Program Evaluation Reports
The reports listed here are organized by subject area. For each report, you will find the name of the report, the year it was commissioned, the office it is affiliated with, a short description of the content and for some, a fact sheet (i.e., a condensed version of the report).
On this page:
Program Reports
| Air | Cross-Media | Enforcement & Compliance Assurance |
Environmental Justice |
International | Pesticides, Chemicals & Toxics |
Stakeholder Involvement |
Waste | Water |
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Air
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Office of Air and Radiation | This evaluation assessed the TIME/LTM program's design, how it was implemented, and the overall cost of the program, among other factors, to determine if it was effective and sustainable in the long-term. This evaluation also contributed to the EPA's knowledge of how acid deposition affects ecological conditions. | |
| 2006 | Region 9; Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards | This evaluation sought to determine if the Air Toxics Monitoring Program in Region 9 was meeting the program's stated objectives and develop (where necessary) quantitative performance measures which link the Air Toxics Program to its Government Performance and Results Act goal. | |
| 2005 | Office of Air and Radiation | Evaluating the Title V Permits Issuance Program | This evaluation helped define the limitations of the joint local, State, Tribal and Federal Title V permit program and identify ways to improve program effectiveness and efficiency; identify experimental incentives to encourage states to continually improve on-time issuance of permits and permit revisions; and identify causes of the delays and corrective actions; and help OAR ensure progress is made toward reaching OAQPS' GPRA goals and PART targets for the Title V program. |
| 2005 | Office of Air and Radiation; Region 5; Minnesota Department of Health | Measuring the Effectiveness of EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program | This evaluation enabled the IAQ TfS Program to estimate the impacts of its program through field data, help define better measures of program outcomes, and provide insight(s) into the effectiveness of the overall approach in helping to meet EPA's Clean Air goals. |
| 2005 | Office of Air and Radiation; Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards | Timely Issuance of Permit Renewals and Significant Permit Modifications under Title V: an Evaluation of the Permit Issuance Process | This evaluation helped define the limitations of the joint local, State, Tribal and Federal Title V permit program. It also identified ways to improve program effectiveness and efficiency; recommended experimental incentives to encourage states to issue permits and permit revisions in a more timely manner; identified the causes for delays and the corrective actions that needed to be taken; and helped OAR make progress toward reaching OAQPS' Government Performance and Results Act goals and Performance Assessment Rating Tools targets for the Title V program. |
| 2001 | Office of Air and Radiation; Region 6 | This evaluation examined how effective the Tribal Air Program was in managing air quality. This program used its resources to build tribes' capacity to address air quality issues on Tribal lands and provide the tools to reach these goals. | |
| 2001 | Office of Air and Radiation; Region 6 | EPA, along with state and local permitting authorities, launched a Flexible Permit Implementation Review in April 2001 to evaluate the implementation of innovative air permitting techniques to provide companies with the flexibility necessary to compete in global markets without decreasing environmental protection. | |
| 2001 | Region 9 | This evaluation examined the performance of this market-based economic incentive program; made recommendations to improve the program; and identified the lessons learned from running this program. |
Cross-Media
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Office of the Chief Financial Officer |
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & Major Partners’ Lessons Learned from Implementing EPA’s Portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Factors Affecting Implementation and Program Success |
This study identifies and examines outcomes and lessons learned from EPA’s implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A summary report presents overall findings and individual reports present findings specific to six study areas: cost estimating processes, funds management processes, data systems development and/or enhancement, Green Project Reserve (GPR) benefits, technological innovation supported by ARRA, and leveraging funds in local economics. |
| 2011 | Region 7 | This evaluation helped Region 7 analyze the existing grant processes, identify ways Region 7 can become more consistent across programs and identify recommendations to improve grants management, communication and coordination with Tribal Nations. | |
| 2009 | Office of Policy | This evaluation examined the experience of three states, Delaware, Maine, and Rhode Island, which established ERPs for the auto body repair sector. Each of these ERPs incorporates voluntary self-certification and encompasses cross-media environmental and/or health concerns. While these states are similar in the types of programs they implemented, they differ in terms of several circumstances in the state that could affect ERP implementation, participation of auto body shops, and outcomes. The evaluation describes each state's individual experience with their ERP program, focusing primarily on outcomes, changes in facility management practices, and costs. | |
