Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) members are eligible to receive regulatory flexibility, recognition and other benefits, and opportunities to network with other program members to discuss pollution prevention successes and future initiatives. Members will have an opportunity to meet with the IDEM commissioner at one of the ESP annual meetings to discuss environmental topics.
Recognition and Regulatory Flexibility Incentive Guidance
IDEM encourages Indiana’s regulated entities to proactively manage their environmental responsibilities and commit to continuous environmental improvement. ESP members can earn extended regulatory incentives in exchange for "going beyond compliance" and making measurable efforts toward achieving continuous environmental improvement initiatives.
Regulatory flexibility is an integral part of voluntary performance based environmental leadership programs like ESP. It enables members to allocate limited resources towards continuous environmental improvement beyond that required by law. The incentives are designed to provide business value, reduce regulatory oversight, allow a shift in resources from compliance driven to achieving results, and provide members with increased operational flexibility.
About Regulatory Incentives
ESP regulatory incentives are authorized by rules 326 IAC 25 (Air), 327 IAC 18 (Water), and 329 IAC 18 (Land), under the Indiana Administrative Code (IAC). The rules can be viewed in their entirety on the Rules page, and the incentives are summarized in the Environmental Stewardship Program Regulatory Incentives [PDF] information sheet.
IDEM is committed to providing members with tangible regulatory incentives, but in order to effectively protect the environment, benefits may not be applicable in all situations. Examples include:
- New state or federal regulations are being issued;
- Member is a new source;
- Member does not accept benefit;
- Member's emissions or releases are near their limits;
- Complaints are received about the member; or
- Federal regulations do not allow the member to take advantage of the benefit.
How to Request Regulatory Incentives
ESP members must use the Indiana Environmental Stewardship Program Checklist for Potential Regulatory Incentives (State Form 53706, available on the IDEM Agency Forms page) to indicate which regulatory incentive(s) their company is interested in receiving. Instructions are provided on the form. IDEM will evaluate the request and email and mail a response summarizing the approved incentive(s) and any further action that is needed.
Recognition and Other Benefits
Upon being admitted to the program, ESP members will receive:
- A framed certificate for display purposes that recognizes them as an ESP member.
- An opportunity to host a public ceremony at their location where IDEM will present the framed certificate.
- A letter of recognition from the Office of the Governor or IDEM commissioner.
- Access to the ESP logo for use on company letterhead, signs, documents, etc.
IDEM will:
- Distribute a public service announcement to local media upon acceptance into ESP and will promote the new recognition within the member's community.
- Designate one person within the Office of Program Support to serve as the single point of contact for all environmental and IDEM related inquiries.
- Provide additional points toward their overall score when members apply for a grant from the Indiana Pollution Prevention Grant Program and/or the Indiana Recycling Market Development Program by noting the membership in the application.
- Provide additional points toward their overall score when a member is nominated, or nominates itself, for an Indiana Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.