Go to general contact information (#20)

1. Do you have a state statute, policy, MOU, or other written document that established your multimedia *small business environmental assistance program (SBEAP)?  If yes, please explain and provide a link to the document if possible.
   
   Michigan’s Environmental Assistance Program (EAP) is multimedia but we do not have legislation that mandates multimedia assistance.  The clean air assistance component of the EAP was established under a Michigan statute.

2. How and when did your SBEAP begin offering multimedia compliance assistance?
   
   The Environmental Assistance Program has provided multimedia assistance since 1995.  The Department realized at the time the Section 507 program was being created that regulatory assistance was a necessary component for all of the environmental programs.  All of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (MDEQ) regulatory divisions have contributed at least one staff person to perform compliance assistance outreach.

3. Does your SBEAP provide confidential services?  Explain. 
   
   We can only hold information in confidence to the extent authorized under the Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  Exemptions from disclosure include trade secrets and commercial and financial information.  We cannot advertise our services as confidential.

4. What role does the Ombudsman play?  Does the office address multimedia issues or is it strictly strictly an air ombudsman?  What agency or organization does the ombudsman work in?  Please provide contact information.  
   
   Ms. Susan Holben was appointed as the Clean Air Ombudsman but she considers her ombudsman duties as multimedia.  Susan works for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The MEDC web site is www.michigan.org/medc.  She spends about 20% of her time on air related duties. She can be reached at 517-335-2168 or holbens@michigan.org.
   
   The services provided by the Ombudsman include:
   • Assistance with understanding environmental regulations and compliance issues;
   • Mediation in resolving complaints or disputes; and marketing the technical services of the Environmental Assistance Program to economic development staff and local chambers of commerce.
     
   
   
5. What types of multimedia assistance does your SBEAP provide (air, hazardous waste, solid waste, water quality, air, other)?  Describe.   
   
   The Environmental Assistance Program provides the following types of multimedia assistance:
   • Air
   • Solid, liquid and hazardous waste
   • Water quality (surface and ground)
   • Wetlands protection and any changes to the land/water interface
   • Oil and gas drilling and mining
   • Aboveground and underground storage tanks
   • Brownfields.
     

6. Is your SBEAP’s work prioritized?  If yes, explain (e.g., by media, rule, industry sector). 
   
   Yes, our program works closely with the MDEQ regulatory divisions so we understand what issues businesses may be facing, and therefore we are able to prioritize our work to meet the compliance assistance needs of the businesses we help. 
   

7. What percent of your total multimedia assistance effort is delivered through each of the following methods:
   -Direct referrals to appropriate regulatory staff (___%)
   -Personal contact with appropriate media staff (e.g., arranging meetings with regulatory staff from different media, having each program outline their respective rule requirements, following up as needed) (___%)
   -Internal SBEAP expertise (e.g., gathering all information, walking client through requirements) (___%).
   
   Direct referrals--10%
   Personal contact--10%
   Internal expertise--80%
    
8. Describe who actually provides the assistance.  Is the primary role of the SBEAP staff to refer assistance requests to the appropriate regulatory staff or do the SBEAP staff possess the knowledge and experience to provide direct assistance?  Explain the educational background and experience level of SBEAP staff.
   
   The compliance assistance staff in the Environmental Assistance Program came from the regulatory divisions and therefore have a very thorough understanding of the rules and regulations they provide assistance.  Therefore, each one has a specialty, i.e., air, waste, water, etc.  For example, all the waste related calls, publication develop and training all go to one person, Judy Schaefer.  They possess the knowledge to address the questions directly.  All of them have environmental science related degrees and many years of experience in the regulatory programs they came from. 
   
   
9. Please identify the compliance assistance tools your SBEAP provides by completing the table below.  In addition, please elaborate on any of the tools and include information about compliance assistance tools not included in the table.
    

   Regulatory Program	Hotline	Publications	Onsite Visits	Workshops	Permit Assistance
   Air	X	X		X	X
   Waste	X	X		X	N/A
   Water	X	X		X	X
   Remediation	X	X		X	N/A
   Storage Tanks	X	X		X	X
   Emergency Planning	X	X		X	N/A
   Wetlands, Land/Water Interface	X	X		X	X

   
   The Environmental Assistance Program is implementing an Environmental Results Program for dry cleaners through an EPA grant. We are hoping to implement an ERP for automotive collision and maintenance repair facilities in the near future.
   
   We specialize in workshops (go to www.michigan.gov/deqworkshops and click on “Upcoming DEQ Workshops.”  We train 2,500 to 3,000 people annually and make some money doing it.  If you have questions about training, please contact us.
   
   The MDEQ receives thousands of calls/month through its Environmental Assistance Center (EAC) via 800-662-9278.  Many of these calls are forwarded to the Environmental Assistance Program for follow-up.
   
   
10. Do you have SBEAP staff members with expertise in pollution prevention/EMS, as well as regulatory compliance?
    
    Yes, we have program staff with expertise in P2 and EMS, but they are not technically part of the Environmental Assistance Program.  These staff are housed in the Pollution Prevention and Compliance Assistance Section.  (Please see the organizational chart.)
    
11. Are there any industry sectors for which you cannot provide assistance or can provide only limited assistance?  Explain.
    
    No.
     
12. Where is the technical assistance component of your SBEAP housed (state environmental regulatory agency, Small Business Development Center [SBDC], college or university [not SBDC], other state agency)?
    
    The Environmental Assistance Program is located within the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality which is the state environmental regulatory agency.  (Please see the organizational chart.)
    
    
13. Where does funding come from for your multimedia SBEAP (air permit fees only, air permit fees plus other sources, task-specific funding, other)?  What are the funding criteria?  Please note that since this could be sensitive information, this is an optional question. 
    
