Projects

Introduction

Since 2003 public environmental agencies have dramatically improved agency permitting and administrative processes using Lean and Six Sigma process improvement methods. Lean techniques identify and eliminate unnecessary and non-valued added process steps and activities that have built up over time. Lean efforts are not just about fixing broken processes. State agencies have found that these methods enable them to understand how their processes are working on the ground and to make adjustments that optimize desired outcomes. ECOS has collaborated with EPA to support States in their efforts to streamline programs while enhancing environmental and public health protections.

For more information about lean government and to share information about your state's lean efforts, please contact Lee Garrigan at 202-624-3502 or lgarrigan@sso.org.

= = = Mark Your Calendar.....Upcoming Conference Call = = =

Looking for the latest on State lean events ?

ECOS will host a Lean in State Government Conference Call on Thursday, December 4, 2:00 - 3:30 pm Eastern.
Take advantage of the latest opportunity for States to share information on past and future lean events and learn how ECOS members are using lean to successfully streamline permitting processes and improve communication with stakeholder groups.
The Conference Call will feature an overview of the Four State / EPA NPDES Kaizen Event held in August in Missouri; a presentation and discussion on how to follow-up on your Lean event commitments and reach your goals when resources are tight; a planning discussion for the 2nd Lean Government Exchange in 2009; and more! States will be asked to share the latest on Lean in their agencies and should check the accuracy of the information in the "Inventory of State Lean Activities" (see below).
For more information on the Conference Call and to update your state's lean activities in the Inventory, contact Lee Garrigan at the above email address or at (202) 624-3502.

2008 Publications

ECOS and EPA announce the availability of the Lean in Air Permitting Guide - an important resource for any environmental agency interested in improving their air permitting processes. The guide provides numerous specific examples of the types of changes that several State environmental agencies have made as part of their efforts to streamline and improve air permitting using Lean. This Lean in Air Permitting Guide will help you better understand the potential value and results that can be achieved by applying Lean improvement methods to air permitting processes.

• Lean in Air Permitting Guide (September 25, 2008)

• One-page Overview of Lean in Air Permitting Guide (hand-out from ECOS 2008 Annual Meeting 9-21-08)

State Lean Initiatives

The ECOS State Lean Inventory is a state-by-state listing of Lean events and projects as well as contact information for nearly every state. If your state is working on or has completed lean projects that are not listed here, please contact Lee Garrigan at lgarrigan@sso.org with that information so it can be included in this inventory.

• Lean State Inventory (updated November 5, 2008)

ECOS Sponsored Lean Conference Calls

Call #1: ECOS hosted its first states-only conference call on January 18, 2008 to formally introduce it "Lean Government" project to the ECOS membership and their staffs. ECOS received funding from US EPA to broaden the knowledge base of lean techniques among state environmental agencies and build state capacity. Approximately 24 states participated on the call. Meeting minutes from the call are available here.

Future calls are being organized and will be announced here and via email. If you work for a state environmental agency and would like to be added to the email distribution list, contact Lee Garrigan at lgarrigan@sso.org.

Call #2: Lean 101: An Introduction to Administrative Lean Concepts, April 8, 2008. The purpose of this call is to provide an introduction to Lean principles for those states that are new to Lean and have an interest in possibly introducing Lean concepts into their agencies.
Call Agenda
Meeting Notes
"Working Smart" PowerPoint Presentation by Teresa Hay McMahon, State of Iowa
Link to the State of Iowa's Office of Lean Enterprise

Approximately 20 states participated on the call.

Publications

Working Smart for Environmental Protection: Improving State Agency Processes with Lean and Six Sigma was developed jointly by ECOS and US EPA in collaboration with Delaware, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska, states that were able to drastically reduce the backlog of permit applications while cutting permit review times by more than 50 percent utilizing administrative Lean and Six Sigma. These states also decreased the complexity of permit application forms, improved the consistency of permit reviews, and freed up staff to work on other environmental priorities. States have found that staff morale has improved with the use of these methods, and that transparency to stakeholders has increased. All of these benefits were realized while environmental protection was maintained and the value added to permit review increased.

Improving State Processes Primer (September 2006)

The Lean in Government Starter Kit: A Practical Guide to Implementing Successful Lean Initiatives at Environmental Agencies was developed jointly by ECOS and US EPA in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Iowa Department of Management, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The Starter Kit builds on information presented in the Lean in Government primer, Working Smart for Environmental Protection, which was developed by ECOS and US EPA and presented at the September 2006 ECOS meeting.

The Starter Kit is intended for use by government environmental agencies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of agency administrative processes and is meant to be a “one-stop” resource for environmental agencies about Lean process improvement methods. It contains tips and recommendations for how to get started with Lean, implementing a Lean event from initial planning to event follow-up, and how to sustain and expand Lean activity in your organization. Each section includes a diverse array of checklists, templates, tools, and resources that can be tailored and used by your agency.

2007 Lean in Government Starter Kit

Presentations

Improving State Processes

Lean Events

Administrative Lean Training hosted by US EPA Region 3
April 29, 2008

Powerpoint presentations from the meeting.

2008 Symposium on Innovating for Sustainable Results Workshop:
Lean 101: Interested in Streamlining Process and Improving Results?
Monday, January 8, 2008, Chapel Hill, NC

Presentation: "Transforming Government: The Challenge and Opportunity of the 21st Century"

2007 Lean Government Exchange, Des Moines, IA, October 2-4, 2007

Twelve state environmental agencies participated in the 2007 Lean Government Exchange in Des Moines, Iowa, this week along with other federal, state, municipal, and county government administrators representing environment, health care, and human services agencies, among others. The conference focused on the Kaizen methodology, the belief that small, incremental changes routinely applied and sustained over time result in significant performance improvements, and how the Kaizen process can produce impressive results for government agencies in short periods of time. Kaizen events are generally five days in length and include a team of 8-12 people comprised of agency subject matter experts, agency supervisors and managers, and participants from outside the agency. The team agrees on process changes during this five-day period to be implemented in the agency. The major difference between the Kaizen methodology and other process improvement methodologies (i.e., TQM) is that agency staff themselves work together to identify problems and develop solutions during Kaizen events rather than having outside consultants come into an organization and recommend agency changes.

Conference Description & Agenda

Awards

Summer 2007: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and US EPA Region 7 receive ECOS Innovations Award for their work on improving the review process for water quality standards in their region.

USEPA & Lean

Visit US EPA's "Administrative Lean" website for more information about Lean tools and techniques.

The Environmental Council of the States | 444 N. Capitol St. NW Suite 445, Washington, DC 20001 | Tel 202-624-3660 | Fax 202-624-3666 | Email ecosatssodotorg