount: $71,960
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Fellowship - Environmental , Environmental Justice , Academic Fellowships
Objective:
The objective of this research project is to compare and contrast the approaches as taken by the state of California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in establishing a regulatory structure governing businesses with respect to environmental issues.
Approach:
The research effort will be conducted in two phases. The initial phase of the project consists of a detailed investigation into the overall approach and corresponding regulatory requirements from federal, state of California, and local (San Francisco Bay area, including Silicon Valley) perspectives. Certain areas, selected to cover the bulk of the regulatory requirements placed on businesses, were identified—hazardous materials handling, air emissions/air pollution control, hazardous waste management, wastewater management, medical and infectious waste management, aboveground and underground tanks, solid waste management and recycling, and Proposition 65. This initial phase will include obtaining and digesting relevant statutory/regulatory citations, guidance/compliance materials, and permit program information, as well as interaction with the appropriate regulatory personnel and business professionals who are responsible for compliance issues. The second phase of the project will involve the identification of potential regulatory trends, and of corresponding potential impacts on business operations. Significant differences between the state of California’s approach (including those seen at the local, San Francisco Bay area level) and the approach taken at the federal level will be identified. An evaluation of the potential for expansion nationally, and the corresponding effects on businesses, will be conducted by discussions with regulatory personnel and business professionals.
The results of this research project will be used to evaluate potential regulatory trends on a national level, along with corresponding potential impacts on business operations.
Supplemental Keywords:
fellowship, chemicals, toxics, toxic substances, risk, risk assessment, health effects, human health, public health, public policy, environmental policy, modeling, monitoring, business, industry, pollution, pollution prevention, Toxics Release Inventory, TRI, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, California, CA, San Francisco Bay area, Silicon Valley., Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Scientific Discipline, INDUSTRY, Geographic Area, Small Businesses, State, Corporate Performance, Environmental Law, hazardous waste management, impact of state policy instruments, compliance assistance, enforcement strategy, impact of federal policy instruments, environmental compliance determinants, hazardous waste generation, air & water pollution regulations, water pollution, environmental behavior, California (CA)Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.