| 2008 | Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations | This evaluation compared RGI projects against EPA's priorities, assessed how effectively the outcomes of RGI projects have been communicated and helped determine the outcomes and the RGI projects' contributions to EPA's work. | |
| 2003 | Region 1, Assistance and Pollution Prevention Office | Evaluation of EPA New England's Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Pilot Efforts for K-12 Schools | This evaluation assessed the progress and effectiveness of two pilot programs, in Massachusetts and Maine, where school systems have developed environmental management systems to help them identify and prioritize the wide range of environmental and health issues they face. |
| 2002 | Office of Administration and Resources Management | Program Evaluation of the EPA Intern Program | This project assessed the effectiveness of the EPA Intern program in meeting goals set for the program at its inception. The results of the evaluation were used to modify the program as it entered its sixth year. |
| 2002 | Region 1 | Evaluation of EPA New England's College and University Integrated Strategy | This evaluation examined how effective the College and University Integrated Strategy is. The evaluation helped Region 1 identify which components yielded the best results and conveyed lessons learned to the four EPA regions that have identified colleges and universities as a priority sector. |
| 2002 | Region 1 | This evaluation assessed how effective the Environmental Management Plan was in helping three pilot university laboratories to manage their laboratory waste. | |
| 2002 | Region 8 | The Evaluation of the Environmental Partnership between the National Park Service (NPS) Intermountain Region and the Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 | This evaluation examined the National Park Service/EPA partnership to determine how effective it is. Through NPS/EPA Partnership, EPA provides technical assistance and training to help correct environmental problems in up to 90 national parks in Region 8. |
| 2002 | Region 1 | National Environmental Performance Track - Evaluating New England Performance Track Facility Members' Environmental Performance and Impact on New England's Environment | This evaluation assessed the extent to which Performance Track in New England is operated as needed. Evaluation results will be used to develop more concrete, outcome-based, environmental performance measures for the program. |
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Office of Policy; Region 1 |
EPA provides compliance assistance to the regulated community, including local governments and tribes, to help their regulatory obligations and to prevent violations. For example, EPA offers compliance assistance to help the auto body sector better understand their responsibilities in following established environmental rules. To achieve this, technical assistance ranging from newsletters, workshops, a help-line and mailings is offered. To assess the combined effectiveness of those activities, the validity of using a telephone survey to replace site visits, and the relative contributions of each assistance activity on compliance rates. The primary goal of this evaluation is to understand the contribution of EPA's Compliance Assistance (CA) effort to improved environmental management and environmental benefits and to establish a statistically valid design methodology that will allow statistical estimation of this impact. This evaluation, managed by the Office of Policy's Evaluation Support Division, is focused on supporting EPA compliance assistance efforts to: (1) implement an outcome measurement pilot for compliance assistance activities conducted in FY09/10 that uses statistically valid methods and an OMB-approved ICR for data collection; (2) investigate through a comprehensive literature review analysis, the nature and extent of any correlation between compliance assistance (CA) activities and changes in recipient behavior (i.e., improved environmental management practices and reduction/elimination/treatment of pollution); and (3) develop and refine an evaluation methodology that has transferable elements so that future, routine CA activities may be measured and evaluated using statistically-valid methodologies but with less complexity and required resources than the pilot (e.g., transferable data collection methods and survey questions). This latter task will include assessing the accuracy of telephone survey information as a substitute for site visits. The study evaluated an approach for assessing attribution for compliance assistance, and the applicability of this approach to both the larger compliance assistance program and to Agency programs that want to attribute specific outcomes to other similar Agency actions (e.g., pollution prevention and waste minimization programs). |
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| 2008 | Region 7 |
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Ethanol Compliance Manual |
The evaluation determined how effective the Ethanol Manual and other compliance assistance tools have been in improving industry compliance, and how Region 7 can be most effective in providing compliance assistance to the biofuels industry. |
| 2005 | Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance | Evaluation of EPA's National Enforcement Training Institute | This evaluation determined whether NETI is meeting its stated mission of developing a highly skilled and professional enforcement and compliance workforce, which is the underpinning to a successful compliance assurance and enforcement program and, 2) determined how OECA can better directly measure NETI's contribution to OECA's GPRA goal. |
