U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Climate Change Adaptation Plan
Office of Administration and Resources Management
(OARM)
June 2014
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Preface
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to identifying and responding to
the challenges that a changing climate poses to human health and the environment.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that the climate is changing at an increasingly rapid rate,
outside the range to which society has adapted in the past. These changes can pose significant
challenges to the EPA's ability to fulfill its mission. The EPA must adapt to climate change if it is
to continue fulfilling its statutory, regulatory and programmatic requirements. The Agency is
therefore anticipating and planning for future changes in climate to ensure it continues to fulfill
its mission of protecting human health and the environment even as the climate changes.
In February 2013, the EPA released its draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan to the public for
review and comment. The plan relies on peer-reviewed scientific information and expert
judgment to identify vulnerabilities to EPA's mission and goals from climate change. The plan
also presents 10 priority actions that EPA will take to ensure that its programs, policies, rules,
and operations will remain effective under future climatic conditions. The priority placed on
mainstreaming climate adaptation within EPA complements efforts to encourage and
mainstream adaptation planning across the entire federal government.
Following completion of the draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan, each EPA National
Environmental Program Office, all 10 Regional Offices, and several National Support Offices
developed a Climate Adaptation Implementation Plan to provide more detail on how it will
carry out the work called for in the agency-wide plan. Each Implementation Plan articulates
how the office will integrate climate adaptation into its planning and work in a manner
consistent and compatible with its goals and objectives.
Taken together, the Implementation Plans demonstrate how the EPA will attain the 10 agency-
wide priorities presented in the Climate Change Adaptation Plan. A central element of all of
EPA's plans is to build and strengthen its adaptive capacity and work with its partners to build
capacity in states, tribes, and local communities. EPA will empower its staff and partners by
increasing their awareness of ways that climate change may affect their ability to implement
effective programs, and by providing them with the necessary data, information, and tools to
integrate climate adaptation into their work.
Each Program and Regional Office's Implementation Plan contains an initial assessment of the
implications of climate change for the organization's goals and objectives. These "program
vulnerability assessments" are living documents that will be updated as needed to account for
new knowledge, data, and scientific evidence about the impacts of climate change on EPA's
mission. The plan then identifies specific priority actions that the office will take to begin
addressing its vulnerabilities and mainstreaming climate change adaptation into its activities.
Criteria for the selection of priorities are discussed. An emphasis is placed on protecting the
most vulnerable people and places, on supporting the development of adaptive capacity in the
tribes, and on identifying clear steps for ongoing collaboration with tribal governments.
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Because EPA's Programs and Regions and partners will be learning by experience as they
mainstream climate adaptation planning into their activities, it will be essential to evaluate
their efforts in order to understand how well different approaches work and how they can be
improved. Each Implementation Plan therefore includes a discussion of how the organization
will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of its adaptation efforts and make adjustments where
necessary.
The set of Implementation Plans are a sign of EPA's leadership and commitment to help build
the nation's adaptive capacity that is so vital to the goal of protecting human health and the
environment. Working with its partners, the Agency will help promote a healthy and
prosperous nation that is resilient to a changing climate.
Bob Perciasepe
Deputy Administrator
September 2013
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Office of Administration and Resources Management
Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan
June 2014
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. High-level Vulnerability Assessment
3. Current Efforts to Address Climate Change
4. Possible New Action Items
5. Monitoring and Evaluation
6. Appendix: Potential Analysis Tools
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Introduction
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to the safety of its personnel, the
efficient operation of its buildings, and the sustainability of the communities in which its
facilities are located. One of the areas where EPA demonstrates its mission is preparing for and
mitigating the potential effects of global climate change, including severe weather events,
water shortages, and sea level rises. Adaptation planning to protect EPA's workforce and
increase the resiliency of its facilities to ensure
continued operations is a critical part of OARM's
mission.
As the office within EPA responsible for facilities,
transportation, security, health and safety, human
resources, grants, and procurement, OARM is
responsible for ensuring the safe and continued
operation of the Agency's buildings, contracts, grants,
and personnel. EPA's people, buildings, and
operations could be impacted by any number of
potential climate change effects. As required by the
EPA Policy Statement on Climate Change Adaptation
(June 2014), OARM has revised its Climate Change
Adaptation Implementation Plan (dated June 2013).
EPA has made great strides in both preparing for and
mitigating climate change effects wherever possible.
