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EPA Region 7's Multi-Site Environmental Management System Earns Full Certification to High International Standards

Release Date: 03/04/2009
Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394, whitley.christopher@epa.gov

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., March 4, 2009) - EPA Region 7 has been notified that its internal Environmental Management System (EMS), a set of processes and practices that guide the local Region's handling of its own environmental impacts and issues, has been certified in full conformance of internationally recognized standards for businesses and organizations.

Representatives of ABS Quality Evaluations, an independent accreditation firm, informed Region 7 officials on February 12 that the Region had met all requirements of the International Organization for Standardization's 14001 EMS certification program.

Region 7's EMS is one of only four in all of EPA to receive the certification, and the only one of the four to involve a multi-site certification. Region 7's EMS encompasses its Headquarters facility at 901 North 5th Street, and its Science and Technology Center at 300 Minnesota Avenue, both in Kansas City, Kan.; as well as underground warehouse facilities and operations in the Hunt Midwest SubTropolis, 8300 NE Underground Drive, in Kansas City, Mo.

"Because we work for the federal agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment, we strongly believe in the importance of leading by example," Acting Regional Administrator William Rice said. "I'm very proud of the example set by our employees, and of the hard work they've done to earn this special status. We intend to keep working hard to maintain it."

Through its EMS, Region 7 tracks and takes steps to adjust its consumption of fuels, energy, property, materials and water; its releases, discharges and emissions into air, land and water; and its generation of wastes and recyclables. Related processes and practices extend to all Region 7 employees, on-site contractors and grantees, and to employee commuting.

Region 7 took its first steps to implement an EMS plan more than two years ago. Official certification came after a series of independent audits in August and September 2008, and January 2009.

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Environmental Management Systems help businesses and organizations reduce their environmental impacts while increasing their overall efficiency.
Learn more at EPA's EMS Homepage and Region 7's EMS Web page

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