EPA Region 9
Climate Change
Adaptation
Implementation Plan
Publication Number: EPA-100-K-14-001P
May 2014
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Disclaimer
To the extent this document mentions or discusses statutory or regulatory authority, it does so for
informational purposes only. This document does not substitute for those statutes or regulations, and
readers should consult the statutes or regulations to learn what they require. Neither this document,
nor any part of it, is itself a rule or a regulation. Thus, it cannot change or impose legally binding
requirements on EPA, States, the public, or the regulated community. Further, any expressed intention,
suggestion or recommendation does not impose any legally binding requirements on EPA, States, tribes,
the public, or the regulated community. Agency decision makers remain free to exercise their discretion
in choosing to implement the actions described in this Plan. Such implementation is contingent upon
availability of resources and is subject to change.
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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.
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
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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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EPA Region 9
Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan
I. Purpose
This Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan (Plan) outlines actions the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 will take to become more resilient to our changing
climate.
EPA issued a Policy Statement on Climate-Change Adaptation in June, 20111. The Policy Statement
recognizes that climate change can pose significant challenges to EPA's ability to fulfill its mission and
calls for the Agency to anticipate changes in climate and incorporate considerations of climate change
into its activities. In accordance with the Policy Statement, EPA issued an Agency-wide Draft Climate
Change Adaptation Implementation Plan2 on February 8, 2013, describing how the agency intends to
adapt to climate change and assist its partners in doing the same. Subsequently, each of the EPA's
national program offices, and its ten regional offices, developed Climate Change Adaptation
Implementation Plans, specific to their programs and regions. Many programs throughout EPA have
already begun to address the implications of climate change.
Region 9 intends to fulfill its mission by building a more resilient and climate-responsive program. We
will assist our partners in meeting the challenges of climate change through financial and technical
assistance, effective coordination and decision-support to increase their resilience.
Vision of the Future EPA (from U.S. EPA Climate Change Adaptation Plan, 2013)
We live in a world in which the climate is changing. Changes in climate have occurred since the
formation of the planet. But humans are now influencing Earth's climate and causing it to change in
unprecedented ways.
It is in this rapidly changing world that EPA is working to fulfill its mission to protect human health and
the environment. Many of the outcomes EPA is working to attain (e.g., clean air, safe drinking water)
are sensitive to changes in weather and climate. Until now, EPA has been able to assume that climate
is relatively stable and future climate will mirror past climate. However, with climate changing more
rapidly than society has experienced in the past, the past is no longer a good predictor of the future.
Climate change is posing new challenges to EPA's ability to fulfill its mission.
It is essential that EPA adapt to anticipate and plan for future changes in climate. It must integrate, or
mainstream, considerations of climate change into its programs, policies, rules and operations to
ensure they are effective under future climatic conditions. Through climate adaptation planning, EPA
will continue to protect human health and the environment, but in a way that accounts for the effects
of climate change.
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II. Impacts from Climate Change in EPA Region 9
Around the world, a cascade of effects is expected to result from climate change. Most of these changes
will be felt somewhere in Region 9. Those changes will vary from the arid southwest deserts to the
Pacific Islands to the Northern California coastal forests. Some changes are more certain than others.
Changes may be local, or cover the whole region. Below are some examples of climate change impacts
that are likely to occur in Region 9.
Air temperatures will increase;
Precipitation may decrease in some areas;
Storm events may be more severe;
Oceans will become more acidic and warm; and
Sea level will rise.
Figure 1 illustrates the impacts that are likely to result from each of these climatic changes.
Figure 1:
Adverse Impacts of Climate Change
Climate
Change could
lead to...
Air
Temperature
Increase
Storm
Intensity
Increase
Ocean
Acidification
and Warming
Precipitation
Decrease
Sea Level Rise
Tropospheric
ozone
increase
Heat event
increase
Snowfall and
pack decrease
Runoff season
change
Wildfire
increase
Water
temperature
increase
Species
changes
Water supply
change
Freshwater
flow decrease
Wildfire
increase
Soil moisture
decrease
Species
changes
Flooding
Damage to
communities
and
infrastructure
(inland and
on coast)
Damage to
habitats
(inland and
on coast)
Erosion
increase
(inland and
on coast)
Coral reef
decline
Aquaculture
decline
Species
changes
Salt water
intrusion to
groundwater
Coastal
erosion
Damage to
communities
and
infrastructure
Damage to
habitat
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III. Vulnerabilities for EPA Region 9 Communities.
Populations. Habitats, and Programs
The term "vulnerability" refers to the degree to which a community or habitat is susceptible to, or
unable to cope with, the adverse effects of climate change. This section discusses the communities,
populations, and habitats in Region 9 that are most vulnerable to climate change, and where EPA's
mission intersects with the challenges that these vulnerable communities and habitats face. This section
also identifies where EPA's ability to meet its own mission and goals is at risk from climate change.
Certain parts of the population, such as children, the elderly, minorities, the poor, persons with
underlying medical conditions or disabilities, those with limited access to information, and tribal and
indigenous populations, can be especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Also, certain
geographic locations and communities are particularly vulnerable, such as those located in low-lying
coastal areas. One of the principles guiding EPA's efforts to integrate climate adaptation into its
programs, policies, and rules calls for its adaptation plans to prioritize helping people, places and
infrastructure that are most vulnerable to climate impacts, and to be designed and implemented with
meaningful involvement from all parts of society.
This Plan identifies key programmatic vulnerabilities and the priority actions that will be taken to
address those vulnerabilities over time. As the work called for in this Plan is conducted, the communities
and demographic groups most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change will be identified. The
Agency will then work in partnership with these communities to increase their adaptive capacity and
resilience to climate change impacts. These efforts will be informed by experiences with previous
extreme weather events (e.g., Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy) and the subsequent recovery
efforts.
The EPA has not conducted a quantitative assessment of vulnerabilities within Region 9. Rather, we
have drawn on the best available science, the detailed assessments of others, and our own best
professional judgment. Summaries of selected writings are provided in Appendix B.
A. Definitions
Vulnerable communities include those which are in the path of potentially large climate-related impacts
and have limited ability or interest in re-locating. For example, traditional communities may have
important customs tied to specific locations. This includes some Native American Tribal communities on
the main land and Pacific Island communities on islands or atolls. A community's traditions may also
include specific vulnerable plant or animal species only found in certain areas. Major climate change
impacts (i.e., sea level rise, coastal erosion, fire, or flood) could physically destroy an entire community
or the most vulnerable segments. Some communities (indigenous or not) that are in the path of climate
change impacts may not have financial resources to adequately prepare or to relocate.
Vulnerable populations include individuals who are at risk because of existing health issues. The
populations most vulnerable to climate change often include, but are not limited to, the communities
that are the focus of EPA's environmental justice program. Children, the elderly, the poor, the infirm,
and tribal and indigenous populations are among the most vulnerable. For example, the elderly tend to
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be more susceptible to heat stroke due to their bodies' decreased ability to cool down and
complications with existing chronic ailments (e.g., diabetes).3. In addition, people on fixed incomes have
limited financial resources to protect their health (e.g., incurring electric bill charges for running an air
conditioner during an extreme heat event). Individuals with asthma are more susceptible to the impacts
of increased ozone and particulate matter in the air4.
Vulnerable habitats are at risk when the resources and conditions they depend on change or are
eliminated. For example, a wet montane meadow dependent on snowmelt runoff all summer may not
survive if mountain snows dry up before summer's end. A coral reef may not survive if storms wash
sediment from the land and the coral is smothered. A protective mangrove forest may be flooded and
destroyed by storm wave over wash and sea level rise5, allowing storms to erode a newly exposed
coastline and formerly protected communities.
The effectiveness of EPA programs will be at risk if they cannot meet the EPA mission and goals in the
face of climate change. EPA must consider climate change impacts and vulnerabilities in the regular
course of work (e.g., reviewing grant applications, permit applications and NEPA documents; planning
for emergency response; considering air pollution impacts to communities). Public health could be put
at risk if drinking water supply pipes are washed away in a storm. The biological integrity of a restored
coastal wetland system could be lost due to sea level rise. Wildfires and dust storms could put more
particulate matter into the atmosphere which could reduce air quality and negatively impact human
health. EPA's emergency response capabilities may be called on more frequently as extreme weather
events increase. EPA owned or rented facilities may be directly impacted (e.g., due to sea level rise) or
indirectly impacted (e.g., power line failures) by climate change. During and following extreme weather
events, the ability of EPA personnel to access communication systems, or respond in person, may be
impeded by storm damage and flooding.
B. Vulnerabilities in Region 9
Climate change exacerbates our existing environmental problems, and makes it more challenging for
EPA to fulfill its mission to protect public health and the environment Anticipated climate change
impacts, their likelihood of occurrence, and their effects on EPA programs are described in Appendix A,
"Challenges that Climate Change Poses to EPA Region 9 Program Effectiveness".
In order to understand the challenges that EPA programs will face, it is important to understand the
vulnerabilities that the Region 9 communities, populations and habitats will face. Climate change
vulnerability varies from one geographic area to another within Region 9, due to the variation in
interactions of the ocean, the landscape and the atmosphere. The climate change challenges that
Federally-recognized Tribes within Region 9 face are of particular concern to EPA. This section provides
background on vulnerabilities within Region 9 geographic zones, and in Indian Country.
B. 1. Vulnerabilities in Geographic Regions of Region 9
Region 9 lies within 3 of the 8 geographic regions defined by the National Water Program 2012 Strategy:
Response to Climate Change6-the Southwest, the Montane, and the U.S. Pacific Islands and Territories.
