ESP: Environmental Stewardship Program
If your facility looks for opportunities to continuously improve, reduce waste and improve efficiency, reducing your footprint on Indiana's environment, then you may be an Environmental Steward.
Don't miss your opportunity for reduced recordkeeping and reporting, monitoring, inspections, and expedited and flexible permits!
Watch Gerry Dick of Inside Indiana Business as he speaks with Jean-Francois Brossoit, Plant Manager, Carrier Corporation; Tom Easterday, Senior Vice President, Subaru of Indiana Automotive; and Sam George, Vice President of Environmental Compliance, American Commercial Lines, about being members of the Indiana Environmental Stewardship Program.
Find out more about the Environmental Stewardship Program:
- What is ESP?
- Is my organization eligible?
- What are the benefits of ESP membership?
- How does my organization apply?
- When do I submit an Annual Performance Report?
- What environmental improvements have been achieved by ESP members?
- Who do I contact for more information?
- Which Indiana facilities are members of ESP?
What is the Environmental Stewardship Program?
ESP is a voluntary, performance based leadership program designed to recognize and reward Indiana regulated entities for going above and beyond current environmental regulations. In return for their exemplary environmental performance, these establishments will receive program incentives including regulatory flexibility, public recognition, and networking opportunities.
ESP focuses on improving Indiana's environment and business climate through innovation and efficient resource allocation. Participating organizations achieve environmental objectives through creating and implementing an environmental management system (EMS). Together, the EMS and the steward's commitment to continual environmental improvement will increase their efficiency, decrease environmental impacts, and may save the business time, money, and resources. Regulatory flexibility incentives earned by members were designed to provide business value, reduce regulatory oversight, allow a shift in resources from compliance driven to achieving results, and provide the member with increased operational flexibility.
Is my organization eligible?
Any regulated entity in Indiana may apply regardless of type, size, or complexity. To qualify for Indiana's Environmental Stewardship Program, applicants must demonstrate that they have:
- A standard of environmental compliance;
- Implemented and will maintain an environmental management system (EMS); and
- Committed to continuous environmental improvement.
A complete description of eligibility requirements is available.
What are the benefits of ESP membership?
There are many benefits and incentives for members including regulatory flexibility, recognition, and networking opportunities. Some of the specific incentives include:
- A plaque, press release, and use of logo
- Annual ESP member meeting with the IDEM Commissioner
- Networking events for ESP members
- Expedited permits
- Flexible permits
- Reduced reporting frequencies
- Low priority for routine inspections
- Reduced recordkeeping and reporting
- Reduced monitoring where applicable and appropriate
- And more!
A complete listing of incentives is available on the internet.
How does my organization apply?
Applications for ESP are accepted twice a year:
- April 1 - May 31
- September 1 - October 31
To apply for ESP, please use the following five steps:
- Implement an EMS. Ensure you meet the EMS guidelines by completing the ESP EMS Checklist [DOC].
- Request a copy of the ESP Application Packet by calling (800) 988-7901.
- Ensure your compliance history is accurately represented on U.S. EPA's ECHO database. Contact IDEM's Compliance & Technical Assistance Program at (800) 988-7901 for confidential assistance with an environmental compliance or regulatory question.
- Conduct the appropriate audit of your EMS. For ESP applicants, review the IDEM ESP Audit Guidance [DOC] and complete the Independent Assessment Protocol [DOC].
- Submit an ESP Application. The application is available on-line: [DOC] [PDF]
- Application Instructions [DOC]
- Environmental Performance Table [DOC]
- The application can be completed electronically and e-mailed to IDEM. Senior management must sign the application; therefore, the signature page may be scanned and e-mailed, faxed, or mailed to IDEM.
When do I submit an Annual Performance Report?
