Enhancing ERP Efficiency: Review of San Jose's Enforcement Response Plan
Dive into the evolution of San Jose's ERP since 1991, audit findings, tune-up considerations, areas for improvement, responsible staff roles, and regional board checklist analysis for optimized performance and compliance. Explore strategies to address enforcement gaps, streamline processes, and ensure regulatory adherence.
Enhancing ERP Efficiency: Review of San Jose's Enforcement Response Plan
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Presentation Transcript
Tuning up Your ERP for Performance and Efficiency: A Review of San Jose’s Enforcement Response Plan
Background • First ERP written in 1991 • Revised in 1998 • Revised again in 2002 • To be revised in 2003 • A never ending tale of the search for perfection
More Background • Internal City Audit Conducted in 2000 • Audit Report Findings of May 2001
Tune-up Considerations • What items needed to be addressed from the City Audit • What items do the guidance document suggest • What items will your Regional Board be checking for
Audit Findings • Issued incorrect enforcement actions. • Did not issue enforcement actions for all identified violations. • Missed some administrative citations. • Did not apply sewer surcharge correctly.
Audit Changes • Provide for consistent enforcement • Build clear guidelines into the ERP and ERG • Support the ERP with procedures
Areas of Improvement • Better describe the duties and responsibilities of pretreatment staff. • Refine the Enforcement Response Guide to allow more flexibility. • Ensure supervisory oversight. • Include supporting procedures. • Include supporting flow charts.
Responsible Staff Prior to Audit • Prior to our City audit, an inspector was designated as the Enforcement Coordinator • After the audit, the Senior Environmental Inspector was designated as the Enforcement Coordinator in order to provide supervisory oversight
Responsible Staff • Enforcement Coordinator • Enforcement Coordinator Assistant • Inspector
Enforcement Coordinator • Reviews violations and makes final determination of enforcement action • Signs routine enforcement actions • Review response letters • Coordinates and moderates compliance meetings • Reviews company’s compliance history • Compiles compliance reports for pretreatment program compliance reports • Works with tributary agencies and their respective attorney’s office
Enforcement Coordinator Assistant • Review monitoring results and verify discharge violations • Verify timely responses for violations, compliance meetings and compliance schedules • Assist with compliance meetings • Prepare weekly compliance reports
Inspector • Review monitoring results and identify any violations • Recommend enforcement actions to the EC • Track the Industrial User’s response to violations, and compliance schedules • Prepare compliance letters • Review compliance history of IU • Enter all enforcement actions into tracking
Elements of an ERP • Describe how the POTW will investigate instances of noncompliance. • Describe the types of escalated enforcement actions that the POTW will take and the time periods for these actions. • Show how the POTW will enforce on violations of the pretreatment standard. • Criteria for scheduling sampling and sampling. • A system to track due dates for SMR’s, responses to notices of violation and other enforcement actions.
Regional Board Checklist • When the Regional Water Quality Control Board reviewed our Enforcement Response Plan a five page checklist was used. Some of the key areas of this checklist are as follows.
Checklist Details • How does the POTW investigate instances of noncompliance? • Describe the types of Escalating Enforcement Responses the Control Authority will take. • Identify the officials who must approve each type of response. • Does the ERP present any obstacles to effective enforcement?
More Checklist Items • Responsible Staff • Time Frames • Inspection Procedures • Sampling Procedures • Data Management • Escalating Enforcement Details