Environmental Management Systems Parks & Recreation Chesterfield County, Virginia 2008 Mark Askin – Chief of Park Operations Chesterfield Parks and Recreation.

Environmental Management SystemsEnvironmental Management SystemsParks & RecreationParks & RecreationChesterfield County, VirginiaChesterfield County, Virginia

20082008

Mark Askin – Chief of Park Operations Chesterfield Parks and RecreationMark Askin – Chief of Park Operations Chesterfield Parks and Recreation

Profile

Chesterfield County – Located in Central VirginiaChesterfield County – Located in Central Virginia

A First Choice Community

Profile Chesterfield CountyChesterfield County

Population: 311,000 Population: 311,000 Over 400 square milesOver 400 square miles Reputation for being a first-choice community in which to live, work, Reputation for being a first-choice community in which to live, work,

play and raise a family play and raise a family

Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation OperationsChesterfield County Parks and Recreation Operations 114 full-time employees114 full-time employees Maintain: 43 Parks , 75 Schools, 8 Libraries, and 20 other sites. Maintain: 43 Parks , 75 Schools, 8 Libraries, and 20 other sites. 11. 3 million dollar annual budget11. 3 million dollar annual budget Three divisions: Parks, Recreation, and Administration Three divisions: Parks, Recreation, and Administration Equipment inventory: 75+ vehicles, 27 tractors, 60+ mowers plus Equipment inventory: 75+ vehicles, 27 tractors, 60+ mowers plus

chains saws, heavy equipment and other turf and landscape equipment.chains saws, heavy equipment and other turf and landscape equipment.

Eight carefully selected strategic goals, including one “ to be responsible Eight carefully selected strategic goals, including one “ to be responsible protectors of the environment,” help guide the county toward achieving its protectors of the environment,” help guide the county toward achieving its mission of excellence in public service.mission of excellence in public service.

Chesterfield County Strategic GoalsChesterfield County Strategic Goals

1. To be exemplary stewards of the public trust1. To be exemplary stewards of the public trust

2. To provide world-class customer service2. To provide world-class customer service

3. To be acknowledged for extraordinary quality of life3. To be acknowledged for extraordinary quality of life

4. To be the safest and most secure community compared4. To be the safest and most secure community compared

to similar jurisdictionsto similar jurisdictions

5. To be a unifying leader of local government5. To be a unifying leader of local government

6. To be the employer of choice6. To be the employer of choice

7. To be the FIRST CHOICE business community7. To be the FIRST CHOICE business community

8. To be responsible protectors of the 8. To be responsible protectors of the environmentenvironment

Environmental Management:The Beginning

County leadership attended the workshop entitled:County leadership attended the workshop entitled:

“ “What You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know CANCAN Hurt You” Hurt You”

Addressed environmental challenges Addressed environmental challenges

facing local governmentsfacing local governments

Provided a perspective on the legal and Provided a perspective on the legal and financial consequences of not having an financial consequences of not having an Environmental Management Environmental Management

System (EMS)System (EMS)

Environmental Management Milestones

Oct 2001:Oct 2001: The Office of Environmental Management was The Office of Environmental Management was createdcreated

May 2002: May 2002: Made formal decision to establish a Made formal decision to establish a countywidecountywide Environmental Management System Environmental Management System (EMS)(EMS)

May 2003:May 2003: County Environmental Policy was adopted County Environmental Policy was adopted by by Senior County LeadershipSenior County Leadership

Feb. 2005:Feb. 2005: Parks and Recreation Department Parks and Recreation Department establishes establishes an EMS team and sends to an EMS team and sends to Environmental Environmental Management Systems Management Systems Implementation Course Implementation Course in Roanoke (COTA)in Roanoke (COTA)

Oct. 2007Oct. 2007 Parks and Recreation received ISO 14001 Parks and Recreation received ISO 14001 certificationcertification

Environmental Organization

Consultants and Contractors

County Leadership

Chesterfield Countywide Operations

Environmental Management Committee

Office of Environmental Management

EMS Initiatives Use of Bio Diesel FuelUse of Bio Diesel Fuel

Use B-20 in vehicles and equipmentUse B-20 in vehicles and equipment 25% of fuel consumption is B-2025% of fuel consumption is B-20

Used Cooking Oil CollectionUsed Cooking Oil Collection Program to collect used cooking oil from youth athletic Program to collect used cooking oil from youth athletic

concessions concessions Aerosol Cans Aerosol Cans

8,500 field marking paint cans disposed annually in trash8,500 field marking paint cans disposed annually in trash All cans are now disposed properlyAll cans are now disposed properly Developed new field marking program, reduced can Developed new field marking program, reduced can

disposal by 50%disposal by 50%

EMS Initiatives Cont.

Chemical InventoryChemical Inventory Developed chemical rating matrixDeveloped chemical rating matrix Developed approved chemical listDeveloped approved chemical list

Key EMS Steps Establish Department Teams working under the guidance Establish Department Teams working under the guidance

of the Office of Environmental. Managementof the Office of Environmental. Management

Formal EMS Training at Va. Tech COTAFormal EMS Training at Va. Tech COTA

Develop Written EMS Program Develop Written EMS Program

Implement EMS and Train EmployeesImplement EMS and Train Employees Certify EMS through third-party audits and VDEQ Certify EMS through third-party audits and VDEQ

Exemplary Environmental Enterprise certification Exemplary Environmental Enterprise certification (E3)(E3)

Overall EMS Benefits Cultural Change: “It’s how we do business now”Cultural Change: “It’s how we do business now”

Assurance of Regulatory ComplianceAssurance of Regulatory Compliance

Employee Environmental Awareness through Employee Environmental Awareness through TrainingTraining

Uniform and Documented procedures and Uniform and Documented procedures and guidelinesguidelines

Positive relationship with DEQPositive relationship with DEQ

Established system to help meet our strategic goal Established system to help meet our strategic goal “To be responsible protectors of the environment”“To be responsible protectors of the environment”

Key to Our Success

Meet on a regular basis. Our team meets weeklyMeet on a regular basis. Our team meets weekly Get support from upper managementGet support from upper management Get buy-in and input from staffGet buy-in and input from staff Integrate EMS with safety program and part of Integrate EMS with safety program and part of

doing businessdoing business Show the cost, safety and environmental benefitsShow the cost, safety and environmental benefits Effective and timely trainingEffective and timely training Monitor and measure your progress and initiativesMonitor and measure your progress and initiatives

Questions

What are some of the road blocks and What are some of the road blocks and barriers to developing an EMS ?barriers to developing an EMS ?

How to determining your significant How to determining your significant aspects?aspects?

How to maintain and sustain your EMS?How to maintain and sustain your EMS? What types of certification do you apply?What types of certification do you apply?

ISO 14001?; E 2,3, or 4?; Performance ISO 14001?; E 2,3, or 4?; Performance Track?Track?