Unless otherwise referenced, the following descriptions of vulnerabilities in these three geographical
regions (sections B.I.a., B.l.b., and B.l.c.) are from this same 2012 EPA document. These regional
designations are based largely on those defined by the US Global Change Research Program.3
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B.I.a. The Southwest Region: Much of the southwest is arid with relatively high air temperatures.
Several mountain ranges, as well as the Pacific Ocean, influence climate and water resources in certain
parts of the Region. Water is stored as snowpack during the winter and released to streams in the
spring and early summer, helping to meet increasing water demands. There are three major river
systems: the Sacramento-San Joaquin, the Colorado, and the Rio Grande. Several huge water storage
and conveyance projects divert water from rivers for more widespread use by agriculture and growing
cities. The lack of rainfall and the prospect of future droughts becoming more severe is a significant
concern, especially because the Southwest continues to lead the nation in population growth.
Warmer temperatures will reduce mountain snow packs, and peak spring runoff from snow melt
will shift to earlier in the season, leading to and increasing the shortage of fresh water during the
summer. A longer and hotter warm season will likely result in longer periods of extremely low
flow and lower minimum flows in late summer. Water supply systems that have no storage or
limited storage (e.g., small municipal reservoirs) may suffer seasonal shortages in summer;
The magnitude of projected temperature increases for the Southwest, particularly when combined
with urban heat island effects for major cities such as Phoenix, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and many
California cities, represents significant stresses to health, energy, and water supply in a region that
already experiences very high summer temperatures;
Reduced ground water supply due to a lack of recharge will be of concern;
Warmer ocean temperatures may decrease productivity by stopping entrainment of deep supplies
of nutrients. The resulting reductions in commercial species will need to be addressed to support
continued production of fisheries and aquatic life;
Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems, and
infrastructure. Increased flood risk is likely to result from a combination of decreased snow cover
on the lower slopes of high mountains, and an increased percentage of winter precipitation falling
as rain and therefore running off more rapidly;
Sea levels are rising and contributing to the loss of wetlands and infrastructure located along
coastal corridors; and
The magnitude and frequency of wildfires have increased over the last 30 years which severely
impacts water quality in streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, and estuaries.
B.l.b. The Montane Region: The Montane region within EPA Region 9 includes the glaciated mountain
tops and down-slope watersheds of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades. These areas are unique in that
they rely on winter snow accumulation for their water supply. Sensitive ecological communities include
bogs and fens. Montane glaciers and snowfields are reservoirs of water for the human populations and
ecological communities at lower elevations.
Most ecosystems in the North American Montane Region are predicted to slowly migrate and shift their
distribution towards the north in response to warming temperatures. However, the alpine areas are
often distributed as small, isolated regions surrounded by other habitats. These areas can be
disconnected from each other by wide stretches of land used for timber production, ranching, or other
uses. Instead of shifts in latitude, alpine vegetation and animals will be limited to shifts in altitude,
unless connections between suitable habitats can be made.7
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A warmer climate will cause lower-elevation habitats to move into higher zones, encroaching on
alpine and sub-alpine habitats;
High-elevation plants and animals will lose habitat area as they move higher with some
"disappearing off the tops of mountains;"
Rising temperatures will increase the importance of connections between mountain areas;
Rising temperatures may cause mountain snow to melt earlier and faster in spring, shifting the
timing and distribution of runoff. This in turn affects the availability of freshwater for natural
systems and for human uses. Earlier melting leads to drier conditions for the balance of the water
year, with increased fire frequency and intensity;
Water supplies will become increasingly scarce, calling for trade-offs among competing uses, and
leading to conflict;
Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems, and
infrastructure;
Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about
the region's declining water resources; and
Climate change is likely to affect native plant and animal species by altering key habitats such as
the wetland ecosystems known as montane fens or playa lakes.
B.l.c. The Pacific Islands Region: The Pacific Islands region in EPA Region 9 encompasses the Hawaiian
Islands, as well as the United States affiliated Pacific islands, including the territories of American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Guam. The Pacific Islands are more
vulnerable to climate change than nearly any other region in the United States. Key vulnerabilities
include availability of freshwater, adverse impacts to coastal and marine ecosystems, and exposure to
hazards including sea level rise and inundation.
Rising sea levels, higher sea temperatures, and ocean acidification associated with climate change
are further degrading coral reefs already stressed by overfishing and pollution. Their loss
diminishes ecological heritage, shoreline protection, food supply from the sea, and results in a
decline in income from ecotourism in the Pacific Island communities where tourism is one of the
largest industries;
Potential for extended drought, due to a change in rain-delivering weather systems. Due to the
geographic isolation of the Pacific Islands and the challenges of delivering freshwater from other
regions, a drought could have major impacts on freshwater supply. A severe drought would
impact water supplies for drinking water, agriculture irrigation, and industry. Key freshwater and
brackish habitats would likely be impacted 8. The western Pacific already experiences the highest
rate of Category 4 and 5 storms. Climate change may bring more frequent and higher energy
storms resulting in potentially catastrophic damage to island infrastructure. This degree of
damage could cripple the economies of Pacific Island communities for significant periods of time,
not only impairing economic development but also the ability of local governments to ensure
delivery of basic water and sewer and other public health services; and
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Sea level rise has multiple implications for Pacific Island communities:
o For the low-lying atolls, entire islands may be submerged within a generation and may result
in environmental refugees seeking new homes;
o For some low-lying islands, sea level rise can result in "wash over/' in which islands, or
portions of islands, are submerged by waves during large storm events. This results in salt
water contamination of agricultural lands, significantly decreasing the productivity of those
lands. This loss of agricultural productivity has an acute impact on the largely subsistence-
based economies of these communities;
o For many of the islands, sea level rise has an immediate, and accelerated impact on coastal
erosion, which affects water quality, coral reef health, coastal infrastructure, available land,
and culturally significant sites; and
o Sea level rise increases the potential for salt water intrusion into the sole source aquifers
upon which many Pacific Islands rely for drinking water. There are few or no readily
accessible alternative drinking water options when a community is confronted with the loss
of productivity of a sole source aquifer.
Appendix B provides summaries of selected studies conducted on climate change vulnerabilities in the
geographic areas of Region 9.
B.2. Vulnerabilities on Tribal lands in Region 9
The US EPA Draft Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan2, issued on February 8, 2013, includes
a discussion of the importance of EPA working with the Tribes to assist them in successfully adapting to
climate change:
"Indigenous people are among the most vulnerable communities in North America.9 Tribes are more
vulnerable to climate change impacts because of their dependence upon a specific geographic area for
their livelihoods, the degree to which those geographic areas embody climate-sensitive environments,
and their unique cultural, economic, or political characteristics and contexts. Also, tribes generally have
fewer resources to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural hazards, including those related to
climate change.10 The disproportionate vulnerability of tribes to climate change affects EPA's mission to
protect human health and the environment in Indian country."
"Drought is perhaps the most pervasive climate-induced weather impact on tribes. Water is at the heart
of many tribal cultures and the foundation of their livelihoods, economies, subsistence, and treaty
rights. Water is essential to the sustainability of the fish, wildlife, and plants on which tribes rely. The
recent trend toward more severe and frequent droughts, especially in the American Southwest,
threatens the very underpinnings of tribal communities. The Southwest is already in the midst of a 10-15
year drought, and climate projections suggest the Southwest may transition to a more arid climate on a
permanent basis over the next century and beyond.11 In fact, climate observations indicate that this
transition may have already begun.12"
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IV. Priority Actions
EPA Region 9 is already addressing climate change adaptation in several program areas. We will
continue to pursue the best opportunities for integrating climate change into our existing programs, and
identify new climate change adaptation needs where EPA's involvement is critical.
As EPA Region 9 cannot immediately address all climate change adaptation needs, we have adopted
criteria to screen potential actions. EPA Region 9 will target its climate change adaptation work, based
on the following criteria:
Does the action target one of the most severe and immediate vulnerabilities?
Does the action focus on one of the most vulnerable populations and/or geographic areas?
Does EPA Region 9 have the capacity (personnel and funding resources) and ability (knowledge,
skills, and authority) to take the action and contribute to a solution?
Is this a priority action for our partners (federal/state/territory/tribal/local government and non-
government) and are they able to work with us towards a solution?
Does the action support and align with other EPA Region 9 priorities and actions?
In Sections A and B below, we describe a substantial number of priority actions that EPA Region 9 plans
to implement as climate change adaptation measures. We include both region-wide adaptation actions
and program-specific actions. In addition, below are five specific adaptation actions that reflect EPA
Region 9's strong commitment to climate change adaptation. The region intends to provide particular
emphasis and focus on these adaptation actions over the next year.
* Implement the Region 9 Coral Reef Strategy and provide leadership to reduce local pollution and
increase coral reef climate change resiliency.
* Hold at least one roundtable discussion session with federal and state agencies, and other key climate
change adaptation stakeholders, to discuss climate change vulnerabilities and coordinate efforts to build
climate change resiliency.
* Provide a key venue at R9 RTOC Meetings to identify key tribal climate change adaptation issues and
success stories, as well as technical and financial resources to build resiliency, and provide a forum for
information sharing, training, and capacity building. Support elevation of appropriate issues to the
Tribal Science Council, promoting Region 9 tribes' participation with ORD on climate change issues and in
climate change discussions.
* Support EPA's state counterparts in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada in climate adaptation
efforts, potentially including developing an annual summary of their climate change adaptation
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successes, summarizing regional highlights for building climate change resiliency, or promoting success
stories on climate change adaptation.
