April 30, 2003

MEMORANDUM

TO: PRESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

FROM: JAMES L. CONNAUGHTON

CHAIRMAN

JOHN L. HENSHAW

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH & SAFETY COMPLIANCE AND PERFORMANCE

Thank you for your consideration and support for our focused effort to improve environmental, health and safety compliance and performance. To assure success, we must demonstrate top management commitment, set appropriate performance goals, routinely monitor progress towards goals and modify practices to assure compliance and continuous improvement.

Many of you expressed interest in what you can do right a way to raise the profile of this initiative and the responsiveness of your agencies. As first steps, we recommend the following:

1. Visibly state or restate your commitment to environmental, safety, and health compliance and performance.

2. Ask your senior managers to brief you routinely on:

· how your agency is doing in meeting workplace environmental health and safety requirements and goals;

· how well your agency is improving performance and management of environmental, safety, and health issues; and

· the progress in developing and implementing environmental management systems (see Executive Order 13148).

Identify by May 9 an official (assistant secretary level) to have overall responsibility for your agency's environmental compliance. This could be the same official already designated for safety and health. Please provide this information to John Howard, the Federal Environmental Executive at (202) 564-1297 or e-mail at Howard.John@epamail.epa.gov.

On the environmental side, we will begin meeting with your agency's environmental official in the next few weeks to assess current conditions of compliance and of available data, discuss goals and expectations, discuss performance measures and protocols, and identify where and how we can make needed improvements. On the health and safety side, OSHA will continue working through the already established federal advisory committee (FACOSH) to make improvements.

Please call or e-mail me if you have further ideas or questions about this effort at (202) 456-5147 or James_Connaughton@ceq.eop.gov

Commitment to Environmental, Safety, and Health Excellence Throughout the Federal Government

The National Environmental Policy Act, in 1969, declared that "it is the continuing policy of the Federal Government to create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans."

The Occupational Safety and Health Act, in 1970, declared that it is our national "purpose and policy to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources."

To sustain these policies, we will:

Lead by example

- Conduct our work with respect and care for human life and the environment.

- Adhere to the highest standards for the safe operation of facilities and the protection of the environment, employees, and neighbors.

- Comply with all applicable environmental, natural resource, safety, and health laws and requirements.

- Use modern management systems and other tools to plan, measure and assess our performance, make consistent and measurable progress, and continuously improve our practices.

Be a good steward

- Achieve our mission without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

- Prevent workplace injuries, occupational illnesses, and environmental incidents.

- Prevent waste generation and emissions, reuse and recycle materials, and handle and

- Dispose of waste safely and responsibly.

- Excel in the efficient use of energy, water, and other natural resources.

- Actively improve the environmental profile of the products and services we purchase taking into account life cycle trade-offs.

Be a good neighbor

- Seek innovative solutions by working with our communities.

- Regularly communicate with our neighbors and the public on our progress.

Maintaining this Commitment is the responsibility of every federal employee and contractor and is a condition of your employment or contract. Senior management is responsible for educating and training employees about this commitment. This commitment shall be posted prominently throughout all federal facilities.