The Agency's Strategic Sustainability Performance
Plan (SSPP), for example, outlines numerous goals and
achievements in reducing the Agency's greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, energy dependence, water use
requirements, solid waste, pollution, and other
environmental impacts. EPA also has in place an
extensive continuity of operations plan (COOP)
designed to address natural disasters and other
events that could interrupt Agency operations.
Where necessary, EPA will develop and implement
new action items to protect its workforce, facilities,
and operations against climate change effects and
become more resilient to these effects. For example,
EPA will consider enhancing the resilience of existing
facilities in coastal areas to protect them from severe
weather, flood damage, and sea level rise. The Agency
will also work with other government agencies,
particularly the U.S. General Services Administration
(GSA), to account for climate change effects and
resiliency in the design and construction of new
facilities, or when new buildings are leased. Before
undertaking any actions, EPA will assess the need and
OARM Primary Functions
Office of Human Resources (OHR): Manages
traditional human resource functions and
provides Agency-wide policy development,
strategic planning, and direction for EPA's
human resource programs.
Office of Administration (OA): Enables,
manages, and maintains sustainable, safe
and secure workplaces and manages
facilities, safety, and security activities in
support of the Agency's mission.
Office of Grants and Debarment (OGD):
Provides cradle-to-grave administrative
management of all Headquarters-
administered grants, loans, cooperative
agreements, fellowships, interagency
agreements, and Suspension and
Debarment program management.
Office of Acquisition Management (OAM):
Manages the planning, awarding, and
administering of contracts and procurement
policy for the Agency.
Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ):
Conducts hearings and renders decisions in
proceedings between the EPA and persons,
businesses, government entities, and other
organizations that are, or are alleged to be,
regulated under environmental laws.
Environmental Appeals Board (EAB): Acts as
the final Agency decision maker on
administrative appeals under all major
environmental statutes that the Agency
administers.
Office of Diversity, Advisory Committee
Management and Outreach (ODACMO):
provides strategic leadership in furthering
the EPA's commitment to building a high
performing organization that draws on the
talents, experience and perspectives from
all segments of society and the EPA
workforce.
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evaluate the potential for effectiveness of each activity, as well as estimate the resources
needed to implement it.
This plan includes the following key components:
• High-level vulnerability assessment
• Current efforts to address climate change
• Possible new action items
• Measurement and performance evaluation
• Additional analysis tools and criteria for prioritizing action items
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High-Level Vulnerability Assessment
In 2011, OARM developed a high-level assessment of the Agency's vulnerabilities to climate
change specific to its functional areas. Based on the potential effects of climate change, OARM
has identified the following vulnerabilities as medium to high priority. Note: This assessment
does not address EPA research capabilities that might be affected, only its ability to maintain
the facilities, operations, procurement, security, and personnel in support of those needs.
Water Quality and Supply: Changes to water ecosystems—including
increasing water temperatures, decreasing precipitation days, and increasing
drought intensity—could mean a change in the disposition of water supplies
and potentially compromise the quality and quantity of water available for
use. EPA laboratories require water to conduct experiments and meet
building cooling requirements. Water shortages and quality issues will require
better water conservation planning, especially in drought-prone regions.
Severe Weather or Flooding Damage: Facilities in coastal or flood-prone
areas could face the effects of increasing floods, intense hurricanes, and
extreme temperature shifts. In addition to planning and preparing for such
severe weather events before they occur, EPA may have to shift its real estate
priorities and resources to respond to damage incurred by facilities in coastal
regions and other affected locations.
Field Worker Safety: Because a portion of EPA employees and contractors are
engaged in field work, they may be vulnerable to extreme temperatures or
other weather events. Emergency management mission support must include
procuring the proper personal protective equipment to be prepared for such
types of working conditions while conducting sampling, remediation, and
other outdoor/field activities.
Physical Security: In many EPA locations, closed-circuit television (CCTV)
security cameras, intrusion detection systems, outdoor lighting, and access
control devices must run continuously. EPA should ensure that these devices
are secure in severe weather conditions and continue to be powered by an
uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or have access to a backup generator as
needed if climate-related conditions cause interruptions in the power supply.
Security Operations and Emergency Communications: Severe weather events
and other climate-related conditions causing interruptions in power could
limit electronic communications, cell phone services (including radio
communication "walkie-talkie" service), and analog phones in EPA locations
where public address systems are not connected to backup power. EPA's
COOP should address emergency communications in such instances.
