While the Survey provides a great deal of important information, the section entitled "General Needs" contributes some of the most interesting data and affords much insight into the needs and concerns of the respondents. It should be noted that the respondents of the Survey are not necessarily the listed contact and the views expressed may or may not be attributed to the contact person or their agency.
It is no surprise that the most common response is the need for financial and other support to develop and implement environmental indicators. Monitoring, establishing indicators, and measuring environmental progress are all listed as resource intensive activities which need additional funding. The lack of sustainable funding and competition for current resources is submitted as the most frequent barrier to effective environmental management.
There is a significant demand for high quality data. The lack of useful data is nearly as common a barrier to successful management as the lack of funding. Increased monitoring networks and strategies to collect data, increased computer technology for data analysis and manipulation, and the current inability to measure many useful indicators are listed frequently.
There is also a need for the ability to better integrate current/future federal and state information systems. Many of the Federal information systems are not user-friendly or accessible by current state systems. Additional suggestions include developing common facility identification numbers, upgrading national databases to be supportive of indicator use, and developing the necessary technological infrastructure to track and develop indicators.
Political and management support is a broad area of frequent comment. On one hand, institutional inertia, resistance to goals and accountability, lack of interagency cooperation, and lack of political initiative conspire to restrict innovative approaches. Many respondents requested flexibility in decsionmaking and use of Federal funding. Respondents also requested the continued use of Performance Partnership Agreements. Several respondents listed a need to include states’ input in the determination of environmental priorities by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.
On the other hand, inconsistency during changing administrations and competition for resources combine to hinder effective long-term efforts. The lack of a broad focus is often mentioned and many suggest the elimination of single-media reporting require ments and developing integrated indicators which explain a complete system. The scarcity of cooperation by state and federal agencies and the lack of coordination of efforts are also listed as obstructions, as well as the absence of standardized reporting criteria. In addition, the removal of regulations which are no longer effective is listed as means of simplifying the process so that resources can be devoted to measurement issues.
Developing a means of measuring performance is a prevalent need listed in the Survey. Some concerns cite difficulties in reaching agreement on measurement standards and definitions. Suggestions include restructuring reporting requirements and developing national indicators as a means of tracking environmental improvements. The identification and development of appropriate indicators for state use is the most frequent reply concerning necessary infrastructure.
Tying funding to indicators and requiring performance assessment to be measured with indicators instead of workload is a recurring comment throughout the Survey. Respondents call for a shift from the current “site-by-site” approach toward indicator usage and a need to “take the places over programs philosophy seriously”.
Shifting to more effective environmental management policies has numerous obstacles. Survey respondents describe difficulties in linking measurements to activities, developing links between human health and environmental quality, comparing risks of different compositions, and isolating influential factors. Governmental aid is requested in each of these areas with the Project being requested to focus and coordinate state and federal efforts.
A lack of general environmental information is listed in the Survey responses as a barrier to indicator development. Facilitating the exchange and disbursement of this type of information is requested from the regional and national U. S. Environmental Protection Agency offices and the Project. Respondents desire these agencies to share experiences in developing indicators, act as a repository or clearinghouse for ideas in developing goals and indicators, and act as a mechanism for sharing information. Additional aid is required for training state agency staff, technical assistance, and public education.