* Provide training to the EPA Region 9 workforce on climate change impacts and adaptation
opportunities. Provide training on incorporating climate change into the Region's programmatic
operations.
A. Region-Wide Themes for Climate Change Adaptation
1. Mainstream Climate Change into EPA's Work.
Critical to carrying out the EPA mission is our ability to integrate climate change considerations into our
everyday work. EPA Region 9 has been active in this area since developing our Energy and Climate
Change Strategy in 2007. This Strategy led to the formation of our Clean Energy & Climate Change
Office, which serves the entire Region, and the establishment of a cross-divisional Clean Energy and
Climate Change Team (ETeam). Drawing upon the foundation laid in the EPA Office of Water Climate
Change Strategy and the CCA Plans which other EPA regions and Headquarters offices are preparing,
EPA Region 9 will continue to integrate climate adaptation into existing programs and activities to
maximize their effectiveness. This will include the following steps and activities:
a. Strengthen adaptive capacity for EPA Region 9 and our partners. EPA Region 9's ETeam and
Regional Science Council have worked together to offer a series of climate change training sessions to all
Region 9 staff. In order to continue to integrate climate change into EPA Region 9's existing programs
effectively, EPA Region 9 will continue to train our staff, and build our capacity for adaptation actions.
We anticipate that future training sessions will focus within the EPA Region 9 office, but will also likely
extend to our federal, state, tribal and local partners.
To assist our partners in taking actions most relevant to their particular climate change vulnerabilities,
EPA is invested in supporting the partners' own decision-making. The term "decision-support tools" is
used to describe documents or programs that help organizations understand what questions to ask, or
what data to gather, so they can decide what actions to take to increase their climate change resilience.
Provide training opportunities to our staff to increase their understanding of climate change
vulnerabilities in our Region, and how to best incorporate climate change adaptation into our
work. As needs and expertise vary between EPA Region 9 programs and between individuals,
ask staff what their specific priority climate change adaptation training needs and preferences
are. Provide training that is the most urgent or will fill the biggest information gaps.
Work with EPA Region 9 Science Council, EPA national Program Offices, the EPA-wide training
program in the Office of Human Resources, and outside partners, to provide access to on-line
and in-person training opportunities. This includes access to a library of webinars and
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recordings of classes that make the best use of current technology. [Work with EPA
Headquarters]
Encourage our partners to integrate climate change adaptation effectively into their work.
Share existing decision-support tools and training opportunities on climate change adaptation,
especially where training is local or available on-line.
Where resources allow, and our expertise exists, provide decision-support tool information
directly to partners (e.g., targeted training sessions). Look for opportunities to coordinate with
partners (federal, state, territory, and tribal agencies, and non-government organizations) on
climate change adaptation training sessions.
On a regular basis, update climate change content on EPA Region 9 websites -for both climate-
related and programmatic web pages. Encourage other organizations to link to our climate
change web pages. Include links to EPA climate change web pages in communications to
partners about related issues.
b. Integrate Climate Change Adaptation into Funding Mechanisms. Incorporating climate change
consideration into funding actions will help build the climate change adaptation capacity of our
partners, and make it less likely that funds will be spent on projects that will be damaged or destroyed
by sea level rise or extreme storm events, or other climate change impacts.
Continue to incorporate the consideration of climate change impacts and adaptation measures
into financial mechanisms, such as grants and contracts. The number of EPA Region 9 funding
mechanisms that are now considering climate change adaptation continues to grow. Existing
funds include General Assistance Program grants to tribes, San Francisco Bay Water Quality
Improvement Fund (SFBWOJF) grants and Wetland Program Development Grants. Other grant
funds that could include climate change adaptation consideration are the Clean Water Act
Section 319 (nonpoint source control) and Section 106 (water quality monitoring), Brownfields,
and the Strong Cities-Strong Communities (SC2).
Encourage States to require climate change adaptation consideration in their State Revolving
Fund loan programs. [Work with other Regions and EPA Headquarters]
Implement EPA Region 9's Greening Grants Policy, encouraging grantees to not only reduce
their carbon footprint, but also implement sustainable measures which are important to
successful climate change adaptation (e.g., water and energy conservation).
2. Focus on severe vulnerabilities.
Three severe potential impacts in EPA Region 9, relative to EPA's mission, are:
1) decreased water availability due to drought and loss of snow pack;
2) flooding due to more extreme weather events and sea level rise; and
3) degradation of coral reefs due to ocean acidification and bleaching.
In focusing on these particular vulnerabilities, EPA will consider where it can best contribute to the work
of federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, and non-governmental organizations. While many of the
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specific actions targeting these vulnerabilities are described in the EPA Region 9 program-specific
section, below, some of the general areas of adaptation we will pursue are described here.
a. Decreased water availability due to drought and loss of snow pack. EPA Region 9 water resources
are already limited on the mainland and on the Pacific islands.
Promote water use efficiency, conservation, and recycling.
Promote the protection and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas in order to protect the
quality and quantity of surface and groundwater supplies.
Promote the use of Green Infrastructure for more sustainable stormwater management (e.g.,
reducing polluted runoff to surface waters, providing flood mitigation, enhancing drinking water
supplies).
Work with our states, tribes, and local partners to prepare for potential water shortages.
Provide water resource managers and utilities with access and training for existing decision-
support tools; collaborate on new tool development and training; and use EPA funds and
resources to leverage other water resource and infrastructure funds for climate change
adaptation.
b. Flooding as a result of more extreme weather events and sea level rise. The areas of EPA Region 9
most susceptible to sea level rise are Hawaii, the Pacific Island territories, and coastal California -
including the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay Delta Estuary).
With particular focus on these coastal areas, EPA Region 9 will use its Geographic Information System
(GIS) mapping capabilities, and available tools from government and non-government partners, to
better target adaptation actions. Region 9 will consider improved mapping of hazardous waste sites to
illustrate climate change vulnerabilities of these locations (e.g., sea level rise, storm event flooding),
especially around vulnerable communities and ecosystems. This information can be used to help
prioritize EPA Region 9's adaptation actions and help our partners prioritize their own work.
c. Degradation of coral reefs due to ocean acidification and bleaching. Climate change and related
increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are triggering ocean warming, acidification, sea level rise,
and increased storm intensity, all of which pose major threats to the future of coral reefs.
EPA Region 9 will implement our coral reef strategy to protect and help increase the resilience
of these fragile ecosystems in the face of climate change.
EPA Region 9 will use the Clean Water Act and other authorities to improve protection of coral
reefs in Hawaii, the U.S. territories, and other U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands, especially by
controlling land-based sources of pollution which impact coral reefs.
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3. Focus on the most vulnerable populations and geographic areas.
a. Tribes. Tribes in EPA Region 9 are increasingly concerned about the effects of a changing climate on
their communities, resources and traditional cultural practices. Tribes in EPA Region 9 already
experience temperature extremes and droughts, which have negatively affected their lands. Some
Tribes are drawing on their oral histories and their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to document
past and current conditions, assess changes, and plan for adaptation.
EPA values its unique government-to-government relationship with Indian tribes in planning and
decision making. This trust responsibility has been established over time and is further expressed in the
1984 EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations and the 2011
Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes. These policies recognize and support the
sovereign decision-making authority of tribal governments.
Supporting the development of adaptive capacity among tribes is a priority for the EPA. Tribes are
particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to the integral nature of the environment
within their traditional lifeways and culture. There is a strong need to develop adaptation strategies that
promote sustainability and reduce the impact of climate change on Indian tribes.
EPA engaged tribes through a formal consultation process in the development of the Agency's Climate
Change Adaptation Plan. Tribes identified some of the most pressing issues as erosion, temperature
change, drought and various changes in access to and quality of water. Tribes recommended a number
of tools and strategies to address these issues, including improving access to data and information;
supporting baseline research to better track the effects of climate change; developing community-level
education and awareness materials; and providing financial and technical support. At the same time,
tribes challenged EPA to coordinate climate change activities among federal agencies so that resources
are better leveraged and administrative burdens are reduced.
This Plan identifies specific steps that will be taken to partner with tribal governments, on an ongoing
basis, to increase their adaptive capacity and address their adaptation-related priorities. These
collaborative efforts will benefit from the expertise provided by our tribal partners and the TEK they
possess. TEK is a valuable body of knowledge in assessing the current and future impacts of climate
change and has been used by tribes for millennia as a valuable tool to adapt to changing surroundings.
Consistent with the principles in the 1984 Indian Policy, TEK is viewed as a complementary resource that
can inform planning and decision-making.
Networks and partnerships already in place will be used to assist tribes with climate change issues,
including Regional Tribal Operations Committees, the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
and the Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP). Additionally, Region 9 will pursue effective
coordination among EPA Regional and Program Offices, since climate change has many impacts that
transcend program and regional boundaries. Transparency and information sharing will continue, in
order to leverage activities already taking place within EPA Offices and tribal governments.
Support and encourage the use of General Assistance Program (GAP) grants, and other available
funds for climate change adaptation, as particular funds allow (e.g., education of staff and
Page 16 of 46
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members, assessing their community and environment, developing climate change adaptation
plans).
Continue to provide funding for sustainable water infrastructure on tribal lands, in coordination
with the Indian Health Service.
Use the Regional Tribal Operations Committee as a forum for climate change adaptation
information sharing, training, and capacity building.
Exchange information with the National Tribal Science Council on national tribal climate change
adaptation needs and directions, as appropriate. [Work with EPA Headquarters]
Coordinate with other federal agencies who work directly with tribes to determine the best way
to collaborate on climate change adaptation support.
