Compliance audits for environmental health
- Lloyd, Gosselink, Fowler Blevins & Mathews, Austin, TX (United States)
Environmental Compliance Audits are an emerging way for responsible entities to remain or become healthy by avoiding or limiting liability for non-compliance with environmental laws, regulations and permits. This paper describes, in concise and logical terms, methods by which a regulated entity can attain and maintain environmental health and regulatory compliance. Compliance audits range from media-specific (air, water, wastes) to comprehensive or multimedia. While environmental audits can be costly in terms of time and money, they can be far less expensive than a governmental enforcement action. Self-auditing statutes promulgated by many states offer limited privileges and immunities. With privileges and immunities in mind, entities should always conduct compliance audits with or through an attorney, not only for identification by the attorney of potential liability issues, but to maximize any privileges available. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued standards which provide audit guidelines which describe environmental audit requirements, objectives and scope, criteria, evidence and findings, conclusions and reporting. However, there is no one {open_quotes}best{close_quotes} approach. Companies are encouraged to utilize recognized successful audit program elements including a project plan, the use of individuals knowledgeable in environmental regulations, preplanning for audit activity by operating as if an audit were imminent, providing training for the environmental staff on all regulations as well as auditing procedures, organizing technical and compliance information in a central location, and conducting informal self-audits on a routine basis.
- OSTI ID:
- 613874
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9705128-; TRN: 98:001000-0063
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 14. annual national meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation (ASSMR), Austin, TX (United States), 10-15 May 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Vision 2000: An environmental commitment; Brandt, J.E.; Galevotic, J.R.; Kost, L.; Trouart, J. [eds.]; PB: 799 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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