| 2004 | Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance | Evaluation of the OECA/ECOS State Review Framework in Pilot States | The evaluation assessed the State Review Framework (a tool designed to ensure a fair and consistent level of core enforcement across the country). |
Environmental Justice
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Office of Environmental Justice | This evaluation used six case studies to assess how effective collaborative partnerships were in addressing environmental justice issues in predominantly low-income or minority communities. | |
| 2003 | Office of Environmental Justice | This report provides in-depth information on the six case studies used to examine how effective collaborative partnerships were in addressing environmental justice issues in predominantly low-income or minority communities. |
International
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Office of International and Tribal Affairs |
Summary of Findings on Design Principles for Successful Voluntary Global Partnerships |
This evaluation identifies and examines lessons from the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) Lead Campaign that may be transferable to other existing or future international partnerships. The evaluation focused on the PCFV Lead Campaign's startup and design, implementation, and overarching insights that could inform other partnership efforts. |
| 2001 | Office of International and Tribal Affairs |
An Evaluation of EPA's Safe Drinking Water Program in Central America |
This evaluation assessed how effective EPA's Safe Drinking Water Program was in increasing Central America's ability to maintain clean and safe drinking water. |
Pesticides, Chemicals and Toxics
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Office of Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances |
Evaluation of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program |
The evaluation examined the changes in federal procurement spending on environmentally preferable products and services since 2001. |
| 2007 | Office of Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances |
Evaluating the Effectiveness of EPA's Pollution Prevention Information Network (PPIN) Grant Program |
The evaluation assessed how effective the PPIN program is in promoting the adoption of P2 priorities. |
| 2005 | Office of Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) | Evaluation of the U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Reregistration Process: Opportunities for Efficiency and Innovation | This evaluation helped OPP identify innovative approaches for simplifying the process to reregister pesticide products. This evaluation also helped OPP meet Government Performance and Results Act goals and PART targets. |
| 2004 | Office of Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances | Evaluation of the EPA Hospitals for a Healthy Environment Program | This evaluation determined how successful the H2E program has been in achieving its goals of virtual elimination of mercury-containing waste from the healthcare sector by FY2005 as well as a 33 percent reduction of healthcare waste by FY2005, and 50 percent reduction of healthcare waste by FY2010. |
| 2003 | Region 4 | Evaluation of the Pesticide Applicator Certification, Training, and Testing Program in the Southeast | EPA state project officers, state regulatory officials, and USDA Cooperative Extension professionals work together to provide training and certification programs for pesticide applicators, in order to decrease pesticide risk to workers and users of pesticides. This evaluation helped determine the effectiveness of certified applicator programs at providing a safer pesticide application environment. |
| 2003 | Office of Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances | Evaluation of the EPA's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) | This evaluation determined the effectiveness of the PESP approach of encouraging member companies to voluntarily adopt strategies and practices that achieve greater pollution prevention and pesticide risk reduction beyond that which would be achieved simply through compliance with pesticide regulations. |
| 2003 | Region 10 | Measuring the Effectiveness of the Toxics Use and Waste Reduction Assistance Program | This evaluation assessed the costs and effectiveness of the Toxics Use and Waste Reduction Assistance Program in Oregon, and in particular its impact on hazardous waste compliance in Oregon. |
Stakeholder Involvement
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Office of Land and Emergency Management | Evaluating the Biennial Report | This formative evaluation assessed data collection methods to identify methods that will provide better, more timely information than current data collection processes. The results will provide input to the next cycle of hazardous waste information collection for the 2005 reporting cycle. Since the evaluation was conducted, the data system that was the main feature of the Biennial Report was replaced with a new system called "RCRAInfo." ORCR works with the former Biennial Report user community to make improvements to RCRAInfo. |
| 2001 | Office of Policy | Stakeholder Involvement & Public Participation at the U.S. EPA: Lessons Learned, Barriers, and Innovative Approaches | This evaluation identified key cross-cutting lessons learned, pinpointed unique barriers and ways to overcome them, and highlighted innovative approaches to stakeholder involvement and public participation. |
| 2000 | Office of Policy | Project XL Stakeholder Involvement Evaluation | This evaluation covered eight XL projects in various stages of implementation. This report, building on the 1998 report, considered the early dynamics of stakeholder process and stakeholder satisfaction and effectiveness with their involvement. |