Consult with tribes on major proposed EPA climate change actions, in accordance with our
established tribal consultation policies.
b. Islands. Hawaii and the United States Pacific Island territories of American Samoa, Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Guam are among the most vulnerable areas on the planet
for climate change impacts. Within decades, it may not be viable to live on some currently-populated
Pacific islands. Sea level rise, coastal erosion, extreme drought, an increase of severe storms, and a
reduction of food supply, all threaten sustainable human habitat on some islands. The EPA Region 9
Pacific Islands Office and the EPA Region 9 program offices will work with island governments, and other
partners, to address critical climate change adaptation vulnerabilities (e.g., shortage of freshwater
supplies, impacts to coastal and marine ecosystems including coral reefs, and hazards associated with
rising sea levels and storm events including damage to wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, crop
damage, saltwater intrusion into aquifers, and inundation of low-lying islands).
Support and encourage the use of grants to local environmental agencies and other entities for
climate change adaptation.
Continue the use of water and wastewater construction funds to support sustainable water
infrastructure in the Pacific islands in light of anticipated climate change impacts.
Use the tools at EPA's disposal, including funding, technical assistance, and enforcement to
protect coral reefs from land-based sources of pollution.
Factor climate change impacts and climate change adaptation into emergency preparedness and
emergency response in the Pacific islands.
Coordinate with, and participate in, local Pacific island climate change and renewable energy
working groups and task forces.
Coordinate with other federal agencies who work with the Pacific islands on climate change
adaptation.
c. California Coast (including the Bay Delta Estuary). The California coast and the Bay Delta Estuary
are at risk from climate change. Storm events and sea level rise are expected to impact coastal
watersheds, tidal wetlands, and low-elevation infrastructure. California state and local agencies, federal
agencies, and non-government organizations are already working together to begin to address climate
change impacts. EPA Region 9 will continue work with these partners to determine where our abilities
and resources can be best applied to facilitate climate change adaptation.
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B. Program-Specific Climate Change Adaptation Actions
Each EPA Region 9 program office will continue to work with its counterpart office at EPA Headquarters,
and with other partners, to determine how to best integrate key climate change actions into current
work. EPA Region 9 will continue to identify new priority actions that are critical to building climate
change resilience. Existing and potential EPA Region 9 priority actions for climate change adaptation are
identified below. EPA Region 9 intends to continue to pursue current actions and take on new priorities,
as resources allow.
1. Air Program
EPA Region 9's Air Division is pursuing work that has benefits for climate change adaptation. It is
anticipated that increased temperatures due to climate change have the potential to increase the
formation of photochemical smog. Thus, Air Division will need to adapt to this reality and will focus on
reducing air quality impacts of climate change through efforts to reduce NOx and other smog and
PM2.5-forming pollutants. The EPA Region 9 Air Division anticipates the following actions in 2014.
Focus on reduction of tropospheric photo-chemical smog, or ozone, as climate change
is anticipated to increase the potential for ozone formation.
o Work with other Regions and HQ air program managers, as appropriate, to develop
a strategy, in context to other programmatic priorities, on how to incorporate
climate adaptation into air quality programs (e.g., SIP, permits).
o Work with California's Air Resources Board (ARB) as they further "Vision 2050" to
address increases in ozone formation as temperatures increase.
o Provide leadership and administer Clean Air Technology Initiative grants in South Coast
and San Joaquin Valley Air Districts.
o Leverage additional public and private resources for zero and low-emission technology
deployment.
o Work with local air pollution control agencies that are preparing multi-pollutant clean
air plans that anticipate increased temperatures due to climate change (e.g., Bay Area
Air Quality Management District).
o In anticipation of additional air quality challenges, evaluate additional staff needs to
handle the larger workload.
Use ORIA-generated messages and local resources to educate the public regarding mold and
other indoor air quality issues. Work with local air pollution control agencies to assure
consistent messaging.
o Public inquiries may increase due to extreme weather events. Additional regional staff
time may be needed to answer calls from the public.
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2. Water Program
Much of the work of the EPA Region 9 Water Program - to protect and improve water quality and
enhance aquatic resources - also contributes to the resilience of watersheds. In fact, many of the tools
and approaches used today (e.g., wetlands and floodplain restoration, watershed management, green
infrastructure implementation, and water conservation) will be even more critical under changing
climatic conditions. Hence, the Water Program's priority for climate change adaptation is to accelerate
these existing efforts. We will focus not only on restoring impaired watersheds, but also protecting
higher quality watersheds to increase their resilience to climate change impacts.
The near-term EPA Region 9 Water Program priority actions are described below, arranged under the 4
main water programmatic elements identified in the "National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response
to Climate Change" - Infrastructure, Watersheds and Wetlands, Coastal and Ocean Waters, and Water
Quality.
a. Infrastructure
Reach out to utilities and provide webinars to inform them about and encourage use of Climate
Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) tools, including the Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness
Tool (GREAT), vulnerability assessments, training workshops, and other tools.
Work with the states to support use of Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) monies to
train water utilities on American Water Works Association (AWWA's) Water Audit Software (if
appropriate permission is obtained) to identify customized and cost-effective water savings
opportunities, and continue to promote use of SRF for leak detection or repair. EPA will consider
conducting a webinar(s) on the AWWA software as well.
Encourage water utilities (and others, including schools) to become EPA WaterSense partners.
Work through the interagency partnerships coordinated by our Sustainable Infrastructure
program to leverage funding to support sustainable water infrastructure and water use
efficiency projects.
Encourage the reuse of water through collaboration with state and tribal governments, utilities
and non-government partners.
Communicate the advantages and successes of green infrastructure through the EPA Region 9
website and outreach opportunities; assemble case studies of utilities that have successfully
implemented adaptation planning. Encourage implementation of green infrastructure through
numerous EPA funding programs, including SRF, SFBWOJF, National Estuary Program, Clean
Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source, and US-Mexico Border Infrastructure.
Develop model language for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to
require asset management planning that accounts for existing facility replacement and
maintenance, as well as potential upgrades needed to deal with sea level rise, increased flood
risk, and drought conditions where appropriate. [Work with EPA Headquarters]
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Promote climate change adaptation planning through enforcement orders and consent decrees,
as appropriate.
b. Watersheds and Wetlands
Enhance EPA Region 9's efforts to restore impaired waters and improve aquatic ecosystems, in
order to increase watershed resilience to climate change. Actions include targeted project
implementation in priority watersheds, based on Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
determinations and watershed plans, and collaboration in these watersheds with federal, state,
territory, tribal and local agency partners to leverage additional resources and expertise to
achieve meaningful results.
Work with the State of California and the California Water Quality Monitoring Council to identify
healthy watersheds through an integrated assessment, and to support the implementation of
California's Healthy Streams Partnership (report expected in December, 2013).
Continue to deliver outreach on the Climate Change Handbook (EPA's effort with CDWR and
COE for Integrated Regional Water Management Planning) to assist water planners in
integrating climate change considerations into their water resource plans, particularly outside
California.
Develop model language for commenting on Clean Water Act Section 404 permits (impacts to
wetlands) to request that project alternatives consider sea level rise and flood risk, as well as
decreasing stressors on wetlands (and other waters of the US) sensitive to climate change (e.g.,
coral reefs, alpine fens). Develop model climate change adaptation language for Section 404
permit-related wetland mitigation banks. Incorporate green infrastructure provisions, for
management and use of runoff, into appropriate wetland permits and CWA Section 401
certifications for water quality. [Work with EPA Headquarters]
Incorporate the consideration of climate change adaptation into watershed-related EPA grant
requests for proposal (RFPs) and other funding mechanisms. Encourage, or require, applicants
to protect and restore aquatic landscapes to make existing communities more climate-ready
(e.g., more robust riparian habitat and wetlands, more groundwater recharge areas, less runoff
of pollution directly into water ways).
Encourage states and tribes to conduct water quality monitoring under Clean Water Act section
106, to gather water quality information that can also be used to track potential changes to
water quality from climate change.
For the San Francisco Bay, seek opportunities to support and work with climate change
adaptation efforts underway, through our participation on the Bay Conservation and
Development Commission, the Habitat Goals Project, and other San Francisco Bay Forums.
Collaborate with nongovernment partners and key agencies [i.e., California Department of
Water Resources (CDWR), US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the US Army Corps of Engineers
(ACOE), and the US Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)] to implement the Central
Valley Flood Protection Plan, by:
- setting back levees to reconnect creeks and rivers with floodplains (thereby increasing capacity
for flood retention and groundwater recharge);
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- restoring riparian forest to the floodplains to recover fish and wildlife populations and improve
water quality; and
- providing landowners with incentives for levee setbacks and revenue for resulting ecosystem
services, in collaboration with the agricultural community.
c. Coastal and Ocean Waters
Work with the three EPA Region 9 National Estuary Programs (San Francisco Estuary
Partnership, Morro Bay Estuary Program and Santa Monica Bay Partnership) to facilitate sharing
of climate change information and tools, including those developed under the Climate Ready
Estuaries Program (e.g., technical guidance, toolkits, reports, and studies).
Continue appropriate involvement in the West Coast Governor's Alliance on Ocean Health.
Continue participation in updating the San Francisco Bay Wetlands Goals Report, which will
incorporate an improved understanding of the impact of climate change on bay habitats.
Engage in other climate change adaptation efforts with partners in the Bay Delta Estuary, as
appropriate.