Vulnerability
Vulnerability
Medium
Vulnerability
Medium
Vulnerability
Medium
Vulnerability
Medium
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Current Efforts to Address Climate Change
Even before such measures were required under Executive Order (EO) 13514, EPA undertook a
variety of climate change mitigation strategies, setting aggressive goals to quantify and reduce
the carbon footprint associated with its facilities, employees, and operations. Following are just
a few of OARM's efforts and recent results in this area.
GHG Emissions Inventory and Reductions
In fiscal year (FY) 2013, EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions were 57.4 percent lower than its
FY 2008 emissions baseline (far exceeding the Agency's goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2
emissions 25 percent by FY 2020), thanks in large part to energy efficiency projects at its
facilities, improved fleet management practices, and extensive green power purchases. EPA's
Scope 3 GHG emissions decreased 40.4 percent compared to its FY 2008 baseline, due to
reductions in business air travel, increased use of telework, and cuts in travel budgets.
Energy Efficiency
EPA's FY 2013 energy intensity was 25.6 percent below the FY 2003 baseline, exceeding the EO
13514 requirements. EPA closely tracks and manages its energy use and plans to continue
making significant progress in reducing its energy intensity by focusing on implementing key
projects identified during facility energy assessments. The Agency also exceeded the EO 13514
petroleum use reduction requirement by using 38.9 percent less fuel in fleet vehicles compared
to the FY2005 baseline.
High Performance Sustainable Buildings
Approximately 11.5 percent of EPA's Federal Real Property Profile buildings met the Guiding
Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings in FY 2013.
To make the Agency's facilities more climate-resilient, EPA has reviewed resiliency-related
municipal regulations, zoning ordinances, building codes, subdivision specifications, and other
literature from federal, state, and local entities and from academia. As part of this effort, EPA
has also discussed climate resiliency planning with GSA's Office of Mission Assurance and is
examining proposed and existing green building rating systems for relevant climate resiliency
considerations. EPA has developed an initial list of climate resiliency planning considerations,
which it will use to update the Agency's space planning and leasing guidelines in FY 2015 and
2016.
Water Conservation
In FY 2013, EPA's water intensity reduction of 38.8 percent far exceeded the EO 13514
requirement of 10 percent. EPA also far exceeded requirements for reducing landscaping
water use, achieving a 95.3 percent reduction compared to FY 2010.
Pollution Prevention and Waste Reduction
EPA adopted a more aggressive waste reduction goal of 55 percent compared to the 50
percent goal required by EO 13514. The Agency already exceeded that goal with an FY 2013
waste diversion rate of 64.7 percent.
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Electronic Stewardship and Data Centers
EPA's purchasing and IT policies require: energy-efficient and environmentally preferable
features on electronic products; achieving a 100 percent power management enabling rate on
computers and monitors; and reusing, donating, recycling, or disposing of electronic equipment
in an environmentally sound manner. EPA plans to reduce its number of data centers as well.
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Possible New Action Items
In addition to addressing its high-level vulnerabilities described previously, OARM will consider
possible new action items to pursue as part of its climate adaptation plans, depending on
funding and available resources (including personnel and other Agency resources).
Lead
Office
Action Item
Priority &
Timeframe
OA
Make Adaptation Part of High Performance Sustainable Buildings
• Consider Adaptation and Resiliency as Part of Building
Management Plan Guidelines (BMPG): As part of its efforts to
meet the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High
Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding Principles),
EPA developed and is working to implement the BMPG in its
owned facilities. OARM will review the BMPG for existing
mitigation strategies and identify opportunities to address
climate change adaptation and resiliency when assisting
existing facilities in meeting the Guiding Principles.
• Work With GSA: For facilities that EPA does not own, OARM
will work with its counterparts at GSA to ensure climate
change adaptation and resiliency are taken into account in
procuring, renewing leases, and maintaining existing
facilities, especially in communities where severe weather
and other climate-related events could have the most
impact.
• Update Best Practices (Environmental) Lease Provisions
(BPLP): EPA includes the BPLP with GSA's standard
Solicitation for Offer template to facilitate inclusion of
environmental provisions in new lease actions. EPA will
identify potential impacts of several key climate stressors on
leased facilities and will review the BPLP to determine if
climate change resiliency requirements should be added in
the future.
• Update Architecture and Engineering Guidelines (A&E
Guidelines): EPk'sA&E Guidelines provide guidance for
facilities management, engineering, planning, and
architecture professionals in the design and construction of
new EPA facilities and the evaluation of existing facilities.
EPA will identify potential impacts of several key climate
stressors and will review \lsA&E Guidelines to determine if
climate change resiliency requirements should be added in
the future.
