Purpose

This NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) describes NASA's Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS is a system that does the following: (1) incorporates people, procedures, and work practices into a formal structure to ensure that the important environmental impacts of the organization are identified and addressed; (2) promotes continual improvement, including periodically evaluating environmental performance; (3) involves all members of the organization, as appropriate; and (4) actively involves senior management in support of the EMS. The purpose of the Agency EMS is to have a single, overall Agency approach to managing environmental activities that allows for efficient, prioritized system execution. The focus of the EMS is to improve environmental performance and to maintain compliance with applicable environmental legislation and regulations, as well as with other requirements to which NASA subscribes.

This NPR is intended to function in conjunction with the NASA Safety and Health Program, including loss-prevention priorities and risk management. As described in NPR 8000.4A, Agency Risk Management Procedural Requirements, risk management includes two complementary processes: Risk-Informed Decision Making (RIDM) and Continuous Risk Management (CRM). Since EMS and risk management are analogous activities that proactively identify potential positive or negative impacts from NASA products, activities, and services, EMS supports an Agency approach to risk management that achieves appropriate coverage and manages environmentally driven risks. These risks are frequently cross-cutting in nature and simultaneously affect multiple programs, projects, and mission support activities.

Applicability

a. This NPR applies to NASA HQ and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers, when determined to be appropriate by NASA HQ or its parent Center.

b. This language applies to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, other contractors, grant recipients, or parties to agreements only to the extent specified or referenced in the appropriate contracts or agreements.

Note: This statement alone is not sufficient to stipulate requirements for the contractor or grant recipient. The contract, grant, or agreement must state the requirement(s) from the NPR that apply.

An NPR requirement is identified by "shall," a good practice by "should," permission by "may" or "can," expected outcome or action by "will," and descriptive material by "is" or "are" (or another verb form of "to be").

The scope of the EMS at each Center consists of management-defined activities, products, and services applicable to the EMS, over which the Center has control and/or influence.

The scope of the HQ EMS includes:

(1) HQ operations, not affecting Center operations.

(2) HQ activities and programmatic decisions affecting Center operations.

Center Directors shall ensure that their Centers fully transition from conformance with requirements of NPR 8553.1 dated March 22, 2005, to those of this NPR, no later than 12 months from its effective date.