Implement key elements of the EPA Region 9 Coral Reef Strategy to reduce local stress on coral
reefs systems (i.e., land-based pollution from point and non-point sources) which compounds
the vulnerability of coral reefs to ocean acidification and rising sea-surface temperatures. Use
available EPA resources to identify effective adaptation methods and reduce local stress on coral
reefs, and facilitate information exchange with our partners.
Pacific Islands Office and Water Division will coordinate with the Pacific islands, state, territory
and local agencies, other federal agency offices, and other partners to identify the most critical
vulnerabilities. EPA Region 9 will continue to take into consideration the differences among
individual islands. Encourage the use of EPA funds to leverage capital funds for infrastructure
improvements, and conduct outreach and training for Pacific Island staff and other stakeholders
about taking climate change into consideration and building resilience. Current priorities
include long-term protection of drinking water supplies and improving wastewater
management.
d. Water Quality
Ensure that NPDES stormwater permits consider climate change impacts and require the use of
stormwater retention and infiltration approaches (and other appropriate green infrastructure
provisions) for new development and redevelopment.
Share information with other states, tribes, and EPA regions about California's laws and policies
which encourage and set goals for water recycling. This could include indirect potable water
reuse, gray water reuse, and rainwater harvesting.
Consistent with the Bay Delta Action Plan:
- Collaborate with the California State Water Resources Control Board to set water quality
standards that factor in expected changes in precipitation and snowpack.
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3. National Environmental Policy Act Review Program.
In its review of NEPA documents prepared by other federal agencies, EPA Region 9 will seek to have
climate change-related environmental effects, and climate change adaptation measures appropriately
disclosed and considered in accordance with emerging guidance from the Council on Environmental
Quality.
4. Pesticides Program.
The EPA Region 9 Pesticides Office will evaluate how to incorporate climate change adaptation into its
existing activities, and examine where it may be most important to consider climate change adaptation.
The program will provide information specific to EPA Region 9 to the national program office for
pesticide registration reviews, and will help to ensure that climate change impacts in EPA Region 9 are
taken into account. The regional program will also determine how to best work with partners and
stakeholders (e.g., state, tribe and Pacific island regulatory partners, pesticide applicators, growers,
farmworkers, etc.) to help them better prepare to adapt to climate change and to incorporate
sustainable pest control practices as conditions and species shift. The Program will also assist state, tribe
and Pacific island partners with responding to potential increased need for compliance monitoring to
ensure that climate change impacts do not result in pesticide misuse.
5. Waste Program:
The EPA Region 9 Waste Program will evaluate how to incorporate climate change adaptation into its
existing activities, and examine where it may be most important to consider climate change
adaptation. The program will consider improved mapping of hazardous waste sites that accounts for
climate change vulnerabilities (e.g., sea level rise, storm event flooding, increased wildfire risk, high heat
events, and droughts), especially around vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Any effective
decision-support tools identified will be shared with states, territories, tribes, and other EPA regions and
Headquarters Program Offices.
6. Superfund Program:
The Region 9 Superfund Program will continue to identify opportunities to consider climate change
adaptation in our remedial decision-making, and in the design, operation and effectiveness evaluation of
our remedies. An important part of this effort will be continuing staff education on the effects of a
changing climate on the environment and on effective means of accounting for this change in our
decision-making and long term planning (removal and remedial cleanups, RE-Powering America,
Brownfields grants, Regional Support Corps emergency response).
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The Region 9 Superfund Program will include climate change vulnerabilities (e.g. sea level rise, storm
event flooding, increased wildfire risk, high heat events and droughts), especially around vulnerable
communities and ecosystems, in Five Year Reviews of Superfund sites with remedies in place. The
program will also consider opportunities to share effective decision-support tools with other EPA
regions and Headquarters Program Offices. Climate change may lead to climate-related events that
result in an increased need for emergency response support. Consequently, the EPA Region 9
Superfund Program will continue to focus on providing sufficient staffing for emergency response,
including support from the EPA R9 Response Support Corps.
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V. Measuring and Evaluating Performance
A critical element of our climate change adaptation strategy is the measurement and evaluation of our
regional efforts. We will evaluate our climate change adaptation actions on an ongoing basis to assess
our progress toward mainstreaming climate change adaptation into the Region's programs, policies,
rules, and operations. Evaluating progress of our adaptation actions is particularly important because so
much of what we are doing with climate change adaptation is new and there will be a lot of "learning by
doing." Based on the lessons we learn, and lessons drawn from the efforts of our national programs,
regional counterparts, and other key partners and stakeholders, we can make adjustments to the way
adaptation is integrated into our activities.
The Region will conduct an annual evaluation of our progress and performance under this
implementation plan, with a particular focus on the priority actions in Section IV. The initial focus of our
evaluation will be a narrative assessment of our successes and accomplishments, what efforts and
strategies are working well - and why - as well as an identification of those activities that are not
proving successful, the reasons, and any recommendations for new or different approaches that would
yield better results and outcomes. This type of evaluation will best allow the Region to highlight our
progress, and learn from our efforts in order to continually improve the effectiveness of our climate
change adaptation mainstreaming efforts.
Although the Region is not identifying any specific "performance measures" for our climate change
adaptation work at this time, we anticipate that such measures could be developed in future years as
we more fully integrate climate change efforts into our regional programs. In addition, the Region will
continue to coordinate with our Headquarters counterparts to provide input for the existing Agency-
wide strategic performance measures from the FY 2011-2015 EPA Strategic Plan, as well as any annual
performance measures being established by the national program managers. These national measures,
which focus on integrating climate change adaptation into the Agency's rulemaking processes,
distribution of financial and technical resources, and development of information tools, represent a
framework within which we anticipate developing future performance measures for our regional climate
change adaptation mainstreaming efforts.
Footnotes
1 United States Environmental Protection Agency, Policy Statement. (June 2, 2011). Policy Statement on
Climate Change Adaptation. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/impacts-
adaptation/adaptation-statement.pdf
2 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (February 8, 2013). Draft Climate Change Adaptation
Plan. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/pdfs/EPA-climate-change-adaptation-plan-final-for-public-
comment-2-7-13.pdf
Page 24 of 46
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3 United States Global Change Research Program (2009). Global Climate Change Impacts in the United
States . Karl, T.R., J.M. Melillo, and T.C. Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program.
Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA. http://globalchange.gov/what-we-
do/assessment/previous-assessments/global-climate-change-impacts-in-the-us-2009
4 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate
Matter: Final Report. http://www.epa.gOV/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s pm 2007 isa.html
5 Keener, V. W., Marra, J.J., Finucane, M. L, Spooner, D., & Smith, M. H. (Eds.). (2012). Climate
Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts. Report for the 2012 Pacific Islands Regional Climate
Assessment (PIRCA). Washington, DC: Island Press, http://www.pacificrisa.org/projects/pirca/
6 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). National Water Program 2012 Strategy:
Response to Climate Change, http://www.epa.gov/water/climatechange
7 Jackson, S. (2006). Vegetation, environment, and time: the origination and termination of ecosystems.
Journal of Vegetation Science 17:549-557. Available at http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1658/1100-
9233(2006)17%5B549:VEATTO%5D2.0.CO%3B2
8 Fletcher, C. (2010). Hawai'i's Changing Climate. Briefing Sheet.
http://icap.seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/sites/seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/files/publications/ClimateBriefin
g web.pdf
9 Parry, M.L, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson (eds.). (2007). Contribution
of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, 2007. "Climate Change 2007: Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability."
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 2007.
10 Cutter, S.L and C. Finch. (2008). "Temporal and spatial changes in social vulnerability to natural
hazards." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105(7): 2301-2306.
11 Solomon, S., G-K Plattner, R. Knutti, and P. Friedlingstein. (2009). Irreversible climate change due to
carbon dioxide emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(6): 1,704-1,709. DOI:
10.1073/pnas.0812721106; Johanson, CM., and Q. Fu, 2009: Hadley Cell Widening: Model Simulations
versus Observations. Journal of Climate, 22:2,713-2,725.
12 Seager, R., et al. (2007). Model Projections of an Imminent Transition to a More Arid Climate in
Southwestern North America. Science, 316: 1,181-1,184.
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Appendix A: Challenges that Climate Change Poses to
EPA Region 9 Program Effectiveness
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
EPA REGION 9 PROGRAMMATIC IMPACTS '
Focus of
Associated
Region 9 Program
Example of Risks to Public Health
and Environment if
Region 9 Program were Impacted
Increased Likely1 Protecting public High | Could become more difficult to
tropospheric health and the
ozone
pollution in
certain
regions
environment by
approving
state
programs
to meet
the
National
Ambient
Air
Quality
Standards
(NAAQS),
and
implemen
ting
programs
in Indian
attain NAAQS for ozone in many
areas with existing ozone
problems.
Country.
Page 26 of 46
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Increased Likely2 Protecting public
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires
Increasing
extreme
temperature
s
health and the
environment by
approving
state
programs
to meet
the
National
Ambient
Air
Quality
Standards
(NAAQS),
and
implemen
ting
programs
in Indian
Country.
Very Protect public
Likely3 health by
Increasing Likely3-6
heavy
precipitation
events
promoting
healthy indoor
environments
through
voluntary
programs and
guidance.
High
Med.
Could complicate Agency efforts
to protect public health and the
environment from risks posed by
particulate matter (PM) pollution
in areas affected by more
frequent wildfires.
Could increase public health risks
in indoor environments; including
risks for the young, the elderly,
the chronically ill, and
socioeconomically disadvantaged
populations.
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Effects on
the
stratospheric
ozone layer
Effects on
response of
ecosystems
to
atmospheric
deposition of
sulfur,
nitrogen, and
mercury.
