Or. Admin. R. 340-014-0115 - Criteria for Approval of a GEMS Participant Permit

An agency or agencies may approve a GEMS Participant Permit (also known as Tier I) upon demonstration to the agency's satisfaction that the applicant has:

(1) Implemented a basic, robust environmental management system that is driven by environmental impacts, helps integrate environmental and business functions, provides a mechanism for evaluating continual improvement, and supports verification; committed to maintaining and exceeding regulatory compliance; committed to applying the pollution prevention definition and pollution prevention hierarchy when setting objectives and targets and implementing the environmental program; and committed to continual improvement;

(2) Evaluated environmental impacts of at least the facility's regulated pollutants, and set objectives and targets that will improve environmental performance in management and reduction of regulated or unregulated pollutants;

(3) Developed an environmental program that will achieve environmental results that are significantly better than otherwise required by law, demonstrated by projected reductions in targeted environmental impacts;

(4) Established performance measures that will be used to explain environmental information in context with past performance;

(5) Submitted a baseline performance report that summarizes:

(a) Environmental policies affecting the facility operations;

(b) Environmental information regarding significant environmental impacts; and

(c) The environmental program that will achieve the results anticipated in (2) and (3) above.

(6) Developed a plan for an annual update of the performance report that includes an update of the information required in (5) above, and:

(a) Performance achievements, and, if appropriate, a description of any obstacles encountered and how addressed;

(b) Environmental management system deficiencies and how addressed;

(c) Compliance issues and how addressed; and

(d) Stakeholder involvement activities, and input received from stakeholders; and

(7) Developed a plan for stakeholder involvement that provides information to the public regarding environmental performance on at least an annual basis, and includes a mechanism for receiving and responding to comments.

Notes

Or. Admin. R. 340-014-0115

DEQ 13-1999, f. & cert. ef. 9-14-99

Stat. Auth.: ORS 468.020

Stats. Implemented: ORS 468.501, ORS 468.503, ORS 468.506, ORS 468.508, ORS 468.511, ORS 468.513, ORS 468.516, ORS 468.518 & ORS 468.521