Strategic Plan 2000 - 2005

The planning process at DEP was revised to enhance accountability and ability to track performance. Also, DEP will be working to establish by December 2001, a long-term 25-year environmental vision for the territory based on the values and interests of     

GOALS & PRIORITIES

In the beginning of our planning process in FY 2000, DEP identified opportunities, obstacles and strategies, both internal and external, that affect the Division’s activities. DEP also received input from external stakeholders on such factors. This information was considered in the development of the strategic goals, priorities, objectives, and strategies for the Division.

A.      Strategic Goals

The strategic goals describe the results we expect to see five years from now which will assure that

we are now moving forward on our mission and vision.The six goals DEP established for this strategic plan are:

Goal 1:  Effective and innovative leadership

We will create a long-term vision for the Virgin Islands’s environment and use trust, teamwork, collaboration and equity to achieve results. We will make decisions based on science and common sense focusing on minimizing risk to human health and reducing pollution at the source. We will employ a holistic approach which considers impacts to air, land, and water, and concentrate division resources on priority areas. Our management structure will encourage innovation and continuous improvement.

Goal 2: Safe, healthy and prepared communities

Our efforts to eliminate, reduce or minimize emissions and contamination will be focused on the environmental outcome. We will seek to ensure a clean and safe environment where every Virgin Islands community will be free from unacceptable human health and environmental risks.

Goal 3: Regulated entities are in compliance with the law

We will seek full compliance with laws intended to protect human health and the environment. We will use a variety of tools, such as technical assistance, education, incentives, and when necessary, enforcement in predictable ways.

Goal 4: Open, proactive and efficient government

Our services will be provided at the organizational level closest to the customer to better satisfy their needs. We will implement responsible practices which are timely, clear, and equitable. We will identify and respond to emerging issues to prevent environmental problems. Environmental information will be easily accessible to all. We will set and implement a high quality standard for efficient internal management and fiscal accountability, designed to accomplish priority programs.

Goal 5: Informed and involved citizens

We will involve citizens and stakeholders as critical partners in public forums to achieve our vision, mission and goals. We will provide the public with our analyses and the implications of DEP’s decisions. We will provide easy access to information about the environment and citizens’s role in protecting it.

Goal 6: Trained, professional workforce

We recognize that DEP employees are an important asset. We will provide incentives for superior performance and increased program efficiencies through continued career development for all employees. We will provide them with a safe work place, training and tools needed to achieve DEP’s mission. We encourage team efforts and use of DEP employee’s expertise to find solutions that meet the challenges we face.

B.      Priorities

The priorities listed below are divided into groups, the priorities for the environment and those for the organization. These priorities are activities DEP must do to be successful in achieving its mission and vision. When resources are limited DEP makes decisions based on these priorities. The priorities below are not listed in order of importance.

1.       Environmental priorities:

The environment priorities focus on eliminating the highest risks to human health and preventing future contamination.

Water Quality

a.		Drinking water: We will protect and maintain existing drinking water quality and where applicable address current contamination which poses the greatest threat to human health and focus on preventing future contamination.
b.		Surface water beneficial uses - We will protect and maintain existing beneficial uses and to the extent practicable restore beneficial uses to impaired surface waters.
c.		Wastewater - We will address wastewater infrastructure needs for our communities and will focus efforts on those communities that are subject to sewage by-passes.
d.		Groundwater - We will protect and maintain territorial water resources and will identify groundwater problem areas and restore them to their current and future groundwater beneficial uses.

Over the next five years the water quality program will need to concentrate on managing the quality of the territory’s ground and surface water resources used for drinking water and ensure the source of that water is protected. This will be accomplished by increasing the compliance with drinking water requirements by water systems and through source water protection efforts based on an evaluation of the susceptibility of the systems to contamination. In addition, the Virgin Islands will develop and implement policies and procedures to identify and address territorial groundwater contamination through the designation of ground water quality management areas. This will ensure all citizens have a safe water supply and protect the territory’s future groundwater beneficial uses.

The Virgin Islands must complete the needed Total Maximum Daily Loads for those water bodies not meeting surface water quality standards. The territory has established a process for completing these needed improvement plans and will be accelerating the development and implementation of these plans. DEP is improving the evaluation process to better identify impacts to water quality. Major issues faced in the next five years will be to establish water quality standards that adequately describe the goals and desires of the Virgin Islands citizens for their surface water.

Air Quality

The Virgin Islands remain an attainment area for all primary pollutants.

The air quality program will meet these new challenges by actively managing air quality on island basis. Air quality protection will be achieved by working closely with communities to proactively prevent air quality violations. Preventing problems will provide the territory with greater flexibility in managing its air quality and therefore protecting public health. The air quality program is increasing its air monitoring program and working with industry and communities striving for 100% compliance with air quality permits and regulations.

Re-mediation at high risk sites

We will prioritize sites which pose the highest risk to human health, focus resources accordingly, and work to prevent future contamination. Priority sites include the St. Thomas and St. Croix Landfills.

The waste program has set a goal to assist industry and communities to reduce waste generation 10% from a 1999 baseline by the year 2005. This will be accomplished by providing incentives to reduce waste generation and by assisting industries and communities in their efforts. Pollution prevention will be integrated into daily operations.

The waste program will develop and implement a territory wide policy for risk-based clean-up levels to ensure consistent DEP actions at re-mediation sites throughout the territory. Sites and resources will also be assessed and prioritized to reduce human health risks. The program will also strive toward achieving 100% compliance with current regulations. This will be accomplished through inspections, increased incentives for voluntary compliance, and technical assistance.

2.      Organizational priorities:

Public Outreach:

Business, community and citizen involvement are the keys to effective environmental management. By working cooperatively, DEP will provide information to all Virgin Islanders to develop economically sustainable and environmentally protective solutions for Virgin Islands’ business communities.

Improve state/federal relationship to support state leadership:

As DEP establishes a clear direction for its operations, it is important to gain EPA’s support for the Virgin Island’s environmental management vision. A shared understanding of the roles and responsibilities between the territories and federal agencies is a priority which enables DEP to efficiently, consistently and predictably pursue environmental improvements within the territory.

Building capacity for risk–based decision making:

DEP has made it a priority to develop a risk-based system tool for making scientific, consistent, and justifiable environmental decision.

Develop and train staff:

It is the division’s priority to ensure it has a well-trained and productive workforce. Special attention will be paid to recruitment and retention, and to providing incentives for superior performance and program efficiency.

Prevention:

The administrative services will focus on increasing efficiency and productivity of the division. There will also be increased focus on recruitment and retention of a professional and diverse workforce, and continuous improvement of employee performance by providing training and career tracks for employees at all levels of the division.

The administrative services will provide information and outreach to facilitate investment in community-wide environment protection. Also, meaningful information on environmental quality will be made easily accessible electronically to the public and DEP employees.

A key priority for the territory’s planning division is to focus on defining a territory-wide 25-year environmental management vision by the end of 2001. DEP will take responsibility for and will facilitate the process to establish this vision which will be based on the public’s values and interests, and will guide the territory and federal agencies’ environmental actions. The process will be designed with the assistance of an advisory committee, and over the next year DEP and other environmental departments will describe current environmental conditions and trends. Over the next five years the planning office will align the division ‘s goals and priorities with the long-term vision.