Likely4 Restoring the
Likely5
stratospheric
ozone layer,
Preventing UV-
related disease,
and
Providing a
smooth
transition to
safer energy
alternatives.
Agency
emissions
reduction
programs
provide some
ecosystem
protection.
^^^^=^^^^=
* Low
Unable to restore ozone
concentrations to benchmark
levels as quickly, at some
latitudes.
Low Could have consequences for the
effectiveness of ecosystem
protections under certain
programs.
Page 28 of 46
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CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
EPA REGION 9 PROGRAMMATIC IMPACTS '
Focus of
Associated
Region 9 Program
Example of Risks to Public Health
and Environment if
Region 9 Program were Impacted
Increasing Likely3-6 * Restoring and
heavy
precipitation
protecting
watersheds,
events aquatic
Increasing
intensity of
hurricanes
and typhoons
Decreasing
precipitation
days and
increasing
drought
intensity
Likely3 ecosystems and
Likely6
Sea-level rise Very
wetlands.
(continued
below)
Ocean likely7
acidification Certain8 |
(continued
below)
High
Increased heavy precipitation
and storm events increase
number of sewer overflows and
wastewater bypasses, increased
coastal and inland erosion, as
well as increased pollutant loads
in runoff, and may combine to
damage waterway channels,
coastlines and infrastructure,
decrease water quality, and
threaten public health.
Sea level rise would flood coastal
wetlands and eliminate them if
they cannot migrate up slope and
inland.
Ocean acidification will increase
stress on shellfisheries and
continued stress on coral reefs.
(continued below)
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CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
EPA REGION 9 PROGRAMMATIC IMPACTS '
Focus of
Associated
Region 9 Program
Example of Risks to Public Health
and Environment if
Region 9 Program were Impacted
Increased
water
temperatures
Earlier timing
of spring
snowmelt
events
Reduction in
snowpack
Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires
Very
Likely9
Very
Likely10
Very
likely11
Likely2
(Continued)
Restoring and
protecting
watersheds,
aquatic
ecosystems and
wetlands.
High
Increased stresses to water
bodies and water quality would
make it more challenging to
protect and restore the chemical,
biological, and physical integrity
of Waters of the U.S, and water
quality standards.
Snowmelt runoff shift to earlier
in the spring, could result in
increased floods in spring and
reduced stream flow later in
summer, altering aquatic
environments and increasing
impairments.
Geographic shifts in aquatic
habitat and species may threaten
water quality and the economic
and cultural practices of tribal,
and other indigenous,
communities.
* Increased temperatures, drought,
wildfires, and invasive species
may accelerate landscape change
and make certain aquatic
ecosystems (e.g., mountain wet
meadows, vernal pools, desert
springs, and playa lakes) more
vulnerable to loss.
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Increasing Likely3-6 | Drinking water,
heavy
precipitation
events
Increasing
Likely3
intensity of
hurricanes
and
typhoons Very
Sea-level rise likely7
Increasing
Likely6
wastewater and
stormwater
infrastructure
flood risk Likely2
Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires Very
Earlier timing Likely10
of spring
snowmelt
events
Likely6
Decreasing
precipitation
days and
increasing
drought
intensity
High
* Increase in inland precipitation ,
storm intensity and snowmelt
flooding could overwhelm or
damage water infrastructure (i.e.,
intakes, outfalls, treatment
plants, and associated pipes and
pumps) resulting in an increase in
pathogens and an increased
incidence of waterborne diseases
* Sea level rise in combination with
Intensifying coastal storms and
flooding would impact coastal
and tide-water infrastructure;
which could result in an increase
in pathogens, an increased
incidence of waterborne
diseases, and reduced access to
freshwater
In addition to earthquake
response plans and other hazard
response plans, drinking water
and wastewater utilities will need
to consider extreme weather,
wildfire, and sea level events in
their emergency response plans,
as appropriate (an "all hazards"
approach)
Problems of safety as well as
access to clean and safe drinking
water will be exacerbated for
vulnerable and economically
deprived communities.
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Increased
Very The quality and
water likely8 availability of
temperature safe drinking
s Likely3 water
Increasing
heavy
precipitation
events
Decreasing
precipitation
days and
increasing
drought
intensity
Likely6
Very
* Reduction in likely10
snowpack Likely2
Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires
* Earlier timing
Very
Likely10
of spring
snowmelt
events Very
* Sea Level Likely7
Rise
High
High water temperatures and
increased storm-water runoff
may increase the need for
drinking water treatment, raising
drinking water system costs and
costs for customers.
Decrease in precipitation or
changes in precipitation seasons
could impact water availability,
forcing communities to seek
alternative sources.
* Changes in precipitation or an
increased need for water
supplies may increase pressure to
use other water supplies (e.g.,
surface reservoirs, or naturally
occurring or injected
groundwater requiring EPA to
ensure safety.
» Problems of access to clean and
safe drinking water will be
exacerbated for vulnerable and
economically deprived
communities.
» Sea Level Rise could lead to salt
water inundation or intrusion
into coastal freshwater
groundwater sources.
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Likely3-6 Cleaning up
Contaminated
Sites and Waste
Management
Likely6
Increasing
heavy
precipitation
events
Increasing
risk of floods
Sea level rise
Increasingly frequent or intense
inland and coastal flooding, as
well as increasingly frequent or
intense wildfires, could increase
the risk of contaminant releases
from EPA hazardous waste sites
EPA may need to alter selected
remedies to ensure protection.
Very
likely7
Very
likely3
Likely2
Changes in
temperature
Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires
Likely3-6 Emergency
Response
Increasing
heavy
precipitation
events
Increasing
intensity of
hurricanes
and
typhoons
Increasing
risk of floods
Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires
Likely6
Likely2
Increase in frequency and/or
intensity of coastal and inland
flood events, storm events and
wildfires could increase the risk
of contaminant releases from
regulated sites and non-
regulated sites, which would
increase the need for emergency
response.
A rapid increase in level and
frequency of emergency events
could overwhelm EPA's
emergency response resources
and limit our ability to respond
quickly and effectively, which
could result in more risk to
communities and the
environment.
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Decreasing
precipitation
days and
increasing
drought
intensity
Increasing
extreme
temperature
s
Increasing
heavy
precipitation
events
Earlier timing
of spring
events
Increase in,
and a
changing mix
of, pests*
(* includes
weeds, insects,
molds, fungi,
and diseases)
Likely6
Very
likely3
Likely3-'
Very
likely10
Very
likely12
Protecting
human health
and ecosystems
from chemical
risks
Med.
Changes in planting timing or
location may affect the volume
and timing of agricultural
chemical use, which could impact
water quality and pesticide
exposures to people and the
environment.
Many weeds, diseases, and insect
pests would benefit from
warming, and many weeds would
also benefit from a higher carbon
dioxide concentration, increasing
stress on crop plants and
requiring more attention to pest
and weed control.
Emergency exemptions for
unregistered pesticides,
state/local special need
registrations, as well as requests
to approve additional or new end
uses of registered products, may
increase.
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Earlier timing Very Conducting
of spring
events
Likely10
environmental
sampling of
1 Increasing Likely6 water, air and
risk of floods soils and of
1 Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfires
Likely2
1 Increasing Likely3-6
heavy
precipitation
events
1 Increased
water
Very
likely7
temperature
S
1 Decreasing
precipitation
days and
increasing
drought
intensity
1 Increasing
extreme
temperature
s
Likely6
Very
likely3
materials to
determine
exposure and
risk
Water and
energy usage at
EPA facilities
^^^^=^^^^=
Med.
Low
Increase in frequency and/or
intensity of coastal and inland
flood events, storm events and
wildfires, as well as sea level rise,
may require a change in
sampling methods and strategies
for EPA and its partners.
Increase in frequency or
intensity of flood events, storm
events and wildfires, as well as
sea level rise may impact EPA's
and partners' long-term
sampling locations, which may
require EPA and partners to set
up new sampling sites and
analyze data from different sites
over the long term.
Region 9 facilities are in areas
that could experience water
shortages, requiring even more
water conservation.
Region 9 facilities are in locations
that could experience extreme
heat events, requiring even more
energy conservation; and in cases
of resulting region-wide power
failure, could require additional
accommodations.
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Increasing
risk of floods
Likely6 Operations of
Agency facilities,
Increasing Likely3 personnel
intensity of
hurricanes
and
typhoons
Sea level rise
Very
likely7
Very
safety, physical
security, and
emergency
communications
Emergency
management
Increasing likely3 mission support
extreme (protective gear
temperature Likely2 and acquisition)
s
Increased
frequency
and intensity
of wildfire
^^^^=^^^^=
Med.
Facilities in coastal or inland
flood-prone areas may be
flooded or their access cut off.
Personnel engaged in field work
may be vulnerable to extreme
temperatures or weather events.
During an emergency extreme
weather, flooding, or wildfire
event; power may be cut off,
which could impact security,
lighting, temperature control,
and communication systems.
Personnel and real property that
support emergency response and
management may be impacted
directly or indirectly by flood
events, storm events and
wildfires; and EPA's ability to
respond in an emergency could
be compromised.
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Footnotes for Summary Table of Potential Challenges that Climate Change Poses to the Functioning of
EPA Region 9 Programs
Appendix A Table - Heading Footnotes:
a This table summarizes vulnerabilities by the five goals in EPA's Strategic Plan http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html.