| 1999 | Office of Policy | Evaluation of Community-Based Environmental Protection (CBEP) Projects: Accomplishments and Lessons | This evaluation identified factors that contributed to the success or failure of EPA-led Community-Based Environmental Protection projects. |
| 1998 | Office of Policy | Evaluation of Project XL Stakeholder Processes | This report reviewed the design and execution of the stakeholder processes by four initial XL projects. It outlined the varieties of models developed by company sponsors and reported stakeholder perspectives on the processes. |
Waste
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Office of Land and Emergency Management | This evaluation focused on the Superfund RCRA Corrective Action, and Brownfields programs within OLEM. The goals were to establish a baseline of current practice and community satisfaction with EPA’s technical assistance (TA) and information dissemination (ID) practices, and to consider the feasibility of potential measures for tracking TA and ID moving forward. | |
| 2013 | Region 2 |
Evaluating the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Region 2’s RCRA Corrective Action Program |
This study evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of the EPA Region 2 Corrective Action program. Of particular interest were processes that hamper or delay the identification of site-specific remedial decisions. The evaluation results will help Region 2 identify program management opportunities to maximize the limited Federal, State and Territorial resources to reach final remediation decisions for projects sooner and in a manner which provides long-term protection of public health and the local environment. |
| 2012 | Office of Land and Emergency Management | The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program (RMP) is implemented by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM). EPA and state and local implementing agencies conduct inspections at RMP facilities to determine compliance with RMP regulatory requirements. OEM requested an outcome evaluation of the RMP focusing on the role of inspections. OEM and the Evaluation Support Division agreed that prior to committing to a full evaluation, they would conduct an evaluation scoping project to: 1) assess whether current data are adequate to support an evaluation, and 2) identify additional data collection that might be required. | |
| 2011 | Office of Policy |
In the United States each year, an estimated 10 percent of sold architectural paint (more than 750 million gallons) is left unused. Local household hazardous waste collection programs collect more paint than any other hazardous waste. Oregon became the first state in the nation to enact a law requiring paint manufacturers to safely manage leftover latex and oil-based paint from consumer and contractor painting jobs. To ensure that paint is disposed of properly, this issue requires public awareness and a convenient and effective system for collecting paint. To support this legislation, a national partnership—the Paint Project Stewardship Initiative—was developed, and EPA's Office of Policy participated in this effort. Under the new law, the paint industry set up a program to reduce paint waste, increase reuse and recycling, and safely dispose of remaining unusable paint. Evaluation was a goal of the partnership since its inception. By building measurement and evaluation into the design of the pilot program, the Paint Project Stewardship Initiative has positioned itself to answer key evaluation questions important to all its stakeholders. The evaluation used a mixed-methods design including Direct Observation and Quasi-Experimental methodology. This evaluation assessed program performance across a range of perspectives, including: collaboration in program planning and implementation; program management; education and outreach; consumer purchasing decisions; collection of post-consumer paint; paint reprocessing, recycling and energy recovery; household hazardous waste programs; cost-effectiveness; markets for post-consumer paint; program transferability; and program side effects. The Paint Product Stewardship Initiative developed a website as a companion to this report — www.paintstewardshipprogram.com Exit. |
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| 2010 | Office of Land and Emergency Management | This report presents the results of evaluation of the hazardous waste determination program undertaken to determine if the federal hazardous waste determination program is working, identify potential challenges that hazardous waste generators face, and assess whether EPA can improve the regulations and better assist Hazardous Waste generators in achieving compliance. | |
| 2010 | Office of Land and Emergency Management |
Evaluation of Implementation of the Superfund Green Remediation Strategy |
The evaluation helped to: a) assess EPA experiences to date in implementing the Green Remediation Strategy; b) determine a baseline against which to measure EPA progress in implementing the Green Remediation Strategy; and c) determine the best metrics for measuring the program's success in implementing Green Remediation practices. |
| 2009 | Region 4 |
Effectiveness Assessment of the Region 4 Superfund Alternative (SA) Approach |
This evaluation examined the factors that influenced how this approach was used, its efficiency in terms of potential time and cost savings, and its effectiveness in achieving the goals of the Superfund program. |
| 2008 | Office of Land and Emergency Management; Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery |
The WasteWise program, run by the Office of Land and Emergency Management, uses information, technical assistance, public recognition and awards to promote the prevention and recycling of municipal solid waste and select industrial materials. Municipal solid waste includes materials that could end up in an organization's (or its customers') trash. This evaluation helped to identify the most effective activities the program could use to reduce the waste of different types of program partners (e.g., size or sector of partners) and addressed the related question of attribution: how much of this waste reduction is fairly attributable to EPA activities? The evaluation also assessed whether the current information is sufficient (or if other information available but not already reported by partners is needed) to evaluate the program. This evaluation determined whether the WasteWise Program effectively reduced waste by comparing the waste reduction practices and results of partners and non-partners under . This evaluation helped identify which activities were effective in convincing program partners to reduce waste. This evaluation also addressed the question whether these activities could be attributed to EPA activities. |
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| 2006 | Office of Land and Emergency Management | Measuring the Effectiveness of the CORE Emergency Response Program Review Process | As part of a commitment to continuous improvement and evaluation, EPA’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) developed assessment tools related to preparedness of the Emergency Response and Removal Program, but a method for evaluating the outcome of specific emergency responses and removal actions had not been developed. This evaluation was conducted to identify and apply a suite of indicators for measuring the success of individual actions to allow for routine and consistent assessment of responses. |
| 2005 | Office of Land and Emergency Management; Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances; Office of Air and Radiation; Regions | Evaluation Results from EPA's Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign | This evaluation identified successful projects; defined how to best work with schools to ensure a healthy and safe school environment; evaluated the tools available to help schools improve their school environment; and identified innovative approaches to improving a school's environment. The results were used to determine whether the program should be scaled-up for broader use. |
| 2003 | Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Solid Waste | Evaluation of Three RCRA Regulations Designed to Foster Increased Recycling | This evaluation assessed whether EPA's regulatory relief modifications under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) have increased the recycling of hazardous waste. |
| 2003 | Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Solid Waste | Evaluation of the Interagency Open Dump Clean Up Program for Tribes | This evaluation assessed whether the program was effective in cleaning up or closing open dumps on tribal lands and in preventing illegal dumping through regulations, training to community members and solid waste management planning. |
| 2003 | Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response | Program Evaluation: An Internal Review of Procedures for Community Involvement in Superfund Risk Assessments | This evaluation assessed on how EPA's guidance and educational tools for enhancing community involvement in the Superfund risk assessment process are being applied, how effective EPA is at delivering the messages about risk assessment, and how community involvement is integrated into risk management decisions. |
| 2003 | Region 10, Office of Waste and Chemicals Management | Measuring Toxics Use and Waste Reduction Assistance Program's (TUWRAP) Influence | This evaluation assessed the costs and effectiveness of the Toxics Use and Waste Reduction Assistance Program in Oregon and in particular its impact on hazardous waste compliance in Oregon. |
Water
| Year | Office | Report & Fact sheet | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Office of Water |
Evaluation of the National Water Program Climate Change Adaptation Strategy |
The evaluation identified potential metrics for measuring outcomes related to the 2012 Climate Change Strategy (including a baseline against which to measure progress) and examined lessons learned from implementing the 2008 Strategy to inform implementation of the 2012 Strategy. These results will be used to inform the development of Climate Change Adaptation plans by other EPA media programs and regional offices in support of the Agency wide Adaptation Plan. |
| 2011 | Office of Water | The evaluation documented the kinds of issues and challenges faced by municipalities and communities in Region 1 and other states as they grapple with decisions and come to consensus on whether or not to adopt a stormwater funding mechanism. | |
| 2011 | Office of Water |
Measuring the Effectiveness of the Ocean Dumping Management Program |
The evaluation assesses the environmental benefits of the Ocean Dumping Management Program and the effectiveness of program implementation to determine if available resources are used optimally. EPA is responsible for designating ocean disposal sites (both for dredged and non-dredged material), establishing and managing Site Management and Monitoring Plans for all ocean disposal sites, and establishing environmental criteria for the evaluation of permit applications. Specifically, the evaluation answered four questions: 1) What is the program's theory of change?; 2) What are emerging issues, challenges and opportunities for improving national and Regional implementation of the program?; 3) Given stable or reduced program resources, what are the opportunities for improving the alignment between resource deployment and the program's intended or desired outcomes?; and 4) How can OD measure its success? |