As a component of membership in the Environmental Stewardship Program, each member facility completes an ESP Annual Performance Report in which it demonstrates to IDEM and the public its environmental accomplishments over the year, its continued high level of environmental performance, and its maintenance of the Environmental Stewardship Program membership criteria. The ESP Annual Performance Report must be submitted to IDEM by April 1st for each calendar year in which the entity has been a member for at least three (3) full months. The Annual Performance Report includes the following:
- A summary of the facility's EMS assessment activities and progress towards meeting EMS objectives and targets, including brief descriptions of audits conducted and improvements made.
- A brief report on progress made in meeting the facility's environmental performance goals.
- A summary of the facility's public outreach activities.
- A self-certification that the facility continues to meet the Environmental Stewardship Program criteria for membership.
Please do not include any confidential business information in your ESP Annual Performance Report. Please keep in mind that IDEM may make the report publicly available, including posting all portions of your report on the Environmental Stewardship Program web site.
Normalizing Data
Each Environmental Stewardship Program member must normalize the data reported on the ESP Annual Performance Report. Normalization is the process of adjusting environmental performance measurements to account for increases or decreases in production over time. Normalization is important because it recognizes that facilities can become more environmentally efficient, even if total production increases. Conversely, if production declines, normalization separates out the effects of declining production from any gains in environmental efficiency.
Facilities should choose a basis of normalization that directly demonstrates changes in the activity level or output of the facility. The basis of normalization should describe both WHAT is being produced and HOW production is measured. The basis of normalization should not change from year to year, and in most cases the same basis of normalization should be used for all Environmental Stewardship Program goals. It is best to choose a basis of normalization that is measured in physical quantities using production quantities (e.g., pounds) as opposed to dollar values. For example, for an electroplating facility, an appropriate basis of normalization could be "tons of material electroplated." For a car manufacturer, an appropriate basis of normalization could be "number of cars produced."
IDEM Review of ESP Annual Performance Reports
Once a member facility submits an ESP Annual Performance Report, IDEM staff will review the report. A facility may be contacted if IDEM identifies any significant problems. It will take IDEM approximately 30-60 days to review and accept the ESP Annual Performance Reports.
Member Results at a Glance
During 2008, Environmental Stewardship Program members made the following achievements:
- Saved enough water to fill 105 Olympic sized swimming pools;
- Saved enough electricity to power 4,101 residential air conditioners for one year
- Eliminated miles driven equaling the distance of driving from Terre Haute to Richmond and back 877 times;
2 emissions from 1,875 propane cylinders used for home barbeques; - Reduced the amount of carbon needed to be sequestered annually by 1,350 acres of pine forests;
- Eliminated an amount of solid waste sent to landfills by an amount equivalent to the weight of about 47 Blue Whales;
- Reduced the amount of volatile organic compound emissions equal to the emissions from painting the interior of 34,200 homes;
- Reduced energy use to save 116 tons of coal;
- Reduced the amount of materials used equal to the weight of 3,079 Monster truck tires; and,
- Eliminated the creation of hazardous waste equal to the weight of one Asian elephant.
The table lists all of the reductions achieved by Environmental Stewardship Program members during 2008 by each environmental category:
| Environmental Category | Calendar Year 2008 |
|---|---|
| Material Use: | 2,463,680 lbs. |
| Water: | 69,413,000 gal. |
| Energy Use: | 10,939,149 kWh 714 MT CO2E 243,789 mi. 8,999 Therms 2,325 MM BTUs |
| Air Emission: | 11,528,880 lbs. CO2 820,800 lbs. VOCs 0.12 lbs. CO2 per hour |
| Discharges to Water: | 3 lbs. of Cu |
| Non-Hazardous Waste: | 14,208,597 lbs. landfill reduction 3,926,597.9 lbs. recycling increase 374 gal. landfill reduction 2,030 gal. recycling increase |
| Hazardous Waste: | 12,790 lbs. reduction 2,420 gal. increase |
To view each member’s 2008 Annual Performance Report covering the reporting timeframe of January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008, visit http://www.in.gov/idem/4431.htm.
Who do I contact for more information?
For more information or if you have questions, please contact the Indiana Department of Environmental Management at (800) 988-7901.
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