Please note that the table also summarizes vulnerabilities to EPA facilities and operations; this is not part of the EPA Strategic Plan goal
structure but is an important element of EPA's vulnerability assessment. Please see Section 2 of this document for a fuller discussion of
impacts.
b Climate Change Impacts are based upon peer-reviewed scientific literature.
c Programmatic Impacts are based upon EPA best professional judgment at this time.
d Impacts can vary by season and location.
e In general, the sources cited in this section use Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) likelihood of outcome terminology
where the term Very likely' means 90-100% probability and the term 'likely' means 66-100% probability. For some impacts in the table,
additional discussion on the likelihood term is provided in the associated footnote.
f High assumes the program will be affected by the impact; Medium assumes the program could be affected under some conditions by
the impact; Low assumes that there is a potential for the program to be impacted or uncertainty currently exists as to the potential nature
and extent of the impact. This assessment is based on best professional judgment within EPA at this time. Please note, this column
does not reflect several important considerations. For example it does not distinguish timeframes (current, near-term, long-term). It does
not account for regional and local variations. And it does not reflect the priority of actions the agency may undertake now or in the future.
Appendix A Table Text Footnotes:
1 Denman, K.L., et al. (2007). Couplings Between Changes in the Climate System and Biogeochemistry. In: Climate Change 2007: The
Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignorand H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
2 C.B. Field et al., "North America," Chapter 14 in Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, Contribution of Working
Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ed. M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P.
Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson (Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press,
2007).
3 IPCC, 2012: Summary for Policymakers. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change
Adaptation [Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen,
M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1-19.
4 World Meteorological Organization, Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010, Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project
Report No. 52 (Geneva, Switzerland, 2011). Note: the word "expected" is used in the report to characterize projected climate change
impacts on the stratospheric ozone layer. For purposes of this table the word "likely" has been used as a proxy for "expected."
5 Burns, D.A., Lynch, J.A., Cosby, B.J., Fenn, M.E., Baron, J.S., US EPA Clean Air Markets Div., 2011 .National Acid Precipitation
Assessment Program Report to Congress 2011: An Integrated Assessment, National Science and Technology Council, Washington, DC,
p. 114.
6 USGCRP, 2009: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. Thomas R. Karl, Jerry M. Melillo, and Thomas C.
Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.
7 IPCC, 2012: "it is very likely that mean sea level rise will contribute to upward trends in extreme coastal high water levels in the future."
8 NRC, 2010: National Research Council of the National Academies, America's Climate Choices: Panel on Advancing the Science of
Climate Change, 2010. p 41. "One of the most certain outcomes from increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere is the
acidification of the world's oceans." For purposes of this table, the term "certain" is used.
9 USGCRP, 2009: p. 46. [In the case of freshwater] "Increased air temperatures lead to higher water temperatures, which have already
been detected in many streams, especially during low-flow periods." For the purposes of this table "very likely" is used.
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10 USGCRP, 2009: p. 45. [In the case of timing of snow melt] "In areas where snowpack dominates, the timing of runoff will continue to
shift to earlier in the spring and flows will be lower in late summer." Based upon EPA best professional judgment at the time, the
likelihood of this impact was determined to be "very likely."
Lettenmaier, D., D. Major, L. Poff, and S. Running, 2008: Water Resources. In: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture,
Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States. Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, DC, p.130. Based upon EPA best professional judgment at the time, the likelihood of this impact was
determined to be "very likely."
USGCRP, 2009: p. 80. [In the case of onset of spring and length of the growing season] "In the United States,
spring now arrives an average of 10 days to two weeks earlier than it did 20 years ago. The growing season is lengthening over much of
the continental United States." Based upon EPA best professional judgment at the time, the likelihood of this impact was determined to
be "very likely."
11 Bates, B.C., Z.W. Kundzewicz, S. Wu and J.P. Palutikof, Eds., 2008: Climate Change and Water. Technical Paper of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC Secretariat, Geneva, p. 130
12 USGCRP, 2009. Agriculture: p. 75. [In the case of weeds, diseases, and pests] "Weeds, diseases, and insect pests benefit
from warming, and weeds also benefit from a higher carbon dioxide concentration, increasing stress on crop plants and requiring more
attention to pest and weed control." Based upon EPA best professional judgment at the time, the likelihood of this impact was determined
to be "very likely."
Hatfield, J., K. Boote, P. Fay, L. Hahn, C. Izaurralde, B.A. Kimball, T. Mader, J. Morgan, D. Ort, W. Polley, A. Thomson,
and D. Wolfe, 2008: Agriculture. In: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and
Biodiversity in the United States. Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, pp. 59-
60. Based upon EPA best professional judgment at the time, the likelihood of this impact was determined to be "very likely."
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Appendix B. Summaries of Selected Documents on
Climate Change Vulnerabilities in EPA Region 9
Climate Change Vulnerabilities - Generally in EPA Region 9
A report by the U.S. Global Change Research program entitled, "Global Climate Change Impacts in the
United States"1 pointed to upcoming likely vulnerabilities in the Southwest.
o Water supplies will be subject to more competition (between communities, ecosystems, agriculture
and power generation) as precipitation decreases and temperatures increase.
o The southwest ecosystem will be more vulnerable to large-scale change given reduced precipitation,
increased temperatures and the resulting increase in wildfires.
In a National Park Service 2010 report entitled, "Understanding the Science for Climate Change: Talking
Points - Impacts to Arid Lands"2, vulnerabilities are identified:
o Under current conditions and if no changes in Colorado River allocations are made, there is a 50%
chance that live storage reservoir levels will be zero by 2021 and a 50% chance that minimum power
pool levels will be reached in 2017.
o River and riparian habitats will suffer from decreased flows and increased water removal.
o Decreased late dry season runoff will likely reduce water quality through concentration of pollutants
in shrinking water bodies and decrease in dissolved oxygen.
o Increases in wildfires, due to increased temperatures and changes in precipitation, will set up a self-
reinforcing increase in fire frequencies, due to proliferation of exotic fire-prone grasses. The Great
Basin fire season could increase by 2 or more weeks.
o Increased water demands and a decreased water supply will result in over-allocation of water
resources that are already oversubscribed in many areas.
Climate Change Vulnerabilities in the Southwest
Climate change issues for the Southwest are described in the 2013 document entitled, "Assessment of
Climate Change in the Southwest United States. A Report Prepared for the National Climate
Assessment"3. The report covers Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, as well
as Southwest Native Nations lands and the United States-Mexico border region.
The report includes a discussion of vulnerabilities for communities and habitats, for example:
o Stationarity (assumption that future climate variations will be the same as past climate variations)
no longer holds in the Southwest. It is likely that temperatures will increase substantially in some
parts of the Southwest, leading to even more arid conditions.
o Tribal communities are likely to be affected more than non-tribal communities, due to limited water
supplies and water rights, and impacts on livelihood and traditional lifeways.
o Disadvantaged populations are likely to be most at risk for health issues from heat and particulate
matter increases and other climate change effects.
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o An increase in temperatures will increase health effects due to heat-related illness; and are likely to
cause an increase in air-borne particulates (from wildfires and dust storms), and associated
illnesses.
o Changes in species life cycles and distribution may impact public health (e.g., timing of vegetation
blooms and associated allergic reactions, presence of mosquitoes and rodents carrying pathogens).
o Changes in land cover will be significant, and is related to an increase in wildfires and pest
outbreaks.
o Coastal erosion, flooding and storm surges are likely to increase. The intensity of coastal storms may
increase. Sea-level rise is occurring. These combine to put coastal communities and habitats at
more risk.
o Streamflow reduction is expected across the region, which would limit water availability for
communities and habitats.
o Surface water quality is expected to be reduced in some parts of the Southwest due to reduced
streamflows, increased evaporation, and increased nonpoint source pollution from more intense
storm events and wildfire events.
o Energy supplies may become less reliable as demand for cooling and water pumping increases and
transmission lines are impacted by high temperatures or wildfires.
Climate Change Vulnerabilities in California
The State of California issued, "Our Changing Climate 2012: Vulnerability & Adaptation to the
Increasing Risks from Climate Change in California. A Summary Report on the Third Assessment form
the California Climate Change Center"4. The report discussed California climate change vulnerabilities.
o Rising temperatures will be more noticeable in spring than in other seasons.
o Heat events will increase in intensity, length and frequency; which will lead to increased impacts to
public health (especially for low income populations) and ecosystems.
o Precipitation may decrease and temperatures are likely to grow warmer which will make conditions
dryer, especially in Southern California. This would also make the spring snowpack melt sooner in
the year.
o Increased temperatures will lead to an increased demand for water supplies.
o Soil moisture levels are likely to decline during longer dryer summer conditions.
o Dryer and hotter conditions will lead to a higher risk of wildfire.
o Increased wildfires will increase particulate matter and ozone levels, leading to decreased public
health.
o Sea level rise, combined with high waves and strong winds will impact coastal communities (and
their infrastructure), habitats and coastlines.
o Sea level rise and more intense storm events will put added pressure on aging Bay Delta levees
The July 2012 report, "Climate Change and Water Supply Security: Reconfiguring Groundwater
Management to Reduce Drought Vulnerability"5 was prepared by the University of California at Santa
Cruz for the California Energy Commission. This report identified key community vulnerabilities:
o Communities in California that already experience water shortages during droughts are likely to
have more water supply vulnerability.
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o Coastal communities that do not have an inter-tie to larger water projects and that rely on local
groundwater supplies and storage systems are at significant risk for water supply shortages.
o Communities that subject their groundwater basins to overdraft can permanently lose groundwater
storage capacity and put their community at greater risk for water shortages.
o Increasing recharge of groundwater basins with treated water requires more care to not introduce
pollutants into the basin and maintain groundwater quality.
o Increase in large storm events will put communities and their infrastructure at greater risk.
o Communities in the southwest at the urban-forest border will be more vulnerable to damage by
wildfire as temperatures increase and precipitation decreases.
