EPA Selects California and Arizona Companies for Pilot Projects Under Project XL

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has announced the selection of two California companies, a Southern California air district, and an Arizona facility to participate in pilot projects under U.S. EPA's Project XL. The project aims to foster innovative pollution prevention strategies that achieve cleaner and cheaper results than conventional regulatory approaches. U.S. EPA's regional administrator, Felicia Marcus, highlighted the potential for such collaborations to reduce pollution and costs while promoting public health. The projects will be implemented in California and Arizona, with the goal of achieving better environmental results than would have been attained within the present regulatory framework.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. EPA has selected eight pilot projects under Project XL, with four being from California and Arizona.
  • The selected entities include two California companies (3M and Hadco Corp.), a Southern California air district (South Coast Air Quality Management District), and an Arizona facility (Intel Corp.).
  • The projects will focus on real-world tests of innovative pollution prevention strategies that achieve cleaner and cheaper results than conventional regulatory approaches.
  • The companies will be given regulatory flexibility in exchange for an enforceable commitment to achieve better environmental results.
  • The projects aim to reduce pollution, costs, and promote public health through cooperation between industry, regulators, and communities.
  • The goal is to achieve better environmental results than would have been attained within the present regulatory framework.
  • The California entities selected, 3M and Hadco Corp., will focus on developing permits that set air pollutant emission levels below those required by current law.
  • Hadco will promote the recycling of metals from waste streams of its printed wiring board manufacturers.
  • Intel will create a contract for its new Chandler facility that sets multi-media environmental performance requirements.

Statistics:

  • 4 of the 8 pilot projects selected are from California and Arizona.
  • 50 XL projects are expected to be selected by the end of 1996.
  • The projects will be implemented over an unspecified length of time.
  • The projects aim to reduce pollution and costs while promoting public health.

Sources:

  • PRNewswire
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • The White House (President Clinton's strategy to reinvent environmental regulation)
  • U.S. EPA Administrator Carol Browner (goal of selecting 50 XL projects by the end of 1996)