• Incorporate Adaptation and Resiliency Into GreenCheck:
GreenCheck, OARM's process for evaluating new
construction and renovation projects for various
environmental initiatives and high performance sustainable
building characteristics, will consider measures to ensure
Medium/
Ongoing
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building additions, construction, and other efforts take
adaptation and resiliency to severe weather and other
climate change-related effects into account when projects
are undertaken.
OA Conduct Pilot Facility Climate Resiliency Assessment
EPA will select a representative, mission-critical facility that is
currently experiencing impacts from climate change and conduct a
pilot assessment analyzing the climate stressors, vulnerabilities,
adaptive responses, and lessons learned for that facility. Through
the pilot study, EPA will "beta test" the proposed updates to its
facility planning documents to improve resiliency for EPA facilities
and contribute to the climate adaptation knowledge base for the
federal community.
Medium/
2015
OA Incorporate Adaptation Into Water Conservation Planning
As part of its ongoing work to reduce water intensity across all of its
reporting facilities, EPA will revisit its existing Water Conservation
Strategy to ensure that water is being used as efficiently as possible
in its facilities, and that laboratories are prepared to respond in the
event of a drought or other water shortage or quality event.
Medium/
2015
OA Reduce Energy Reliance
EPA laboratories demand higher-than-average energy use to meet
the Agency's research requirements. Because severe weather events
and rising temperatures can impact the consistent delivery of power
from the nation's electrical grid, EPA will continue to reduce its
reliance on traditional energy sources through energy conservation
measures, fleet efficiency, and onsite renewable energy generation.
Medium/
Ongoing
OAM Prepare for Contract Continuity
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 18 addresses emergency
contracting policies at the federal regulatory level, and the Office of
Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Emergency Acquisitions Guide
provides supplemental guidelines, as does OARM's COOP.
Low/2015
OHR Educate Employees on the Impacts of Climate Change
Once the final Climate Adaptation Plan is published, OARM will
integrate with other Agency-wide adaptation efforts to increase
employee awareness of climate change effects that may affect their
ability to implement effective programs. OARM will work with the
EPA Office of Policy to provide the necessary data, information,
training, and tools to employees to ensure continuity of operations.
Low/2015
OHR Redirect Personnel as Needed
Following severe weather and other events, EPA response personnel
may need to be redirected to assist emergency management
personnel, assess environmental damage, and test sites for air
quality, water quality, and other environmental health concerns.
As needed
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Monitoring and Evaluation
OARM recognizes that evaluating progress on climate change adaptation and resiliency is
important. Much of the work described in this plan is evaluated annually as part of the SSPP,
OMB Scorecard, and federal agency environmental compliance process. In addition, EPA will
gather and review lessons learned over time as the Agency responds to severe weather events,
addresses changing priorities, and mainstreams climate adaptation planning into personnel,
facilities, and operations processes. We will use this information to continually improve our
climate change adaptation and resiliency planning and response actions.
Looking ahead, OARM could track progress on climate change adaptation by incorporating new
action items into future SSPP updates. As an existing, annually updated strategy that
encompasses both climate change mitigation activities and EPA's progress on specific Agency-
wide goals regarding facilities, personnel, and operations, the SSPP is the most appropriate way
to track actions taken to adapt to climate change effects such as severe weather events that
impact its facilities and operations and document EPA's efforts to build resiliency to such
impacts.
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Appendix: Potential Analysis Tools
Regional Climate Scenarios
In January 2013, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGRP) made available the first
standardized set of regional climate scenarios and global sea level rise scenarios that all federal
agencies can use in their adaptation planning efforts. The scenarios provide pictures of future
climate and sea level rise that EPA can use as it anticipates and prepares for climate change.
OARM and each Region could, depending on funding availability, evaluate the potential impacts
of climate change on their facilities, personnel, and operations using the Integrated Climate and
Land Use Scenarios (ICLUS) (http://www.epa.gov/ncea/global/iclus/) developed by EPA's Office
of Research and Development. These are nationwide housing-density scenarios consistent with
climate change storylines. Combined with the USGCRP's regional climate scenarios, ICLUS can
help answer the question, "What should we plan for?" They can help evaluate how interactions
between climate and land-use changes may affect air and water quality, human health, and
ecosystems.
EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool
Version 2.0 of EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (GREAT) is now available
for download at www.epa.gov/climatereadyutilities. The tool assists drinking water,
wastewater, and stormwater utilities in identifying climate change threats, assessing potential
consequences, and evaluating adaptation options.
Eight Regions Defined by the National Climate Assessment
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