GREEN INITIATIVES ADOPTED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS

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ISO 14001 at the City of DallasHow We Found Our
Green!
Laura Fiffick, Director City of Dallas Office of
Environmental Quality
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History of Green

• City Focus on Sustainability Programs
• Alternative Fuels (1993)
• Green Buildings (2003)
• Energy Efficiency (2000)
• Water Conservation Programs (1980s)
• Environmental Compliance of City Facilities
• No Auditing
• You Get What You Inspect, Not What You Expect
• Few Policies/Directives
• Minimal Training

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History of Green

• City of Dallas Focus of November Sweeps in
  November 2003
• EPA Inspections of City Facilities
• 800,000 Penalty and 1.2 Million Environmental
  Projects
• City Managers Office Responded
• Office of Environmental Quality Established
• 10 Staff Members
• Guide City Departments on Environmental Issues

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Finding our Green

• Identified Priorities
• Compliance (Preferably Exceed)
• Identify Environmental Representatives for Each
  Department
• Organize Environmental Initiatives Across City
  Departments
• Develop City Environmental Policies
• Manage Spills Correctly (Preferably Prevent)
• Train Staff
• Accountability for Environmental Issues

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Develop and Implement an Environmental Management
System Based on ISO 14001 Across City Departments
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What is EMS and ISO 14001?

• EMS is the Business System of Plan, Do, Check,
  Act Applied to the Environment
• Identify Highest Environmental Impacts and
  Systematically Work to Reduce
• ISO 14001
• A Third Party Registrar Certifies the EMS is in
  Place According to the Standard and is
  Functioning as Intended

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ISO 14001 Framework
ORG. Goals
Environmental Policy
Legal Other Requirements
Environmental Aspects
Significant Aspects
EMS Audits
Communication Documentation
Objectives Targets
Document ControlRecordsNonconformance
Monitoring Measurement
StructureTraining
Management Programs
Emergencies Operational Controls
Management Review
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How We Did It

• Accountability
• Focused and Dedicated Staff in 14 City
  Departments Partnered with OEQ
• Meet Every Two Weeks
• Workshops Every Six Months
• Set a Two Year Timeline with Due Dates
• Monthly Reporting to Department Directors and
  City Manager on Progress
• Performance Plans with Environmental Rating

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How We Did It

• Exceed Compliance
• Conducted 55 Audits Per Year on City Facilities
• Reviewed Results with Director/City Manager
• Schedule and Responsibilities for Corrections
• Established City Wide Training Programs
• OEQ Offers Ten Classes Per Month
• One Trainer Available for Onsite Training
• Track Violations and Spills City Wide
• Disciplinary Action for Preventable Actions
• OEQ Staff Assigned by Environmental Media

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How We Did It

• Organization of Initiatives
• Collected Environmental Initiatives Across the
  City
• Quarterly Reporting
• Teams of Employees Across City Departments
  Assigned to Initiative
• Development of Intranet Site
• Training Programs Uploaded
• City wide Calendar on Events
• Reporting on Initiatives

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How We Did It

• Other
• Quarterly Environmental Awards
• Monthly OEQ Newsletter
• Citywide Annual Environmental Report
• GreenDallas.Net
• EMS Auditing of City Facilities
• How Do you Minimize Environmental Impacts?

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Results

• Violations
• 2005/2006 11
• 2006/2007 1
• 2207/2008 0 (??)
• Spills
• 70 Reduction
• Cost Savings of 50,000 per Year
• 13,000 Environmental Stewards on City Staff
• ISO 14001 Certificate Expected in June

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Results

• Innovative Staff Programs
• Police Evaluating LED Flares
• Used Oil Recycling Increased 17 in One Year from
  Proper Use of Drip Plans
• Engineering Implementing Green Bid Specs
• Green Cement
• Requirements for Engines/Fuels
• Office Recycling Increased 5.5 in One Year
• Increased Composting At Dallas Zoo 70 in One
  Year

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Results

• Dallas Sustainable Skylines
• First US City to partner with EPA and the COG to
  improve air quality
• Green Taxis
• 1.6 Million For Hybrids
• Green Affordable Homes
• 40 Homes in Partnership With Habitat For Humanity
• Renewable Energy
• Urban Heat Island

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Dallas Found Its Green

• Sustainability is Defined in Many Ways
• Compliance with the Law Must be the Beginning
• Programs with Specific Targets and Well Planned
  Monitoring is the Middle
• Reporting Results and Evaluating Data Will
  Measure Success
• For the City, Sustainability is Managed, tracked
  and Promoted in our EMS
• 13,000 Green Beating Hearts in City Employees

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• Laura Fiffick
• Director, Office of Environmental Quality
• City of Dallas
• laura.fiffick_at_dallascityhall.com