Mission and Goals
The Society of Texas Environmental Professionals (STEP) is a nonprofit Texas corporation organized primarily for the financial, industrial and agricultural sectors of commerce within the State of Texas. STEP was formed to serve the needs of, but not limited to, entities, industries and agricultural operations that hold environmental permits and/or licenses from either municipal, state or federal agencies, as well as, the community at large, having environmentally related requirements and concerns.
We must come together as a unified voice and commit to setting professional ethics of the highest order, otherwise, the fabric of our profession will remain unwoven. This is our opportunity to shape not only environmental policy and standards, but to shape the future of the world in which we live.
Goals
The Society’s fundamental goals are listed below. They were conceived not only to guide the Society as an organization, but to strengthen and unify the various components of the environmental industry.
1. Educate and inform its membership in relevant aspects of public and private concerns regarding the environment, and to encourage professional environmental credentialing and advancement through the National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP), as well as other applicable state and national professional organizations
2. Promote the development of sound environmental regulations and policies that are congruent with both economic development and environmental concerns.
3. Establish standing environmental committees comprised of the general membership. The intended committees being:
- Air and Water
- Solid and Hazardous Wastes & Occupational Safety
- Land Resource
- Legislative
- Registration and Certification
In addition to promoting environmental professionalism, each committee will promote continuing education and training, through the sponsoring of regular courses relevant to current topics of concern.
4. Coordinate intrastate concerns relevant to Federal and State jurisdictions which address policies and practices pertaining to the environment.
5. Coordinate efforts with the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of state government and agencies promoting or advancing the Society’s goals.
6. Cooperate in the establishment of standards, criteria and registration requirements for all areas of environmental professionalism, as well as for the National Registry of Environmental Professionals.
7. Promote the interdisciplinary nature of environmental professionalism by emphasizing the broad-based nature of environmental concerns as they relate to public and commercial sector’s needs. This includes encouragement of participation and involvement of professionals in all scientific and engineering disciplines who are either directly or marginally involved in the environmental profession.