| 2009 | Office of Water |
Evaluation of the Drinking Water and Clean Water Infrastructure Tribal Set-Aside Grant Programs |
Through this program evaluation, EPA sought to determine the extent to which the EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Tribal Set-Aside (DWIG-TSA) Program and the EPA Clean Water Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) Program have increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in Indian country. EPA also sought to better understand and explain how these programs are implemented and which factors influenced program performance. |
| 2009 | Office of Water | The evaluation assessed the state BEACH notification programs. Specifically, the evaluation explored how grantees are using BEACH Act funding to notify the public of beach conditions; which notification methods are the most effective in reaching the public; and how beachgoers' awareness of beach advisories and closures, water quality risks and beach visitation behavior has changed in response to notifications. Evaluation results helped EPA guide states on effective ways to meet communication needs and mandates. | |
| 2008 | Office of Water |
Process Evaluation of Total Coliform Rule Implementation in Minnesota and Texas |
This evaluation assessed the implementation of the TCR by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The evaluation helped provide EPA and each state with a comprehensive assessment of current TCR programs and identify ways to operate more effectively and efficiently to improve water system compliance with TCR. |
| 2006 | Office of Water | EPA Water Quality Trading Evaluation | This evaluation identified lessons learned from successful voluntary water quality trading programs, potential barriers to trading, and opportunities for improving EPA's policies, guidance, and outreach/education efforts to promote water quality trading. The evaluation results will be used to determine how OW can improve its Government Performance and Results Act measure and better assess whether EPA's efforts to support water quality trading programs are effective. |
| 2006 | Office of Water; Region 8 | Wetland Program Development Grants: Assessing Their Role in State/Tribal Wetland Programs | The evaluation assessed how effective and efficient the grant program is in building comprehensive state and tribal wetland programs. The results provided performance information on the strengths and weaknesses of the grant program that can be used in preparation for internal and external reviews (e.g., PART, budgetary) and to ensure that Government Performance and Results Act and National Program Guidance goals are met. |
| 2006 | Region 1 | Evaluation of the Region 1 EPA New England Marina Initiative | This evaluation determined the extent to which the program achieved its intended objectives specifically, why the outcomes were achieved, whether the right performance measures were selected and if the approach can be replicated. It also provides insight and lessons learned about efficient (including cost-efficiency) measurement and integrating evaluation into program design. |
| 2004 | Office of Water; American Indian Environmental Office | The evaluation determined how effective the GAP program has been at increasing the capability (i.e., the administrative, legal, technical and enforcement) of Tribes to implement and develop environmental programs. | |
| 2004 | Office of Water; Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation, Total Maximum Daily Loads Innovations Workgroup (Participants from Regions 1, 4, 5, 8, and 10) | Developing Effective Nonpoint Source Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs): An Evaluation of the TMDL Development Process | The TMDL are calculations that are used to determine the maximum amount of pollutants that can go into a body of water. This evaluation assessed how TMDLs can be developed and established to make it easier for relevant parties to implement. This evaluation also helped determine what progress has been made in improving the water quality of watersheds. |
| 2003 | Office of Water | An Evaluation of the Office of Water's Analytical Methods Review and Approval Program | This project assessed the effectiveness of EPA's program for the review of alternative test procedures (ATPs) for use by the regulated community to comply with water quality monitoring requirements. |
| 2002 | Office of Water | Evaluation of State and Regional Water Quality Monitoring Councils | This evaluation examined how effective existing state/regional water quality monitoring councils are. The results were used to inform other entities as they create monitoring councils. |
| 2001 | Office of Water | This evaluation identified the successes, barriers, and opportunities for improving the state-wide watershed management approach. | |
| 1999 | Region 10 | Region 10 Nonpoint Source Program Evaluation | This outcome evaluation examined the success of State non-point source programs. The project was designed to gain an understanding of the effectiveness of State programs in Region 10 and develop recommendations for program improvement. |
| 1999 | Office of Water | An Assessment of the Water Quality Standards Development and Review Process | This evaluation identified ways to reduce the backlog of water quality standards and improve the standards' development, review, and approval process. |
External Reports
On occasion, independent third parties also conduct evaluations of EPA's programs. We provide links to outside groups who have conducted such evaluations.
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