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Basic Information
- What is the Burden Reduction Initiative?
- How are the states involved?
- How are the states’ recommendations categorized?
- What are the 16 priority areas?
- What recommendations did my state submit?
What is the Burden Reduction Initiative?
In an effort to address state concerns over escalating reporting requirements accompanied by decreases in federal funding, EPA and the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS)
launched the Burden Reduction Initiative in October 2006. This Initiative aims to reduce states' low-value, high-burden reporting requirements, thus conserving both states’ and EPA’s valuable resources while maintaining a commitment to protecting human health and the environment.
EPA asked each of the 50 states to identify their top five reporting requirements with potential for streamlining or elimination. (See the State Reporting Burden Review Form (PDF) (5 pp, 39K, About PDF).) Thirty-nine states responded, recommending more than 200 ways to reduce reporting frequency and level of detail, increase electronic data entry, and, to the extent possible, standardize regional differences in reporting requirements.
EPA has been steadily working to address the states’ recommendations since the Initiative began. The Agency provided updates in the summer of 2007 and the spring of 2008. In the summer of 2008, EPA focused on:
- Addressing 16 priority areas identified by the states in the summer of 2007,
- Increasing the Initiative’s transparency and clarity, and
- Creating tools for incorporating burden reduction into EPA’s standard operating procedures.
This Web site provides detailed information about the Agency’s progress with the Burden Reduction Initiative.
How are the states involved?
The states have been an integral part of the BR Initiative from the beginning when they recommended over 200 ways to reduce their reporting burden. They participate to this day via the joint ECOS-EPA Burden Reduction Subgroup (an offshoot of ECOS' Performance and Partnership Workgroup).
How are the states’ recommendations categorized?
Each recommendation has been grouped by environmental topic. In addition, each recommendation is classified as either falling under one of the 16 priority areas or not included under a priority area.Environmental Topic Categories
EPA received more than 230 recommendations from the states. Each recommendation was categorized to reflect the type of environmental medium or topic the recommendation addresses. Each recommendation is associated with one of the following environmental topic categories:
Each recommendation is identified with a number and letter (e.g., Recommendation A5, Recommendation E1, etc.). This letter corresponds with the recommendation’s environmental topic category. Air/ Radiation is denoted by ‘A’, Enforcement/ Compliance by ‘E’, Grants/ Cross-Office Topics by ‘G’, Pollution/ Pesticides by ‘P’, Solid Waste by ‘SW’, and Water by ‘W’.
Whether Or Not Recommendation Falls Under a Priority Area
In an effort to efficiently address the states’ recommendations, EPA and ECOS separated the recommendations into two groupings: those that fall under a priority area and those not included under a priority area. To view recommendations that do not fit under a priority area, browse the "Environmental Topic" pages or the "State" pages. In both sections of the site, those recommendations that relate to a priority area are marked as such.
What are the 16 priority areas?
In summer 2007, the states identified 16 priority areas on which to focus. These 16 priority areas encompass 45 unique recommendations (approximately 130 recommendations when duplicates are counted).
The priority areas bundle together similar recommendations. For example, Priority Area 2 groups two recommendations that pertain to stationary sources of air pollution.
See the 16 priority areas and accompanying recommendations under each.
What recommendations did my state submit?
Recommendations have been sorted by state for ease of search.