The report, "The Future is Now: An Update on Climate Change Science Impacts and Response Options
for California"6, prepared for the California Energy Commission in May 2009, found that:
o The American West is heating faster than the United States as a whole.
o Warming and precipitation changes are not occurring uniformly throughout the state. Two examples
relating to temperature are the effect of intensive crop irrigation in the Central Valley, which has
historically decreased the amount of warming in this region, and the increased warming effect
observed in urban areas. Changes in snowpack and the timing of spring runoff have already been
observed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains over the past century.
o Agricultural productivity, forest composition, timing of ecological events (for example, migration),
and wildfire frequency have all experienced measurable changes resulting from a changing climate.
o Factors that can aggravate problems caused by climate change include population growth, the
presence of poor or vulnerable social groups, and seismic risks in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
In addition, some climate change impacts will overlap and combine in challenging ways.
"Preparing for Climate Change: A Perspective from Local Public Health Officers in California"7, by
Louise Bedsworth of the Public Policy Institute of California (Published in Environmental Health
Perspectives, April 2009) summarized climate change impacts on air pollution:
o Climate change is likely to lead to an increase in the severity and duration of air pollution
episodes.8'9
o Air pollution levels can be affected by a number of direct and indirect effects of climate change. These
include increased temperature, changes in biogenic emissions (e.g., emissions from vegetation),
changes in chemical reaction rates, changes in atmospheric conditions that affect pollutant mixing,
and changes in the atmospheric flows that affect pollutant transport.10
o Behavioral responses to climate change could result in an increase in emissions, such as through the
increased energy demand with higher temperatures.11'12
o There is feedback between local air pollution and climate change, because some local air pollutants
also have an effect on the climate.
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Climate Change Vulnerabilities in Nevada
The Nevada Climate Change Advisory Committee, under then-Governor Jim Gibbons, issued the
"Nevada Climate Change Advisory Committee Final Report" in 200817. Note that this is not a peer-
reviewed document. The report highlighted the following potential climate change impacts:
o Increases in ozone pollution, air-borne particulate matter and air temperatures could impact public
health.
o If more of the Sierra Nevada precipitation falls as rain, rather than as snow, then
Flooding may increase in the Truckee, Walker and Carson River watersheds in the winter
and spring, and
Less water may be available in the summer for water supplies, habitat and recreation.
o If Colorado River Basin precipitation decreases, then the Las Vegas Valley may see more pressure on
its water supplies.
o Decreased precipitation could reduce summer water supplies, increase wild land fires (and
developed land fire risk), reduce native plant species cover and increase in invasive plant species
cover.
Climate Change Vulnerabilities in Hawaii and other Pacific Island
Communities
Climate change issues for the Hawaii and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands are described in the document
entitled, "Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts. Report for the 2012 Pacific
Islands Regional Climate Assessment"14. The report covers the State of Hawai'i, the territories of
American Samoa and Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as other US-
Affiliated Pacific Islands. The report includes discussions on island community and habitat
vulnerabilities:
o Freshwater supplies, particularly on low-elevation islands, may decrease if temperatures increase
and precipitation decreases. Air temperatures on Hawaiian islands have increased over 100 years
with a more marked increase over the most recent 30 years. Future trends in precipitation are
difficult to predict for the Pacific islands. Low-elevation freshwater aquifers are vulnerable to
inundation from sea level rise combined with storms or other big wave events. A reduction in
freshwater supplies could raise concerns for island food security.
o Sea level rise will make islands' coastal infrastructure more vulnerable to the flooding and erosion
from storm events. Low-elevation islands are especially vulnerable as their entire infrastructure,
communities and habitats are close to the present-day sea level, and are more subject to wave over
wash.
o Coral reefs are vulnerable to sea-surface temperature rise (which can cause coral bleaching) and
ocean water acidification (which can impact the coral-forming process). An increase in storm events
could cause more sediment deposition on coral reefs which harms the coral.
o Coastal wetlands (e.g., mangrove forests, sea grass beds) are vulnerable to direct impact from
increased wave events and tropical cyclone strength, as well as increased sediment pollution from
eroding watersheds.
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Appendix B Footnotes:
1 USGCRP (2009). Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States . Karl, T.R., J.M. Melillo, and T.C.
Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York,
NY, USA. http://globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/previous-assessments/global-climate-
change-impacts-in-the-us-2009
2 Loehman, R. 2010. Understanding the science of climate change: talking points - impacts to Arid Lands.
Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/NRR2010/209. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs other/rmrs 2010 loehman r002.pdf
3 Garfin, G., A. Jardine, R. Merideth, M. Black, and S. LeRoy, eds. 2013. Assessment of Climate Change in
the Southwest United States: A Report Prepared for the National Climate Assessment. A report by the
Southwest Climate Alliance. Washington, DC: Island Press. http://swccar.org/sites/all/themes/files/SW-
NCA-color-FINALweb.pdf
4 Moser, S., Ekstrom, J., and Franco, G. "Our Changing Climate 2012: Vulnerability & Adaptation to the
Increasing Risks from Climate Change in California. A Summary Report on the Third Assessment form the
California Climate Change Center". (2012). California Energy Commission (CEC-500-2012-007).
http://www.energv.ca.gov/2012publications/CEC-500-2012-007/CEC-500-2012-007.pdf
5 Langridge, Ruth, Andrew Fisher, Andrew Racz, Bruce Daniels, Kirsten Rudestam, and Blake Hihara.
2012. Climate Change and Water Supply Security: Reconfiguring Groundwater Management to Reduce
Drought Vulnerability. California Energy Commission. Publication Number: CEC-500-2012-017.
http://www.energv.ca.gov/2012publications/CEC-500-2012-017/CEC-500-2012-017.pdf
6 Moser, Susie, Guido Franco, Sarah Pittiglio, Wendy Chou, Dan Cayan. 2009. The Future Is Now: An
Update on Climate Change Science Impacts and Response Options for California. California Energy
Commission, PIER Energy-Related Environmental Research Program. CEC-500-2008-071.
http://www.energv.ca.gov/2008publications/CEC-500-2008-071/CEC-500-2008-071.PDF
7 Bedsworth L. Preparing for climate change: a perspective form local public health officers in California.
Environ Health Perspectives. 2009 Apr; 117(4):617-23. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0800114. Epub 2008 Dec 8.
8 Mickley U. A future short of breath? Possible effects of climate change on smog. Environment. 2007;
49(6):34-43.
9 Mickley U, Jacob DJ, Field BD, Rind D. Effects of future climate change on regional air pollution episodes
in the United States. Geophys Res Lett. 2004; 31(24):L24103. doi: 10.1029/2004GL02126.
10 Hogrefe C, Lynn B, Civerolo K, Ku JY, Rosenthal J, Rosenzweig C, et al. J Geophys Res Atmos. Vol. 109.
2004. Simulating changes in regional air pollution over the eastern United States due to changes in
global and regional climate and emissions; p. D22301.
11 Franco G, Sanstad AH. Climate change and electricity demand in California. Clim Change. 2008;
87:S139-S151
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12 Miller ML, Hayhoe K, Jin J, Auffhammer M. Climate, extreme heat, and electricity demand in California.
J Appl Meteorol Climatol. 2008; 47(June):1834-1844.
13 Gibbons, J. "Governor Jim Gibbons' Nevada Climate Change Advisory Committee Final Report". (2008).
www.epa.statelocalclimate/documents/pdf/nevada final report.pdf
14 Keener, V. W., Marra, J.J., Finucane, M. L, Spooner, D., & Smith, M. H. (Eds.). (2012). Climate
Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts. Report for the 2012 Pacific Islands Regional Climate
Assessment (PIRCA). Washington, DC: Island Press, http://www.pacificrisa.org/projects/pirca/
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Appendix C: Acknowledgements
This Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan was prepared by the EPA Pacific Southwest
Climate Change Workgroup. We wish to gratefully acknowledge the following individuals for their
assistance in developing and reviewing the Plan.
Air Division
Ben Machol, Clean Energy & Climate Change Office
Ray Saracino, Clean Energy & Climate Change Office
Amy Zimpfer, Office of the Director
Communities and Ecosystems Division
Willard Chin, Tribal Program Office
Megan Fleming, Pacific Islands Office
Kathleen Goforth, Environmental Review Office
Nate Lau, Immediate Office
John McCarroll, Pacific Islands Office
Patti TenBrook, Pesticides Office
Enforcement Division
Kathleen Johnson, Office of the Director
Management and Technical Services Division
Carolyn Truong, Office of the Director
Office of the Regional Administrator
Zoe Heller, Immediate Office
Office of Regional Counsel
Brooke-Sydney Jackson, Air, Toxics, Water, and General Law Branch
Superfund Division
Harold Ball, CA/NV Private Sites Section
Waste Management Division
Tom Huetteman, Office of the Director
Water Division
David Albright, Immediate Office Dave Guiliano, Standards and TMDL Office
Dave Basinger, Ground Water Office Robert Hall, Standards and TMDL Office
Eric Byous, Infrastructure Office Bruce Macler, Drinking Water Office
Christopher Chen, Tribal Office Suzanne Marr, Watersheds Office
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Cheryl McGovern, Infrastructure Office Hudson Slay, Watersheds Office
Pascal Mues, NPDES Permits Office Tim Vendlinski, Immediate Office
Allan Ota, Wetlands Office Wendy Wiltse, Wetlands Office
Karen Schwinn, Immediate Office Sam Ziegler, Watersheds Office
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