    Funding for the multimedia compliance assistance outreach comes from Title V fees, waste reduction fees, and other program funding. Some of the salaries have been covered by registration fees we collect from our workshops.
    
    
14. How many staff does your SBEAP have (using FTE equivalents)?  Does your SBEAP have a documented performance measurement system (system to track data on activities such as web site hits, hotline/telephone assistance calls, mailings, onsite visits, publications, seminars/workshops/trainings, teleconferences/videoconferences, other)?  Describe.
    
    A total of 10.25 FTEs perform compliance assistance activities. (Please see the organizational chart.)
    • 2.5 FTEs  clean air assistance
    • 5.0 within the Compliance Assistance Unit (1 FTE for each of the following media and 1 manager: water, waste, land and water, remediation and redevelopment)
    • 2.0  FTEs  for workshops
    • 0.75 FTEs for Hotline.
      
      
    In addition, there are workshop logistics staff and environmental assistance center operators that spend part of their time on compliance assistance.
    
    We have a recording system where we input data on how many calls we take, web site hits, emails, mailings, onsite visits, presentations, workshops, publications developed, trainings/workshops offered, etc.
    
    We also develop and process evaluations on all workshops held, as well as input those data in a database.  We are implementing an evaluation follow-up program which will include calling those individuals who provided a workshop evaluation to identify any behavioral changes due to workshop attendance.
    
    
15. What have been the benefits of providing multimedia versus air only assistance?  Have you performed any cost benefit analyses?  Describe your successes.
     
    We are able to meet the needs of the regulated community more effectively.  Businesses, especially small ones, need help with all of the environmental programs.
    
    
16. Provide an overall link or links to your online multimedia assistance web page(s), checklists, calculation spreadsheets, guidance, factsheets, publications, and contacts.
    
    The Environmental Assistance Program is located at:  www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3307_36106---,00.html
     
17. What kind of peer assistance (for other SBO/SBEAP programs) is your program willing to contribute at this time (information provided here only, telephone/email assistance, program visits, training, other)?
    
    The Environmental Assistance Program is willing to provide information via the web site, telephone/email assistance, program visits, and training.
     
18. Please list the industry sectors that you assist/have assisted most, and feel you have "expert" knowledge about.  If possible, use the provided list of industry sector examples to categorize.  You may also be more specific, include additional details, or write in a category that is not listed.  In addition, please provide contact information for each industry sector "expert." 
    
    INDUSTRY SECTOR EXAMPLES:
    

    Aircraft	Metal Fabrication
    Automotive	Metal Finishing
    Chemicals	Mining
    Construction	Painting and Coating
    Die Casting	Pesticides
    Dry Cleaning	Petroleum Refining
    Electric/Power/Energy	Pharmaceuticals
    Electronics/Computers	Plastics
    Electroplating	Printing/Photoprocessing
    Fiberglass Operations	Pulp and Paper
    Foods	Recreation
    Furniture	Recycling
    Hospital/Medical	Retail
    Iron and Steel	Rubber and Plastics
    Laboratories/Schools	Solvents/Cleaning
    Lubricants	Stone/Glass/Clay/Concrete
    Lumber and Wood	Textiles/Textile Services
    Machining	Transportation
    Marine/Shipyard	Used Oil

    
    Automotive Repair – Dave Fiedler
    Dry Cleaning – James Ostrowski
    Fruit and Vegetable Processors – Amy Kohlhepp
    Stage I – Gas Stations – Anita Welch
    Mineral Crushers – Dave Fiedler
    Automotive Recyclers – Dave Fiedler
    Grain Elevators – Anita Welch
    
    See Question 20 for contact information.
    
    
19. What is your advice to other SBEAPs who want to become multimedia programs?  What particular challenges did you face evolving into a  multimedia program and how did you overcome them?
    
    Your program will end up spending the most resources on liquid and hazardous waste issues. The majority of businesses need the most help with those regulations. In everything we do (workbooks, workshops, phone calls, etc.) the waste component is always the most significant.
    
    Create a brand for your program and market it not only to trade associations but to building inspectors, banking and insurance institutions, and other less obvious groups.
    
    
20. Provide contact information for peer assistance with your SBEAP.
     

    Name	Program	Title/Expertise	E-Mail	Phone #
    James Ostrowski	Training & Outreach Unit	Air issues	ostrowskij2@michigan.gov	517-241-8057
    Anita Singh	Training & Outreach Unit	Air issues	singha3@michigan.gov	517-335-2356
    Jennifer Acevedo	Training & Outreach Unit	Marketing Events	acevedoj@michigan.gov	517-335-3202
    Mary Goodhall	Training & Outreach Unit	Events Planner	goodhallm@michigan.gov	517-241-7968
    Alana Berthhold	Training & Outreach Unit	Registrar	bertholda@michigan.gov	517-241-7839
    Pamela Howd	Compliance Assistance Unit	Aboveground/underground storage tanks & brownfields	howdp@michigan.gov	517-335-3492
    Amy Kohlhepp	Customer Service Unit	Water quality issues	kohlheppa@michigan.gov	517-241-7965
    John Skubinna	Compliance Assistance Unit	Land & water, oil & gas issues	skubinnaj@michigan.gov	517-241-8370
    Christine Grossman	Compliance Assistance Unit	Waste issues	grossmanc@michigan.gov	517-373-0590

    
    

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*Small Business Environmental Assistance Program, or SBEAP, refers to the Small Business Ombudsman and/or the technical assistance program (SBEAP) in each state.

7/06, updated 5/07, 5/08, 7/11