New Jersey Enviro-Cops Try to Catch Companies Doing Good

The goal is to encourage all businesses to evaluate their current facility operations and integrate environmental stewardship initiatives into their operations.

The reward is public recognition for companies that go above and beyond the call of duty.

"The environmental cop always stands ready to catch people when they do something wrong," Commissioner Jackson said. "But think of the potential rewards from catching someone when they do something right."

The new Environmental Stewardship Program will offer public acknowledgment to businesses that go beyond minimum environmental requirements.

Achievements will be noted by DEP inspectors during the routine course of their work, evaluated by DEP management, and posted on the DEP's website.

"This is a sensible and long overdue approach to environmental protection that meshes corporate responsibility with public transparency," Jackson said. "I strongly believe that such stewardship practices can reduce a company's costs, foster goodwill within their communities, and result in a cleaner environment for everyone."

Inspectors will ask officials at businesses to answer a voluntary questionnaire. The companies will be asked, among other things, whether they have broadly adopted stewardship activities, whether they have a comprehensive written environmental policy, whether they operate under an Environmental Management System designed to reduce environmental impacts, and whether they publish an annual environmental report.

The companies also will be asked whether they have documented their greenhouse gas emissions, whether they employ environmentally friendly purchasing policies, whether they operate certified green buildings, and whether they have employee trip reduction programs.

A site will be given credit for any activities completed within the previous 12 months of the survey that qualify as environmental stewardship activities and result in a "significant" benefit to the environment.

The inspectors may review documents, processes and operating procedures to verify stewardship activities.

Even companies that have outstanding compliance issues can qualify for recognition under the new Environmental Stewardship Program.

"Most non-compliance will not prevent the DEP from recognizing stewardship efforts," the agency says in its statement announcing the new recognition program. "It is understood that environmental regulation can be complex and extensive. Often well meaning and responsible parties can make mistakes."

"The concept of an environmental cop on the beat has always been strong in New Jersey," Jackson said. "What is also strong is the spirit of innovation at the DEP. We are leading the country again, this time by defining and measuring the incredible amount of environmental good that exists in our state."

The DEP intends to share both positives and negatives with the public and "reserves the right to exclude habitually or egregiously non-complying sites."

For more information, go to: www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/stewardship

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