Arkansas’s NStEP members are recognized as entities that inspire and challenge other organizations to maintain higher levels of environmental performance. The voluntary and substantial commitments that members make with respect to environmental protection are recognized and valued commitments to the state of Arkansas. In exchange, the Division provides a number of guaranteed and potential benefits for NStEP members as set forth in Appendix B of the NStEP Handbook.
NStEP Levels
There are four membership levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The requirements for each level are as follows:
Bronze Membership
Bronze members must commit to one environmental improvement project, and to complete the project within two years of being accepted into the program. An annual progress report will be due each year on the anniversary date of the entity’s acceptance into the program. Bronze members must:
- Have an environmental policy signed by top management.
- Have an environmental management plan that describes active and proposed environmental projects.
- Conduct an annual self-audit of its environmental impacts.
- Be willing to complete one project which goes beyond regulatory compliance and results in quantifiable reductions or improvements to the environment (e.g. cost savings, gallons of water conserved, kilowatts of electricity reduced, regulated waste reduced) to be completed within two years of acceptance into NStEP.
- Be willing to submit an annual progress report to NStEP.
- Be willing to share general project information on the NStEP webpage and other DEQ media outlets.
- Have a history of meeting environmental regulations, has no criminal violations, no unresolved Notice of Violation(s), and is not currently under a Consent Administrative Order.
(Note: For more information see the NStEP Handbook, Section III. – Compliance-Related Requirements.)
Silver Membership
- Meets all Bronze requirements.
- Entity is willing to complete two projects that go beyond regulatory compliance and result in quantifiable reductions or improvements to the environment (e.g. cost savings, gallons of water conserved, kilowatts of electricity reduced, regulated waste reduced) to be completed within three years of acceptance into NStEP.
Gold Membership
- Meets all Silver requirements.
- Entity commits to two projects which go beyond regulatory compliance and result in quantifiable reductions or improvements to the environment (e.g. cost savings, gallons of water conserved, kilowatts of electricity reduced, regulated waste reduced) to be completed within three years of acceptance into NStEP. One of the two projects must be the implementation of an environmental management system as described in Appendix A of the NStEP Handbook.
- Entity commits to complete a fully-functioning environmental management system within its three-year Gold membership period.
Platinum Membership
- Meets all Gold requirements
- Entity commits to complete two environmental improvement projects within its three-year membership period.
- Entity is willing to commit to at least one community environmental outreach program and/or serve as an environmental program mentor within three years of acceptance into NStEP.
- Entity has a third-party certified environmental management system.
| Incentives | Description | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use of NStEP Logo | A participant may use the NSteP logo on documents and publications for promotional purposes. | x | x | x | x |
| Framed NStEP Certificate | A participant may display the frame NStEP certificate in a prominent location at it’s facility. | x | x | x | x |
| NStEP Window Decal | Participants may display the NStEP window decal showcasing it’s program level. | x | x | x | x |
| Provide Press Release and other assistance for public/community outreach purposes | DEQ will recognize participation publicly through a press release. | x | x | x | x |
| List business members on the NStEP web pages | Members will be listed on the NStEP web pages to recognize them for their participation in the program. | x | x | x | x |
| Receive notification of DEQ training events | Participants will be notified by email of DEQ training events. | x | x | x | x |
| Annual NStEP members meeting | An annual meeting will be held for NStEP members for knowledge transfer. | x | x | x | x |
| Dedicated ombudsman | DEQ will assign NStEP members and individual contact for regulatory questions. | x | x | x | x |
| Notice of rule-making initiatives | NStEP members will be included in the stakeholder process for regulatory proposals. Please note that this will not include every rulemaking, but only those rulemakings where a stakeholder process is initiated. | x | x | x | |
| Permit technical assistance and follow-up compliance and assistance | DEQ will expedite NStEP member requests for technical assistance for permit renewals and new or major modifications when practicable. Once the permit is issued, DEQ will conduct a follow-up compliance and assistance visit with participants to go over the permit requirements and answer any questions. | x | x | x | |
| Inspection notice | DEQ will consider providing advanced notice of on-site, non-compliant based inspections for NStEP members on a case-by-case basis. | x | x | ||
| Expedited permits | Participants will be given priority for permit modifications to the extent possible under statutory limitations and backlog reduction requirements. | x | x | ||
| To the extent possible, assign the same permit writer and inspector to a facility to ensure consistent inspection, interpretation and enforcement | Assign the same permit writer and inspector for two or three years, if personnel availability allows. If requested by the company, the permit writer may visit the facility. | *Air, Water and Land | *Air, Water and Land | ||
| One-stop multi-media inspections | If feasible and requested by participant, a multi-media team of inspectors will visit the facility on the same day in order to reduce disruptions to operations. | *Air, Water and Land | *Air, Water and Land | ||
| Reduced inspection frequency | DEQ will prioritize inspections based on risk. NStEP Platinum members will be a low priority. Gold and Platinum members will be eligible for a reduced frequency of routine, non-compliant-based inspections for those programs without a frequency specified in statute or rule. In lieu of DEQ performed inspections, eligible members may conduct self-inspections using agency-approved inspection checklists according to the frequency established in agency policy. All facilities must maintain record, conduct self-inspections and provide reporting at frequencies established by permits and federal/state regulations. | *Air, Water and Land | *Air, Water and Land | ||
| Recognition by DEQ executive leadership | DEQ will host a meeting between its Executive leadership and NStEP Platinum members to discuss agency priorities and initiatives. The meeting will be publicized to DEQ’s website and other applicable venues. | x | |||
| Input into future initiatives | Members will be invited to participate in discussions about initiatives to add to the NStEP program. | x |
This table lists a variety of incentives potentially available to members of the Natural State Environmental Program. An asterisk (*) indicates that the incentive must be requested.
1. An annual meeting will be held when the Natural State Environmental Program has acquired a membership of thirty organizations.
