El Paso County Environmental Division
The El Paso County Environmental Services Division (ESD) works to ensure that County-owned and operated departments are compliant with all state and federal environmental regulations. The ESD is working to develop and maintain the following environmental programs:
- Environmental Management System ( EMS). The ESD is currently developing an environmental management system for each County department. An EMS is a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the processes and actions that an organization undertakes to meet its business and environmental goals. Most EMS programs are built on the "Plan, Do, Check, Act" model. This model leads to continual improvement based upon:
- Planning, including identifying environmental aspects and establishing goals [plan];
- Implementing, including training and operational controls [do];
- Checking, including monitoring and corrective action [check]; and
- Reviewing, including progress reviews and acting to make needed changes to the EMS [act].
- Contractor/Supplier/Vendor Information Sheet
- Fuel Storage Regulatory Compliance. The ESD provides State and Federal regulatory compliance support for the County’s regulated petroleum bulk storage facilities. The ESD provides assistance with installation, maintenance/repairs, and removal of the County’s petroleum bulk storage tanks. The ESD also assists with the production and implementation of Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) plans as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Oil Pollution Prevention Regulation. The SPCC plans ensure that facilities comply with the spill prevention regulations to prevent oil spills that could reach navigable waters.
- Asbestos and Lead Paint Regulatory Compliance. The ESD assists all County Departments to comply with state and federal environmental regulations related to asbestos and lead containing paint. The ESD also provides Asbestos Awareness Training for County employees who work with asbestos containing materials.
- Industrial Hygiene (IH) and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Services. IAQ pollutants come from outdoor sources, indoor processes, and construction and finishing materials such as asbestos and lead. The ESD monitors indoor air contaminates such as Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Combustible gas, and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) to ensure that they are within regulatory limits. A Photoionization Detector used by ESD monitors volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air.
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs). The ESD performs Phase I ESAs concurrent with County real estate transactions to evaluate whether a subject property has been environmentally impacted by historic or current land uses such as dry cleaners or gas stations. The Phase I ESAs are performed to comply with the SARA (Superfund Amendment & Reauthorization Act) “innocent landowner defense” requirements.
- Hazardous Waste Analysis and Disposal. The County produces hazardous waste such as waste oil, paint, and used batteries during its day-to-day operations. The ESD assists County departments to ensure that these wastes are properly stored and disposed of in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.
