Download Surviving in a Tough Economy

Surviving in a Tough
Economy
•Maximizing Resources
•Enhancing Revenue
•Keeping up with costs
Maximizing Resources
Allocating resources based on risk
• Unified Program Regulatory
Performance Model (UP RPM)
• Product of Bill Jones’ “fertile” mind
• Original proposal consisted of a pilot
program, when economy not too bad!
• “Environmental Justice” community did
not understand and ended up opposing,
killing legislative proposal.
Fundamentals of a RPM
• Management flexibility to allocate
inspection program resources
• Inspection frequency/priority based on
risk and not statutory mandates
• Clearly publicize compliance standards
• Flexible compliance verification
• Active enforcement program
• Measure program effectiveness
Cal EPA Response
• The million dollar question?????
• Cal EPA has acknowledged alternative
inspection and compliance plans
– Above ground Petroleum Storage Act –
• HSC Chapter 6.67, Section 25270.5(b)
• “The UPA may develop an alternative inspection
& compliance plan, subject to approval by the
secretary (Cal EPA).
– Consolidated Environmental Law
Enforcement Report 2007 – Appendix A
Maximizing Resources
• Improve efficiency:
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Reorganize inspection districts
Rethink staff roles
Reduce office time
Use data management to improve efficiency
• Look at what you are doing, is it
necessary?
– Is it a mandate, or just a good idea once
– Eliminate unfunded activities
Where now?
• CUPA Forum Board and Cal EPA need to
reach out to Environmental Justice
Community – benefits of risk based
programs
• Hazardous waste has no inspection time
frame
• Cal EPA (SWRCB) and OES need to
appreciate local agency budget
constraints – allow flexibility
Data Mining for Increased
Revenue
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Phone book
City Business Licenses
Slave labor (Student Interns)
Los Angeles County new business
initiative: net increase in permitted
facilities (in this economy!)
• GIS data overlays
Maintain Revenue
Increasing fees without pain?!
• Tying fees to an index that automatically
adjusts fees to account for increasing costs
– US Department of Labor Economic Cost Index
– Consumer Price Index (regional) (US Bureau of Labor
Statistics)
– Internal agency hourly rates, usually tied to a job title.
• Build into an formula, that changes annually
and automatically
• Step increases over a specific time frame
Local examples
• Santa Fe Springs: local ordinance adjusts
fees annually to changes in the CPI.
Ordinance also allows fee adjustments to
address insufficient cost recovery.
• Sacramento County: fees tied to 5 year labor
contract (salary) and CPI.
• Roseville: fee = time motion study x top step
salary +indirect costs + direct costs.
• Ventura County: UST permit to operate fee =
3 (hourly rate EHS IV) (# UST).
• Butte County: fees adjust to Economic Cost
Index with Board of Supervisor approval.